Board of Directors
FCAN BOARD
Director Profiles
The FCAN Board is appointed under the FCAN Constitution to govern FCAN.
Directors are Accredited Financial Counsellors and independent co-opted directors.
Vanessa Emery
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, Wesley Mission Financial Counselling Service
Chair
Vanessa has been employed as a Financial Counsellor since 2013. Vanessa has worked for Parramatta Mission and now as Practice Specialist (Team Leader) at Wesley Mission where she manages a team of 10 financial counsellors while completing her own case work. Vanessa was previously an FCAN Director from 2018 to 2020 and has been a member of the FCAN Creditor Liaison Committee (now National Creditor Liaison Group) since 2019. Vanessa represents FCAN members on the National Representative Council made up of the State Peaks and represents FCA on the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) Consultative Group.
Beth Schwalbe
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor,
Anglicare
Deputy Chair
Beth became a Financial Counsellor in 2019, motivated by a passion for helping vulnerable clients and promoting a fair and equitable financial system. She previously worked as an accountant for small and large businesses, both in Australia and internationally.
Beth regularly delivers workshops on topics such as money management and scams. She also provides training to other Financial Counsellors and community workers and she helps facilitate the FCAN Western Sydney Network Group. Beth is a director on the Board of the Financial Rights Legal Centre and is a CPA and holds a Diploma in Corporate Governance.
Sarah McFadden
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, Wesley Mission Financial Counselling Service
Treasurer
Sarah completed her financial counselling internship with Wesley Mission in Taree in 2021. She holds a Diploma of Governance from the Institute of Community Directors Australia. Previously Sarah worked for over a decade in public and parliamentary service in Canberra, championing consumer interests through parliamentary inquiries and advisory committees such as Robodebt and the cashless welfare card, ensuring diverse voices were heard in democratic processes.
Jason Drane
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, Mob Strong Debt Help (Financial Rights Legal Centre)
Membership Secretary & First Nations Representative
Jason has been a qualified Financial Counsellor since 2019 and has worked for a variety of financial counselling services before joining Mob Strong Debt Help, a national service dedicated to assisting First Nations communities. He is a member of the FCAN First Nations Yarning Circle and has aboriginal heritage. Jason has worked on a number of committees and boards including being a company director, the volunteer President of a local AFL club and a committee for a childcare centre.
Chezarne Cuffe
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, Salvation Army Moneycare
FCAN Rep Council Representative
Chezarne has worked in the sector for the past 5 years and prior to becoming a qualified Financial Counsellor in 2022 Chezarne completed a Bachelor of Development Studies, which is focused on systemic causes and impacts of inequalities. She regularly represents financial counselling in the media and has been involved in a rental rights reform working group.
Sandy Avis
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, GambleAware, Centacare New England North West
Peter Harris
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, Central Coast Region Financial Counselling Service and Small Business Debt Helpline
Kylie Holford
Occupation:
Financial Counsellor, VERTO
David Coorey
Independent Co-opted Director
David has more than 20 years’ experience as a solicitor working predominantly in the area of consumer law. This includes 16 years’ experience working with vulnerable clients at Legal Aid NSW, as well as large scale litigation experience (Freehills) and more recently as a decision maker (Ombudsman) at Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
He has held Directorships at Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), Insurance Ombudsman Service and been appointed as Consumer Representative to Insurance Council of Australia and ASIC Customer Advisory Panel. David is currently employed as Special Counsel – at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers working in the area of TPD.
David Ross
Independent Co-opted Director
David’s career has encompassed executive and board appointments in sales management and general management in companies operating in sectors including information technology, private education and distribution. He has had experience as a Managing Director and as a board member of a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. David was a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD). Following his retirement from corporate life, David has worked in the sector as a volunteer financial Counsellor, interim FCAN EO in 2014, and a volunteer Lifeline telephone counsellor.