Our leadership team

Ms Janet Finlay is an experienced independent company director with a strong commercial and finance background across a range of industries. A chartered accountant and former partner of Big 4 accounting firm EY, she has extensive experience in leadership, governance, business development, financial management and reporting, risk management and stakeholder engagement. Janet’s other board roles include SA Water Corporation, SA Football Commission, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority Limited and the Libraries Board SA.

Chris joined Helping Hand as CEO in 2019. He has over 25 years of executive level leadership experience across various sectors including professional services, financial services and healthcare. His most recent position was as Managing Director of a leading SA professional services firm, Hood Sweeney, where he consulted extensively to clients on business growth, strategy and corporate governance.

Chris was a board member of Helping Hand for nine years and chaired the Finance & Property committee from 2012-2015. He is currently a SA regional committee member of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and a board member of Windmill Theatre. He has served on a range of other boards and committees, predominantly in the not for profit sector and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His qualifications include BSc (Hons); MBA; Diploma (AICD); Diploma of Financial Services; Level 1 Accredited Executive coach.

Chris is passionate about leadership and bringing his commercial and consulting expertise to ensure the growth and ongoing success of Helping Hand.

Associate Professor Dr Craig Whitehead is the Regional Clinical Director for Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care for Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN). He is also a member of the executive of SALHN.

Dr Whitehead is a staff specialist in geriatric medicine and Chair of the Client Care sub-committee. He is also a member of the Flinders University Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, an active clinician in public and private practice and a Member of the Aged Care Advisory Committee that advises the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee about aged care policy related to COVID-19.

Professor Angela Scarino is Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and Director of the Research Centre for Languages and Cultures, University of South Australia. Her research and development work focuses on the role of language and culture in communication in diverse domains, including aged care, and particularly in contexts of linguistic and cultural diversity. Her projects span state and national contexts in Australia as well as sustained work in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, France, Italy and New Zealand.

She is currently the Chair of the Multicultural Education and Languages Committee, an advisory committee on languages and multicultural education to the Minister for Education and Child Development in South Australia.

Dr John Harvey is currently of Chair of Rural Business Support, Studio Nine Architects and the Australian Wine Research Institute’s nominations committee. He is a Non-Executive Director of headspace (the National Youth Mental Health Network), Can:Do Group and Revenir Winemaking as well as a Trustee for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (SA) and the South Australian Grain Industry Trust.

Jarrad Haynes is an experienced property developer and construction professional. He is currently a Director of Capital Prudential Funds Management, Capital Prudential Diversified Development Fund and is Chair of Amulet Property. He was previously a Director at Accord Property, and the National Operations Manager at Programmed Facility Management. Mr Haynes is a Graduate of AICD’s Company Directors Course.

Stephen Walker is an experienced health management executive that has held a number of senior roles in both the public and private hospital sector in Australia and New Zealand. He is the Chief Executive of St Andrew’s Hospital, a large 250 bed private hospital in Adelaide. Stephen’s other Board roles include The Australian Council of Health Care Standards (ACHS) where he also Chairs their Middle East Board and their Finance and Audit Committee as well as a board member of ACHS International. Stephen is a Board member of the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA). Stephen has qualifications in Business (health management), Engineering and Accountancy and is a member of the AICD and a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM).

Ms Reena Costello is a legal practitioner with a Masters of Law from Columbia University in New York. Reena has practiced in commercial litigation in South Australia, and as an Attorney in New York with a focus on construction litigation. Reena has extensive experience in the Residential Aged Care Sector having been Legal Counsel and later Head of Operations & Regulatory Compliance for Premier Health Care where she oversaw the Group’s risk, compliance and workplace relations functions. Reena is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course and is a Board Member of Patch Theatre and the Aged Care Industry Association.

Liz O’Connell (GAICD MBA) brings two decades of experience in the Human Services sector from working on the frontline to Executive roles, and as a Director and Strategic Advisor for a number of social enterprises. With an educational foundation in social sciences and forensic psychology, paired with business administration; Liz has demonstrated success in social innovation, corporate strategy, and leadership of high performing and consumer experience oriented organisations. She also brings a wealth of knowledge and personal passion for social impact investment, outcome measurement, research, and evaluation. Liz is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Board Member of the Reily Foundation, and the CEO of Kudos Services.