people

Board of Directors

The AWECC Board of Directors provides the overall leadership and management of the organisation. The Board is accountable to the members and the community through transparent decision-making, managing the budget and organisation risk, and setting strategic goals for the organisation. Through a collaborative and community-focused approach, our directors strive for excellence for the organisation and impact in the community.

RUPINDER KAUR
Chairperson

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Rupinder is a Wodonga resident, who moved to Australia from India in 2007. Rupinder is a passionate advocate for people in need, particularly in helping victims of family/domestic violence. Rupinder serves as a White Ribbon advocate and the Deputy Chair for its Victorian branch, and is also a committee and executive member for other government and non-government organisations.
As a nursing graduate (Bachelor of Nursing), Rupinder has developed various community and corporate skills and is passionate about using these abilities to support the local community. With her empathetic approach to helping people in need, Rupinder has established relationships with many like-minded state and local service agencies. She is also a graduate of Wodonga’s New and Emerging Communities Leadership Program and is currently a participant in the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program. Rupinder has been presented and honoured with number of prestigious awards and titles, including being named Wodonga Citizen of the Year for 2019, and being awarded a bravery medal in 2017 for raising awareness about violence against women. As well as serving on the AWECC Board since October 2017, Rupinder has volunteered with Lifeline, and holds a Certificate III in Business Administration (Legal). Her many hobbies include cooking, writing and make-up artistry.

DR. NIVANKA DE SILVA
Deputy Chairperson

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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.
Nivanka's priorities are to see all community members feel valued and to ensure greater collaboration and understanding between new migrants and the wider Albury-Wodonga community.

SHAUN McFARLANE
Treasurer

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Shaun is a graduate business student who studied Accounting at La Trobe University in Albury-Wodonga. His motivation, for results that earned many scholarships and awards, was the hope to use the skills and knowledge to deliver maximum positive impact and benefit to communities.
Shaun has spent over 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 promoting positive social change, and it is in this thread he dreams of building business acumen and serving many committees throughout his life. He hopes to continue his A-grade form from his Bachelor of Business (Accounting) into his role with AWECC and support the multicultural communities of Albury-Wodonga. Shaun serves on the AWECC Board as Treasurer and joined the Board in early 2018.

MARIAM ABBAS
Secretary

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Mariam Abbas came to live in Albury, from Lebanon, in 2011. Mariam graduated from La Trobe University in Wodonga with a Bachelor of Business (Accounting). She currently works as a graduate accountant at a local firm in Wodonga. Mariam has a passion to support local young people and has an interest on supporting migrant and refugee background young people to find employment. Mariam serves on the AWECC Board of Directors as Secretary and was appointed to the Board in October 2018.

PAHAL M. BHATTARAI
Director

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Born in Bhutan, Pahal left his country of birth in 1991 due to ethnic cleansing occurring in the country at the time. He would spend the next 19 years of his life living in a refugee camp in Nepal. During this time, Pahal studied and worked in the camp school for 11 yrs.
After eventually being resettled in Australia in 2011, Pahal continued to learn, initially completing certificates in Spoken and Written English through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), and later through various courses in aged care, home and community services, disability support, and security. Pahal was also a graduate of the 2017 'New and Emerging Communities Leadership Program' (through Leadership Victoria) and is a trained Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) community advocate.
After short stints working in a factory and in the security industry, Pahal now holds several jobs, as a carer with Westmont Aged Care Services Ltd., as a support worker for Uniting and casually with the VEC.
Pahal’s commitment to the community saw him appointed as the first chairperson of the Wodonga Bhutanese Community Inc. and as a volunteer with refugee and migrant communities through the St Vincent de Paul Society. Pahal has a passion for assisting people who need a helping hand.

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.

PAMPHA BHUJEL
Director

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Pampha Bhujel was just three years old when her parents were expelled from Bhutan. She spent the next 18 years in refugee camps in Nepal before resettling in Australia in 2010. As a registered nurse, Pampha is strongly committed to making a difference in people’s lives and in giving back to the community.
Pampha has contributed broadly to the Albury-Wodonga community through her voluntary work and as President of the Bhutanese Association in Albury Inc. of which she served for two years (2015-2017). She was recognised for her community service by being a finalist in the New South Wales ‘Community Hero’ award in 2017.
As the first woman and youngest president of a Bhutanese Association in Australia, Pampha and her team were able to host events and deliver programs to empower the local community. A highlight included hosting sporting activities, such as soccer and cricket games, aiming to teach accountability, dedication, leadership and healthy living among young girls and boys.
In a generally male dominated community, Pampha has demonstrated that not only can women lead, but can help transform a newly settled refugee group to be a model community, showcasing its strengths.
Pampha joined the AWECC Board as Director in October 2018.

SUE PORTORS
Immediate Past Chair

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Sue is the immediate past chairperson having been elected to AWECC's first Board in 2014 and serving as Chair from 2016 to 2018. Sue is an American-Australian, of German and English descent. She has lived on the Border for over 20 years. Her 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.

Our Staff

AWECC staff support the mission of the organisation through research and advocacy, community capacity-building programs, and partnerships to support a diverse range of policy and service areas, including community particpation, health, employment, women's leadership, racism, family violence prevention, gambling-harm awareness, refugee settlement, youth, and much more.

BRETT SANDERSON
Community Advocacy Officer