Life Choice, Your Choice!

Life Choice is a Company Limited by Guarantee and is therefore governed by a Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors consists of Directors who are either parents of people with disabilities, people with disabilities or other interested parties.
Meet our Board of Directors:

PETER O’CALLAGHAN: Board of Directors

JOHN SMITH: Deputy Chair, Board

John brings to the board a comprehensive knowledge gained from working and living within communities that strive to provide better standards and conditions for all people in the community, not only people with disabilities or those who are facing difficulties with getting older.

SAMANTHA SMITH: Director, Member of Nomination Committee

Dr JAROSLAV BOUBLIK: Chair (Governance, Audit & Risk Committee)

Dr Jaroslav Boublik joined the Life Choice board in June 2023 bringing experience from the health and biomedical sector including corporate governance, risk management and auditing.

• Jaroslav is Chief Science Officer at Biome Australia Ltd, an ASX listed probiotic supplement company which he co-founded
• He is a Non-Executive Director on the board of TRU Recognition Pty Ltd, a company that develops vision-based AI platforms for commercial applications
• He has family members with disabilities, and who are aged, and so has a personal interest in the disability/aged care sector

PETER KALBFELL: Director & Member Governance, Audit & Risk Committee

Born in Tasmania

Moved to Queensland when 16

Worked in mines in Australia and New Guinea

Worked around Queensland and the Northern Territory as a painter

Sustained a spinal injury in January 2000

Volunteered and worked for lifeline for 5 years

Help run a driver education program for year 10 students from all Fraser Coast schools (Ryda) with the combined Rotary clubs of the Fraser Coast for the past 8 years

On the committee for the Fraser Coast Ryda program

Volunteered on the committee for Town and Country Community Options Ltd

Worked for Life Choice running the woodwork Shed for 6 years

Play wheelchair Basketball and have been President of the Fraser Coaster’s for 3 years, I am also an accredited Coach

Now run my own woodwork shed for clients with a disability.

On the committee for the Maryborough Masters games.

MELANIE LATTER: 

From my background of science with the NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and then public librarianship, I moved from NZ to Australia. For some 24 years now, I worked and continue to work in Disability and related areas in Quality and Risk. All the people I have worked with or been associated with, give their best selves to creating environments where people who are for some time, vulnerable, are given dignity and access to a life of their own agency. Whilst my colleagues have been great to work with and some inspiring; it is with humble thanks that ordinary folk coping with sometimes, extraordinary circumstances, have allowed

me into their lives – a rare and true privilege: The 80-year old Mother of the 55- year old son with down syndrome, who told me through held-back tears, “I can cope, it’s OK”; the woman and the man of the Forgotten Generation, given support to tell their most harrowing stories for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse; the proud and wonderful folk of the Lost Generation; the homeless men and women, joking with me and finding refuge in the dignity of a job and support from a provider – I would never have met these people had I not worked in Quality & Risk-like roles – I am the richer for it and the most humble for what they have all taught me. Thank you.

In continuing to trying to make some sort of useful contribution, I am very lucky to have been recently offered a position as a Board Member on the Life Choice Wide Bay Burnett Board. I look forward to the work and hope I can add value.

JAKE WELLHAM: Chairman of the Board

Jake Wellham is an accomplished business advisor of publicly traded, and not for profit organisations. With more than two decades of experience in highly regulated industries, Jake has developed a deep expertise in identifying, evaluating and mitigating risks as a Corporate Lawyer and has a proven track record of leading compliance and legal functions as well as spearheading many large teams in multidisciplinary environments. Jake brings an extensive background in charitable organisation management and coordination and a unique perspective to the needs of the vulnerable as a person with a disability.

BRENDON CROFT: Director

Brendon is an accomplished leader and senior executive who has a diverse career extending over serval industry sectors, such as Hospitality/Hotels, Vocational Education, Disability, and Information Technology. Brendon has a Master of Business and Commerce specialising in Human Resource Management among other vocational qualifications in management and hospitality, he is a Graduate of the AICD and is a Professional Member of AHRI. Brendon brings broad expertise in Corporate Governance, Strategic Planning, Risk Management, and Compliance.

Throughout his career, Brendon has excelled as a trusted advisor and consultant to SMEs while operating his own business, is an active contributing member of the IT and Cyber Security Industry Reference Group (IRG) – which is a part of the ACS Industry Skills Council Advisory, is a certified practitioner of Insights Discovery and (Genos) Emotional Intelligence. Brendon has a proven track record as a leader and senior executive holding roles as Hotel Manager, RTO Manager, Senior Trainer & Assessor, and currently holds the position of Chief Human Resource Officer at a medical software company across Australia and New Zealand, all of which have contributed to being proficient at navigating complex regulatory landscapes and fostering high-performance teams.

In addition to serving as a Non-Executive Director of Life Choice Wide Bay Burnett, Brendon is a School Board Member of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, a Committee Member of the IRG, and an executive advisory consultant and mentor to serval local companies within the Wide Bay.