Our Board.
The AWECC Board comprises of seven elected members - chairperson, deputy chair, treasurer, secretary and three general directors. The board provides governance accountability and transparency in decision-making, risk minimisation, financial management, and strategic goal-setting. Through a collaborative and community-focused approach, our directors strive for excellence and impact in the organisation and their community.
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SUE PORTORS
Chairperson 
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Sue is an American-Australian, of German and English descent. She has lived on the Border for over 20 years and has served on the AWECC board since the organisations inception in 2014. Sue is AWECc's incumbent Chairperson, a role she has held since December 2016. Sue's interest in supporting and advocating for local multicultural communities has been shaped by her volunteer work locally and abroad, and through the ethnic diversity within her own family. Locally, Sue has been involved in refugee soccer initiatives, and has volunteered with the Midnight Basketball program. Abroad, she has volunteered in orphanages for international organisations in Uganda and Nepal, and traveled back to Nepal as part of a team helping rebuild schools in Nepal following devastating earthquakes in 2015. Sue is a Development Supervisor for North East Water, and lives in East Albury. |
RUPINDER KAUR
Deputy Chairperson 
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Rupinder is a Wodonga resident, originally from India. As a nursing graduate and community advocate for the prevention of family violence, Rupinder is developing various community and corporate skills, and is passionate about using these abilities to support the local community. With her interpersonal skills and empathetic approach to helping people who are in need, Rupinder has established relationships with local service agencies. She is also a recent graduate of Wodonga’s New & Emerging Communities Leadership Program in 2017. Rupinder is committed to ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard, and everyone is treated with respect and dignity. As well as serving on the AWECC Board since Oct 2017. Rupinder has been volunteering with Lifeline as a counselor, and is a community advocate for White Ribbon. Rupinder has a Bachelor Degree in Nursing, Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal). Her many hobbies include cooking, writing and make-up artistry. Her mantra is, “to unite together to build a better future for us and the generations to come!”. |
SHAUN McFARLANE
Treasurer 
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TreasurerShaun McFarlane a is a Business Honours student at Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga. His research is to study how organisations capture social impact information from locations in which they operate, to hopefully maximise the positive (or reduce the negative) benefit to communities. Shaun has spent 15 years volunteering with the Country Fire Authority in Chiltern, in which he holds several roles including as an Officer and as an Airbase Manager. It is through this work that he has been honoured with the National Emergency Medal for sustained response to the 2009 Black Saturday Fires. Shaun’s passion is in creating positive social impact, and it is in this area he dreams of completing a PhD in the near future. Shaun hopes to continue his A-grade form from his Bachelor of Business (Accounting) into his research and in his role with AWECC. He looks forward to combining research and practise in the community to help organisations make the biggest difference in society. |
JOSEPH LUMANOG
Secretary 
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Joseph was born in the Philippines, and lived there until moving to Australia in 2014. An experienced and qualified Social Worker, Joseph has specialised in social policy development, program design and delivery, advocacy, and not-for-profit management. Joseph attained a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the Philippine Women’s University and a Master’s Degree from the Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC. With more than ten years of management and leadership experience in tertiary education, community development, humanitarian assistance, and public sector management, Joseph utilises various skills in his role as AWECC Secretary, which he has held since 2016. Joseph lives in Albury with his Aussie wife. |
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Dr TAREK RANA
Director 
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Dr Tarek Rana is an accounting academic at La Trobe University’s Business School in Wodonga. His role is to develop and implement teaching and research strategies with a focus on work-integrated and experiential learning. Tarek has been leading policy research in public and not-for-profit sector governance, performance measurement, risk management and accountability. His leadership concentrates on creating social impact through collaborative partnerships, dynamic community engagement, and innovation. With a PhD in management accounting and public-sector management, an MBA from Canada, Chartered Accountant credentials (CA ANZ), Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA Australia), and Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA, UK), Tarek brings a wealth of experience and skills to the AWECC Board. He also serves as a director on the board of Alpine Valley's Community Leadership. Having worked within the Australian University Sector for more than 6 years, Tarek has mentored researchers and students to develop and refine a range of financial and community leadership capabilities, where students address real-world problems with innovation and entrepreneurship, drive community-industry partnership initiatives, and develop lifelong interest in learning. He lives in Wodonga with his wife and two children. |
MOHAMMED ALAMGIR
Director 
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Mohammed is a long-time resident of Albury-Wodonga, originally from Bangladesh. Now semi-retired, Mohammed worked as a a Hydrogeologist for more than 20 years. For over a decade, he has lead the local Bangladeshi community, organising many community events, and supporting new and established community members. With an in-depth understanding of Indo-Pak- Bangla cultures and religions, Mohammed provides valuable insights to the work and policies of AWECC. Apart from Mohammed's community leadership skills, he is also a skilled cook, especially of curries, kebabs and other snacks. Mohammed joined the AWECC board in October 2017. |
NIVANKA DE SILVA
Director 
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Nivanka was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in the rural NSW town of Deniliquin. A recent graduate of a Doctor of Medicine, Nivanka commenced work as a first-year doctor at Albury Wodonga Health in 2018. An enthusiastic member of the community, Nivanka has a keen interest in mental health and well-being, advocacy, and the development of programs to support migrants and refugees and to give them a voice. Nivanka is a recent graduate of Leadership Victoria's New & Emerging Community Leadership Program, is a member of the Multicultural Youth Network, and a regional advisory council (RAC) member for the Victorian Multicultural Commission. She is also a representative of AWECC’s Multicultural Youth Council. With a commitment to Nivanka's priorities are to see all community members feel valued, and greater collaboration between new migrants and the mainstream Albury-Wodonga community. |
TEJU CHOUHAN
Immediate Past Chair 
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Teju is the immediate past Chairperson, having served on the inaugural AWECC board for two years, until December 2016. Of Nepali-Bhutanese origin, Teju was born in Bhutan before fleeing with his family and seeking asylum in a Nepalese refugee camp in the early 1990’s due to political (ethnic) unrest. After 18 years living in the camp, Teju was offered re-settlement in Australia in 2008. Teju is a Qualified Social Worker, an accredited Nepali Interpreter, and is a Transition Support Worker for a local secondary school. Teju has also been actively involved in various local community organisations and activities, which ahve included, as a former long-standing President for the Bhutanese Association in Albury Inc., volunteer work with the Murray Valley Sanctuary Refugee Group and St Vincent de Paul Society, a member of FECCA’s new and emerging communities committee, and a committee member with the Thurgoona Community Centre. Teju has been a strong advocate for local migrant and refugee communities and has championed cultural diversity and inclusion. In 2017, Teju was named Wodonga’s Citizen of the Year, in recognition for the impact he has made to the local community. He now serves as an advisory member to the AWECC Board. Teju lives in Wodonga with his wife and daughter. |
Our staff.
Our staff undertakes targeted program development, policy formulation and advocacy in a broad range of areas such as health, employment, women's leadership, family violence prevention, gambling awareness, settlement and more.
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LUCIE WALLIS
Community Advocacy Officer 
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Lucie was raised in Australia and her ethnic heritage is from New Zealand. She is currently studying a Bachelors Degree in Science, majoring in Culture, Community Development and Communication. Lucie also volunteers locally for the St Vincent de Paul Society's refugee support program. Having traveled extensively from a young age, Lucie is passionate about working with people from other cultures. She is excited to be working with local multicultural communities to advocate for their needs. Lucie lives in Thurgoona with her husband and four children. |
BRETT SANDERSON
Community Advocacy Officer 
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Brett was born in Wodonga, and has been working in the region for more than 10 years. He has worked with local migrant and refugee communities since 2011, as a settlement case worker, Skilled Migration broker, and a project officer. He first started working with AWECC in 2012, prior to the organisation's formation in 2014. In that time, Brett has seen AWECC transform from a handful of committed community members and advocates, into an effective advocacy organisation with a flourishing membership base. Brett is currently studying a Bachelor of Human Services and a Master of Social Work, having already attained qualifications in human resources, management, and training and assessment. Brett has had the opportunity to travel to Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and Zimbabwe. He lives in Wodonga with his wife and daughter. |
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