Meet The Team

The friendly faces behind the work we do at Cahoots.

Meet The Team

At Cahoots, our friendly team is fundamental in providing you with the highest level of care. With a highly experienced board and committee leading us, the staff embody the values of Cahoots and are proud to do the work we do.

David Armstrong

Chief Executive Officer, Finance & Audit Subcommittee, Governance, Risk & Quality Subcommittee

David Armstrong has two decades of CEO experience leading charitable and community focused organisations such as Surf Life Saving WA, Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation, Perth Football League and WA All Abilities Football Association.

Together with tertiary qualifications in communication and post graduate qualifications in business, David has consulted to state government agencies, not-for-profits and local government on governance, strategic planning, risk management, volunteer management and club development.

He has held Board roles as Chair Cycling WA and Deputy Chair Sportwest

Christine Truscott

President, Finance & Audit Subcommittee

Christine is a chemical engineer who worked in the mining industry for twenty years in a variety of positions. Her experience includes managing operating plants, running technical teams across an organisation and working with government, environmental, community and indigenous groups to allow the start-up of new mines. Christine has sat on various sporting and community committees and is currently a member of the Hockey WA Board and chairperson of their Risk Management and Governance Committee. Christine has been a member of the Cahoots Board since 2009 and Chairperson since 2010.

Evelyn Hogg

Chairperson

Evelyn is Chief Financial Officer of Clear Health Psychology and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ). She has extensive experience in consulting, training and education in accounting, audit, strategy, risk and governance. Evelyn’s expertise lies in helping organisations understand the link between strategy and the finance function, in risk management, and in developing governance effectiveness.

Eileen Newby

Director

Eileen joined the Board in 2019 and currently works for a firm of commercial lawyers as an accountant and company secretary and has responsibility for the management of family investment companies. Eileen is also a director of the Youth Legal Services Inc Board. She is a member of CPA Australia’s Centre of Excellence for Retirement Savings and is a CA and a CPA. Eileen is also a member of a CPA WA working group for NFP organisations and an independent member of the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale Audit and Risk Committee.

Mark Fitzpatrick

Group Chief Executive Officer

Mark Fitzpatrick is the Group CEO of PeopleKind Group and joined the organisation in November 2024. Prior to this, Mark was the CEO of Telethon Speech and Hearing for over seven years and was the CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Western Australia for five years. After graduating from Curtin University with a Commerce degree, Mark has worked in a variety of roles in a range of not-for-profit, education, and government organisations.

Mark has a strong interest in community development and continues to play several roles in supporting the not-for-profit sector. He is a Director of Child Australia and, until recently, was the Chair of the Board of First Voice, Deputy President of the Deafness Council, and a member of the Executive of the Hearing Health Sector Alliance. He has been the Deputy Chair of Workpower, a member of the UWA Centre for Social Impact’s Advisory Council, Board member of the Alchemist Foundation, a past-President of Edventures WA Inc, and was the Vice President of the Western Australian Council of Social Service – a position he held for six years.

Mark is passionate about leading organisations to deliver on their Purpose and make a positive and lasting difference in the community.

David Armstrong

Chief Executive Officer, Finance & Audit Subcommittee, Governance, Risk & Quality Subcommittee

Christine Truscott

President, Finance & Audit Subcommittee

Nik Trajcevski

Finance and Audit Subcommittee

Geoff Patching

Finance and Audit Subcommittee

Kalpesh Kotecha

Chief Operating Officer, Finance & Audit Sub-committee

Ben Johnson

Finance and Audit Subcommittee

Marcos Tabacow

Finance and Audit Subcommittee

David Armstrong

Chief Executive Officer, Finance & Audit Subcommittee, Governance, Risk & Quality Subcommittee

Kalpesh Kotecha

Chief Operating Officer, Finance & Audit Sub-committee

Pearl Cruickshank

Operations Manager

Lilou Peaud

A/Operations Manager

Marie Gooley

Marketing Communications Manager

Community Engagement Team

Celine Thulliez

A/Community Engagement Manager

Sarah George

Quality and Safeguarding Lead, Family Relationships Officer

Mathew Owen

Family Relationships Officer, Facilitator

Luz Vargas

Family Relationship Officer

Issac Ong

Family Relationship Officer

Recreational Services Team

Pearl Cruickshank

Operations Manager

Lilou Peaud

A/Operations Manager

Joel McKenna

Workforce Coordinator

Brandon Lindquist

Volunteer Coordinator, Service Officer (All Abilities)

Aris Bjarnadottir-Miller

Service Officer (High Support), Operations Administrator

Sarah Harris

Service Coordinator (High Support)

Julian Spencer

Service Coordinator (All Abilities)

Sarah George

Quality and Safeguarding Lead, Family Relationships Officer

Safar Ridhwan bin P Rahman

Volunteer Officer

Corporate Services Team

Kalpesh Kotecha

Chief Operating Officer, Finance & Audit Sub-committee

Phanny Nong

Finance and Admin Officer

Moksh Patel

Graduate Accountant

Marketing Team

Marie Gooley

Marketing Communications Manager

Ben Cox

Community Engagement Officer

Tamsyn Bruce

Graduate Marketing Officer

Service Delivery Team

Mathew Owen

Family Relationships Officer, Facilitator

Anja Smeets

Facilitator

Carey Benier

Facilitator

Jen Warne

Facilitator, Support Worker

Gaukhar Baigazieva

Facilitator, Support Worker

Courtney Peebles

Facilitator, Support Worker

Kelly Brown

Facilitator, Support Worker

Kerem Adventure Camp Team

Tim Drown

Kerem Adventure Camp Manager

Oliver Clendenning

Kerem Adventure Camp - Activities Manager

Daryl Lawrence

Kerem Adventure Camp - Maintenance Officer

Jodie Espinos

Kerem Adventure Camp - Kitchen Manager

Alison Silver

Kerem Adventure Camp - Camp Chef

Keely Oakes

Kerem Adventure Camp - Activities Trainee

Interested In joining the team?

Working for Cahoots is more than just a job, it is a chance to change the lives of young people in the Western Australian community. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. 

Our Social Impact

What we achieved in 2022/23

Selected Locations

Each location has been risk assessed to ensure greater participation. All locations have toilets. 

 

144

Programs Delivered

1596

Participant Bookings

20,000

Volunteer Hours

41

Camps

44

High Support Participants

35,000

Respite Hours

Our Supporters

Making our life changing work possible.

Families Supported By Cahoots

Mikayla

Cahoots has helped Mikayla in so many ways I couldn’t even begin to describe it. One of the biggest ones is being socially appropriate in environment outside the home. That has been the biggest help for me. As now I can take her out, and she knows how to behave not only appropriately but safely. Also interacting with other children naturally she is not a sociable person and this is helped her to socialise with children her own age. It’s also helped her with her balance and gross motor skills with arts and craft and the activities that you do. For example bowling and parks.

Bronwyn

Thank you for taking Bronwyn to Melbourne, she hasn't stopped talking about it! She has crossed another place off her map of future travels (believe me, it's a big list!!), and told many stories about the fun she had. For me, this has been the highlight and warms my soul every time I think about it.
She gave her little sister a pep talk where she told her, “you just have to face your fear and do things sometimes, as I did in Melbourne, I went out on the sky deck and did the chair ride with Shelley, I was scared but you have to face your fears, you can't let it hold you back.”
Bronwyn loves attending camp with Cahoots, she has the best time. Thank you for all the fun and adventures you send her on. She loves living life and wants to experience everything, we appreciate you helping that happen for her.

Siblings Alexandra and Andrew

“Alexandra has just been on the most recent teens camp last weekend and loved it, plus she made a friend!!! So happy for her and she really wants to attend again. Andrew loved the camp as well and can’t wait to come back!” - Mum Rikki

Anonymous volunteer

I just want to say thank you to you and the whole Cahoots team for giving me the opportunity to volunteer on the camps. I really enjoyed the young adults camp and had an amazing time. I am still new in the industry. This gave me a great learning experience, and I will carry my knowledge on.
Thank you again for everything and for all you have provided.

Learn More About Cahoots

Visit the pages below to learn more about Cahoots and the great work they do.

Are you in Cahoots with us?

Sign up to our mailing list so you never miss a thing! From happy stories, exciting activities and events coming up or information about our growth as an organisation, signing up to our newsletter means you'll never miss a thing!

This field is required.
I'm interested in