Governance

Jennifer has a well-established career forged in the Hunter region, including almost 14 years as Managing Director of Pitcher Partners Newcastle and Hunter Wealth Management. Jennifer is also a Director of Newcastle Permanent Building Society Ltd and Newcastle Friendly Society Ltd and is a member of the University of Newcastle’s Alumni Advisory Council.

Kurt is a three-time Paralympic Gold Medallist in wheelchair racing and has had marathon wins in 10 countries including the prestigious New York, London, and Chicago marathons multiple times.

Kurt is a passionate disability advocate and devotes himself to a number of national and Hunter-based charitable initiatives. He is a Director of the Australian Paralympic Committee, a former Director of Australian Volunteers International, and was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2018 Queen’s birthday honours. As a qualified Physical Education teacher, Kurt travels throughout NSW teaching high-school students in small and large communities. Kurt’s exploits both in and out of sport saw in recognised as the 2009 NSW Young Australian of the Year and the 2019 NSW Australian of the Year.

Jane is currently the Executive Director of Partnerships, Innovation and Research for Hunter New England Health. She currently holds positions as a non-executive director on other Boards, including Committee for the Hunter, Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute and Rigpa Fellowship.

Bernadette joined Newcastle Permanent on 1 July 2019 as CEO. Bernadette has over 20 years’ executive leadership experience in Financial Services. She has been a successful business leader in retail banking, wealth management, and insurance, and has held senior executive roles across core corporate services functions at both major and regional organisations. Bernadette also has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of Board appointments including arts, education, real estate, infrastructure and financial services. Her involvement has also extended to a number of community engagements including being a Director on the Westpac Foundation Board and a member of the Royal Hospital for Women and Chief Executive Women Scholarship fundraising committees.

Mike has more than 30 years’ experience in media, marketing, and community services roles. He was Lead Sports Presenter and Promotions Manager for NBN Television between 1993 and 2014 and has served and continues to serve on a number of committees and boards of community organisations throughout regional NSW including the Central Coast Academy of Sports, International Children Games, Hunter Athletics Centre, and Newcastle Rugby League.

Chad is an established and well-recognised print leader, currently the Managing Editor - NSW Central for Australian Community Media (ACM). Chad has exceptionally strong links with the Hunter and regional NSW communities, and is passionate about regional development and providing equal access to services within regional communities. Chad holds many community leadership roles as an ambassador for White Ribbon, a Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame committee member, a board member of Got Your Back Sista, Newcastle Football and the Joy Cummings Centre Reserve Trust, and part of Mindframe’s national group advising on the media portrayal of suicide and mental illness.