Over the past twenty years Jan has held executive positions within the NFP community housing sector in both urban and rural contexts. As an accomplished and innovative manager in organisational growth and development, Jan has experience in securing partnerships across community, corporate and government sectors. Jan was engaged as the CEO of the newly formed Central Australian Affordable Housing in Alice Springs delivering housing services to the Town Camps in mid-January 2011. Since that time CAAH has been successful in securing funding for feasibility studies and housing development of over $4m. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an advocate for developing Directors, staff and partnerships to enable housing provision within a local context.

I was born in Sydney and was raised at La Perouse. Ivan is one of 11 children.

His mother, her family and extended family belong to the Yuin Tribe on the Far South Coast of NSW and she was born at Batemans Bay and was raised at Tilba Tilba and Wallaga Lake. His father belongs to the Worimi clan on the North Coast of NSW and was born and raised on the Aboriginal Village at Foster.

Ivan was educated at La Perouse Public School and Matraville High School having achieved the Intermediate Certificate in Third Form, as it was known then. He left school in 1965 and started work at the then NSW Department of Motor Transport. I was employed with them for about 18 months and then worked in various labouring positions for approximately 13 years.

He decided to take a new direction with his employment and commenced work with Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL) in 1980 as a Trainee Asset Officer employed under the old NEAT/NESA Training for Aborigines Scheme. He was employed with that organisation for over 10 years having aspired to the most senior position in NSW as the Regional Manager.

He left AHL in late 1990 and returned to the NSW Public Service and have worked in various agencies such as the Department of Community Services, the Office of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Housing, the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and is now back employed with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office as Deputy Chief Executive.

He was involved in major reform of Public and Aboriginal Housing during the 1990’s. This reform culminated in the establishment of the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office in July 1998.

He was presented with the Public Service Medal in the 1998 as part of the Australia Day Awards for involvement in the administration and development in Aboriginal Housing.

He is committed to improving the living circumstances and general health and well being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. He is also involved with the Kirinari Secondary Student Hostels located at Sylvania Heights as the President of the Aboriginal Children’s Advancement and until recently was the Chairperson of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.