Our Team
Our people are our foundation and together we work to change the lives of our residents for the better.
Our Senior Management Team at Bridge Housing leads over 100 staff to deliver quality housing services. They are guided by a strong framework of governance, accountability, and transparency.
Stephen Bull
Chairperson and Executive Chair
BCom, BPsyc(Hons)
Director since 2020
Member Housing, Assets and Development Committee
Skill Area: Real estate development and management, Finance, Community development, People and culture
Stephen has over 32 years’ experience in real estate, community creation and finance roles. In his executive career he held senior roles at Westfield, AMP and Stockland. The last five years of his executive career were as Group Executive and CEO of Stockland’s retirement village business. Prior to his real estate career in Australia, Stephen spent several years working in investment banking in London. Stephen holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) degrees, is a member of Chartered Accountants (Australia and New Zealand), the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Directors New Zealand. He is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Summerset Group Holdings Ltd. Sits on the Investment and Assurance Committee of the NSW Government’s Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) and is a member of the ACT Government City Renewal Authority (CRA) Board.
Simone Parsons
Chief Operating Officer
Simone Parsons joined Bridge Housing in the role of COO in January 2024. Simone brings a wealth of nuanced experience, particularly in domestic violence crisis accommodation, along with robust industry relationships forged over years as the Deputy CEO of Women’s Community Shelters (WCS). Her breadth of expertise spans community engagement to ESG, growth and advocacy.
Also newly appointed as Chair of Shelter NSW, Simone reflects on her new Bridge Housing role:
‘I am excited to work for an organisation that is aligned with my social justice, environmental and feminist values. This role will allow me to contribute my leadership strengths and ambitions for social housing and the communities Bridge serves.’
Bridge Housing has worked extensively with WCS in expanding transitional and meanwhile use accommodation desperately needed to shelter victims of domestic and family violence. Recent collaborations include a new core and cluster shelter on Sydney’s northern beaches.
The role will immerse Simone in all facets of Bridge Housing’s extensive housing and support service core business. She will also be responsible for strategic steering of HomeGround Real Estate Sydney, Bridge Housing’s social enterprise agency that services ethical landlords and families seeking affordable rental accommodation.
David Miller
Chief Financial Officer
David was appointed General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services in October 2012.
He is responsible for Bridge Housing’s financial management, reporting and compliance, as well as developing and managing IT systems, best practice HR management, and risk and compliance frameworks.
David is a Certified Practising Accountant and has extensive senior financial, IT and general management experience. He has worked in the property industry for the past 25 years, for large private and public companies including Jones Lang LaSalle, Investa Property Group and Clarendon Homes. These roles have provided David with experience across commercial real estate, property management, property development and residential construction. David has had financial responsibility for budgets of more than $100 million and has extensive experience in developing and managing best practice corporate services. David has a Bachelor of Business and Master of Business Administration and is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
Christopher Dib
Executive Director, Homes and Development
Christopher is a registered property valuer and an Associate of the Australian Property Institute with considerable property development experience.
He previously worked for AV Jennings where he undertook various developments over $100 million. More recently Christopher worked for LAHC acquiring and developing 130 social housing properties ($25 million value). Christopher was also responsible for delivering ADHC’s Boarding House program, as well as delivery of 40 group homes and currently sits on the LAHC PCG meetings for the Canterbury Bankstown New Supply Program. He has a B.Comm (Land Economics) and is a Registered Valuer, AAPI.
Lee Geary
Executive Director, People and Culture
Lee has more than 20 years’ experience in human resources, training and business development.
She joined Bridge Housing in 2022 from WSP/Elton Consulting where she led operations including commercial leadership, strategy development and delivery, change management and partnering with the People and Culture team to support high-quality service delivery. Lee also has extensive experience working in local government.
Lee has a Bachelor of Communication, Marketing and Public Relations and a Graduate Certificate from the Australian Institute of Management in Coaching Psychology.
Laura Duesbury
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Laura joined Bridge Housing in 2022 as General Counsel and Company Secretary. She is responsible for a broad remit of legal, governance and compliance matters.
Laura is a senior commercial lawyer with more than 20 years of legal experience across the private and public sector, for organisations including the Sydney Opera House, Accor hotels and Clayton Utz.
She has a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts and is a member of the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia.
Lindsey Gray
Project Director, Social and Affordable Housing
Lindsey has worked in the social and affordable housing development sector for 10 years, in Government and now as Project Director for Bridge Housing in NSW. While working for the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (now Homes NSW), Lindsey led major estate renewal projects as well as many infill developments delivering over 300 new social homes across Sydney. Lindsey is currently leading the Bridge Housing redevelopment of a 1-hectare site in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Redfern earmarked for over 350 social and affordable homes.
Lindsey has a passion for creating sustainable places that work for everyone, that are well integrated into the existing community and give a sense of pride to residents. She is driven by the challenge and complexity of urban renewal in inner city areas and loves working with all stakeholders to balance the impacts while maximising housing where it is needed most.
Ellis Blaikie
Executive Officer, Impact and Advocacy and Acting Regional Manager, West Portfolio
Ellis leads Bridge Housing’s Impact and Advocacy work, delivering and evaluating strategic initiatives that change lives for the better. She has worked in social policy and advocacy roles for peak bodies and non-profits, with expertise in housing, homelessness, and ageing
Ellis has extensive experience in impact assessment and outcomes measurement. She leads the ongoing implementation and refinement of Bridge Housing’s social impact framework The Difference We Make and supported the development of a joint social impact framework for the community housing and homelessness sectors while at CHIA NSW
Ellis is skilled in facilitating co-design processes and developing community-led solutions to address local priorities. She is a strategic thinker, committed to evidence-based policy and program development and holds an honours degree from The University of Sydney.
Anastasiya Kozak
Principle and Licensee in Charge, HomeGround Real Estate Sydney
Anastasiya leads HomeGround Real Estate Sydney, Bridge Housing’s social enterprise agency. She manages a diverse portfolio of market and affordable rental properties throughout Sydney, providing tenancy and property management services to ethical landlords and property developers. With a background in real estate management and a Class 1 license as a real estate agent, Anastasiya brings over 12 years of experience to her leadership role at HomeGround. She has worked with Little Real Estate and Raine and Horne,including roles as National Compliance and Legislation Manager and Office Manager, ensuring the highest standards of service for landlords and tenants.
Her decision to join the HomeGround team was driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact and help those in need.
Theo Posumah
Director, Assets
Theo is a seasoned urban planning, asset management, and project management professional. He holds a BSc in Architecture, a Master’s in urban and regional Planning from the University of Sydney, and a Diploma in Project Management from the University of New England. He is certified in PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner and Asset Management Fundamentals.
Theo is the Director of Assets at Bridge Housing Limited, overseeing 3,600 properties, strategic and maintenance plans, and a $12M annual budget. He leads a team of 15, ensures regulatory compliance, engages stakeholders, and manages a significant change process during the pandemic.
Previously, Theo was the Development Director at NSW Land and Housing Corporation, leading projects like the Minto and Airds Bradbury Renewal Projects. As Project Director at the NSW Department of Finance and Services, he managed suburb-wide renewal projects and served as Manager of Planning and Design at the NSW Department of Housing.
Theo began his career with LFA (Pacific) Pty Ltd and the NSW Department of Housing, focusing on community consultation, strategic planning, and project management, laying the foundation for his urban renewal and asset management leadership.
Sarah Barclay
Director, Information Systems and Transformation
Sarah leads an award-winning business transformation team that embraces innovations in technology and human-centred design.
Jamie Brewer
Regional Manager, Central
Jamie has worked in the social housing and homelessness sectors in Sydney since 2007. Starting with the Department of Housing in the Maroubra Office, Jamie has managed social housing tenancies in La Perouse and South Coogee, some of which have now been transferred to Bridge Housing to manage.
From 2011, Jamie managed homelessness projects under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness before starting as the Inner City Homelessness Place Manager following the Going Home Staying Home reform. As the place manager, Jamie brought together the newly funded services to work in a coordinated way through a series of action plans. This included, among other initiatives, establishing the coordinated homelessness outreach work now operating in Sydney; a model that has been rolled out into new locations across the state including Parramatta, Newcastle, Tweed and Byron. Later Jamie led teams in FACS Homelessness Design and Stewardship to deliver projects during COVID like sustaining tenancies and Together Home.
Jamie joined Bridge Housing in 2022 as the Sustainable Communities Manager before taking on the Regional Manager Central role in 2023. His responsibilities include Partnerships and Support Coordination, Housing Pathways and social housing in the Eastern Suburbs and City of Sydney.
Jamie believes strongly in people’s right to a home including social housing for those most need particularly for vulnerable families and housing first programs for people who have experienced long term homelessness.
Sarah Kingsbeer
Regional Manager, North
Sarah has over a decade of experience in the social housing and homelessness sectors, including roles in homelessness services, FACS Housing, and Community Housing. Currently serving as Regional Manager North overseeing the SHMT portfolio on the Northern Beaches, Sarah is known for her exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and planning abilities. She has a robust background in program development, service delivery, tenant and community engagement, as well as partnership development and management.
A strategic thinker and planner, Sarah excels in managing teams and fostering collaboration to achieve organisational goals. Her commitment to social housing is evident through her dedication to enhancing tenant experiences and developing sustainable housing solutions. Sarah’s people skills and ability to engage with diverse stakeholders make her an invaluable asset in the social housing sector, driving positive change and creating inclusive communities.
Our board, executive team, and staff show unwavering professionalism and share a common purpose.
The board uses their skills to make strategic decisions that align with our mission and values. Our executive team achieves our goals promoting inclusivity, innovation, collaboration, and growth. Our hardworking staff bring our purpose to life daily, performing their roles with dedication and compassion.
Together, we work as a united force to significantly impact our community today and create a legacy for the future.
Stephen Bull
Chairperson and Executive Chair
BCom, BPsyc(Hons)
Director since 2020
Member Housing, Assets and Development Committee
Skill Area: Real estate development and management, Finance, Community development, People and culture
Stephen has over 32 years’ experience in real estate, community creation and finance roles. In his executive career he held senior roles at Westfield, AMP and Stockland. The last five years of his executive career were as Group Executive and CEO of Stockland’s retirement village business. Prior to his real estate career in Australia, Stephen spent several years working in investment banking in London. Stephen holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) degrees, is a member of Chartered Accountants (Australia and New Zealand), the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Directors New Zealand. He is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Summerset Group Holdings Ltd and sits on the Investment and Assurance Committee of the NSW Government’s Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE)
Carolyn Scobie
Deputy Chair, and Chair, People and Governance Committee
M.A. (Japanese) B.A./LL.B. Grad Dip CSP GAICD
Director since 2015
Deputy Chair, and Chair, People and Governance Committee
Skill Area: Legal
Carolyn is Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of QBE Insurance Group. Carolyn has over 30 years of legal experience in corporate and commercial property areas, including prior to QBE and Goodman, three years within the legal profession and six years as in-house Counsel with the Japanese construction company, Kumagai Australia Group. She is a member of the Governance Institute of Australia, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.
Karen Cooper
Director, and Member People and Governance Committee
Dip Bus, Dip Training & Assessment, MBA, AICD, AHRI, ACM
Director since 2021
Director and member, People and Governance Committee
Skill Area: Strategic planning, Business transformation, People and culture, Professional services consulting
Karen has over 25 years’ experience across financial services, human services, government, Indigenous and community sectors. She has held Executive Leadership roles in listed and not-for-profit companies, most recently as CEO for RISE Ventures. She is currently the Principal of Cooper Consulting focussed on business transformation, change management and building community capacity. She is non-executive director and deputy chair of Yilabara Solutions and non-executive director of Tamworth Community College. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Governance Institute of Australia.
Graham Monk
Director, and Chair Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
BComm (Hons), FCPA, MAICD
Director since 2016
Chair Finance Risk and Audit Committee
Skill Area: Finance, Real Estate and Funds Management
Graham has accumulated 40 years of financial and commercial experience, having worked for CSR, Lend Lease, Lion Nathan and Investa Property Group. He has extensive experience in property investment, management and development as well as strategic planning, mergers and acquisition. Until May 2009, he was the Finance Director of Investa Property Group, a diversified property group and one of the largest owners of commercial offices in Australia with assets valued at more than $6 billion. He is a director of Arcadia Funds Management (institutional investment management and advisory business) and provides consulting services to a range of organisations including Westpac (on property matters) and AVID Property Group (a property developer with estimated project values in excess of $3 billion). Graham was previously a director of Tenix Group (engineering and technology solutions) and 151 Property Group (unlisted wholesale investment fund that owned in excess of $0.5 billion of commercial assets)
Jill Hannaford
Director, and Member Housing, Assets and Development Committee
BappSc (AppEcG) (Hons 1), MUrb&RegPlg
Director since 2018
Director and member, Housing, Asset and Development Committee
Skill Area: Community and stakeholder engagement, social sustainability, inclusion and diversity
Jill is a social scientist who is passionate about diversity and social equity. Jill leads the Technical Communities of Practice at global professional services firm GHD, where she has worked for the past 30+ years. She is responsible for collaboration and the pursuit of technical excellence across the broad range of engineering, design, social and environmental sectors. Jill led the development of GHD’s Reconciliation Action Plan. She co-founded IAP2 in Australia in the 1990s and has strong community engagement expertise. Jill is a founding corporate partner of CareerTrackers: an Indigenous internship program and has worked very closely with CareerSeekers: an organisation that provides internships for refugee and asylum seeker professionals. She is a leader of Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace and in community organisations. She has guided change at GHD and in the infrastructure sector and was the inaugural Consult Australia Female Champion of Change in 2016. She is Chair of the Henry Halloran Urban Research Trust at the University of Sydney and on the Board of REdR Australia.
Liz Forsyth
Director, and Member People and Governance Committee
BSW, Member of IPAA
Director since 2020
Director and member People and Governance Committee
Skill Area: Housing and human service policy; Strategic planning, Service delivery and implementation, Government administration, Professional services consulting
Liz is Global Lead for Forsyth Clement, a newly established global advisory firm focused on the provision of advisory services in the Government, Human Services, Justice and Health sectors. Previously Liz lead APM’s Aged Care and Disability Services business along with its Strategic Growth function for two and a half years and remains a member of the APM Advisory Board.
Prior to this role, Liz was KPMG’s Global Industry Lead for Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare, Global Sector Head for Government and Global Human Services Lead. Liz has a passionate interest in working with vulnerable people and communities. Her professional career has concentrated in this arena and Liz has worked in Australia and a range of countries (including the United Kingdom, Canada, Unites States, India, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, New Zealand) and a a global level (e.g. with the United Nationals and World Bank).
Liz’s training as a Social Worker enables her to bring valuable skills in all aspects of her work. Across her career, Liz has been dedicated to producing better outcomes for citizens, improving access to opportunities for all and to support communities to be inclusive and welcoming of difference.
Vivienne Yu
Director, and Member Finance Risk & Audit Committee
BEc, MRE, MBA, GAICD and FCPA
Director since 2022
Director and member Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
Skill Area: Finance, Risk, Investment, Real Estate
Vivienne has more than 25 years’ experience in banking, finance and investment in Australia and Asia. During this time, Vivienne held senior executive roles in Vivienne has over 25 years’ experience across various industries, including global banking, finance, property, and technology. She currently
sits on the boards of AIMS APAC REIT (SGX:O5RU) and National Foundation for Australian Women. Prior to that, she held various senior executive positions at the Commonwealth Bank including serving as the Executive General Manager and CEO in the International Financial Services division. Vivienne is a member of the Chief Executive Women. She holds a Master of Real Estate from UNSW and a Master of Business Administration from AGSM. She is a Fellow CPA and a Graduate member of AICD.
Jacqui Christie
Director
B Ec/ LLB (Hons)
Director since 2023 and member Housing, Asset and Development Committee
Skill Area: Law, Governance, Property Development and Procurement
Jacqui has over 20 years of experience in legal and commercial roles across mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, and strategic projects. Jacqui was a partner of a leading national law firm and subsequently held senior positions within NSW Treasury delivering transactions for the NSW Government. She is currently a commercial director leading projects in the infrastructure sector. Jacqui holds Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degrees. Jacqui is passionate about bringing commercial expertise to improve social outcomes.
Matthew Knight
Director
LLB/ LLM, CA ICAEW, Dip. Social Leadership
Director since 2023 and member Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
Skill Area: Finance, Risk, Real Estate Development and Funds Management
Matt has over 25 years of professional experience in the real estate and infrastructure industries working in a variety of roles across finance, funds management and development management including experience in Australia, UK, USA, and Japan. He previously worked at Galileo Funds Management Group, Stockland, Rawson Property Group and Sydney Airport. Matt is a qualified Chartered Accountant and is currently the CFO of Centennial Property Group.
Tina Tang
Director
BArch, GAICD, Cert Appl. Finance (SIA)
Director since 2023 and Chair Housing, Asset and Development Committee
Skill Area: Finance, Risk, Real Estate Development and Funds Management
Tina has 35 years of experience in the property industry, working on mixed-use developments across all sectors in London, Hong Kong, and Australia. She began her career in Australia, then moved to London to work on boutique commercial developments and the Jubilee line Extension Project. In Hong Kong, she managed major mixed-use development parcels above and around the airport railway. Returning to Australia in 1997, Tina became Project Director at Lend Lease, managing the Aurora Place development, before joining Brookfield Multiplex where she secured key anchor tenants to the King Street Wharf precinct. In 2008, she became Group General Manager of Commercial Development at Investa Property Group, overseeing the growth and strategic direction of the Developments business. Tina now runs her own strategic property advisory business, Jattca property solutions, serving clients from the government, institutional, and private sectors.