Who we are
Human & Co support people across NSW who are experiencing or escaping domestic and family violence.
What we do
We’re here to assist with outreach, safe places to stay, counselling, and ongoing support — especially when life feels unsafe or overwhelming. We believe everyone deserves dignity, respect, and a life free from fear or judgment. We walk alongside individuals and families through crisis and healing, at their pace, in their own way. We’re here to listen, to believe, and to stand with people as they rebuild and find hope again.
Safeguarding Children & Young People
Our values are at the heart of how we work. They guide our actions, support our decision-making, and reflect our genuine commitment to keeping children and young people safe, respected, and valued.
Shared responsibility Keeping children and young people safe is something we do together. Every person in our organisation plays a meaningful role in creating environments where children and young people feel protected and cared for.
Commitment to safety We are deeply committed to the safety and wellbeing of every child and young person we work with. When we suspect abuse, neglect, or harmful behaviour, we act — promptly, clearly, and with care.
Best interests first In every action and decision involving a child or young person's safety or wellbeing, their best interests come first. Always.
Accountability and transparency We take our responsibility to children and young people seriously. We hold ourselves to high ethical standards and are committed to a culture where openness and honesty are the norm — not the exception.
Empowerment and participation We believe children and young people deserve to know their rights, have their voices heard, and feel confident speaking up — about what matters to them, and if something doesn't feel right. We work hard to include them in decisions about the services and matters that shape their lives. Our organisation is accessible and inclusive of all CYP with diverse and additional needs.
Our History: Born from the Women’s Refuge Movement
What started as a bold act of courage in 1973 — women taking a stand to create safe spaces for those fleeing domestic violence — has grown into something much bigger. Human & Co carries forward that legacy, evolving from the grassroots women’s refuge movement into a network of refuges, support services, and programs dedicated to helping women and children find safety, healing, and hope.
1973
On 16 March 1973, a small group of women did something bold. They broke into two empty houses in Sydney, changed the locks, and claimed the space as a refuge for women and children who had nowhere else to go. That act of courage led to the opening of Elsie, Australia’s first modern women’s refuge. At the time, domestic and family violence wasn’t even recognised by law. What happened behind closed doors was dismissed as “private,” leaving women with few protections and even fewer safe ways out.
1975
But word spread. Inspired by Elsie, women across the country began opening refuges in their own communities. By the end of 1975, there were 13 women’s refuges operating nationwide, and for the first time, the Federal Government began providing funding. It was an early but important acknowledgment that these refuges weren’t temporary solutions — they were essential services.
1980
From the early 1980s onwards, refuges started to move from brave, grassroots beginnings into something more stable and enduring. In 1981, secure funding through the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program helped legitimise women’s refuges and ensured they could keep their doors open to those who needed them most.
1985
By 1985, when Elsie marked its 25th anniversary, the movement had truly taken hold, with more than 300 refuges operating across Australia. What began as protest had become part of the nation’s social fabric.
2012
Change continued in the years that followed. In 2012, many shelters across New South Wales were closed or placed under alternative management under the NSW Government’s Going Home Staying Home policy, signalling another shift in how refuge services were delivered.
2013
In 2013, Human & Co (formerly DVSM, an offshoot of what is now peak body Domestic Violence NSW) took on refuge accommodation in several locations, including Wilcannia Safe House in Far Western NSW.
Now
Since then, Human & Co has grown and evolved significantly. What began with refuge accommodation has expanded to include outreach and crisis support, children’s services, counselling, and additional refuges including; a new purpose built core and cluster refuge in Western Sydney. Through all of this growth and change, the heart of the work remains the same. We carry forward the legacy of the brave women who took a stand, raised their voices, and refused to accept silence — so that today, we can continue supporting women and children to find safety, dignity, and hope.
Our Board
The Human & Co. Board of Directors plays a vital role in shaping the future of our organisation. Together with the Senior Leadership Team, they help turn our constitutional commitments and strategic goals into real, meaningful action. Our Board is made up of a passionate and diverse group of people, each bringing their own unique skills, experience, and perspective. What unites them all is a shared dedication to the Human & Co. vision and a commitment to making a lasting difference in the communities we serve.
Our Board
The Human & Co. Board of Directors plays a vital role in shaping the future of our organisation. Together with the Senior Leadership Team, they help turn our constitutional commitments and strategic goals into real, meaningful action. Our Board is made up of a passionate and diverse group of people, each bringing their own unique skills, experience, and perspective. What unites them all is a shared dedication to the Human & Co. vision and a commitment to making a lasting difference in the communities we serve.
Lindall West
Chair
Lindall West
– Chair
Lindall’s successful leadership roles in HR have been built on her authenticity, empathy, pragmatism and decisiveness, allowing her to build highly productive, commercially focused and inclusive teams.
It has given her a deep understanding and appreciation of the challenges organisations face when workplace conflict is left unattended – affecting their culture, productivity and bottom line. When coupled with her 20 plus years of experience in crisis management and organisational change, Lindall has the experience to help organisations improve their workplaces cultures.
This varied HR background, spread across different countries, the property and financial services industries, and the private and not-for-profit sectors, is why she firmly believes Ombpoint can be a critical element to the overall employee value proposition of organisations building and sustaining constructive workplace cultures.
To remain firmly grounded, Lindall contributes as a Raise youth mentor and volunteers at Lou’s Place, a women’s refuge, providing career support to these women, experiences that give her a deeper understanding of broader community challenges.
Suzanne Evans
Director, Treasurer
Suzanne Evans
– Director, Treasurer
Joined Human & Co Board in 2013.
Suzanne holds a Masters in Applied Finance from Macquarie University and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Suzanne is the Chief Financial and Strategy Officer for First Sentier Investors, a global asset manager. Suzanne services on the Boards of a number of entities within the First Sentier Group, in Australia and United Kingdom and is responsible for the Finance, Strategy and Corporate Sustainability functions, which includes accounting, tax, treasury and corporate strategy.
She has more than 25 years of experience across all aspects of capital markets including banking, life insurance, financial services and property sectors. Prior to First Sentier Investors, Suzanne held roles in investor relations, treasury, strategy and mergers and acquisitions for a number of publicly-listed entities including Westpac Banking Corporation, Challenger Limited, and Lendlease.
Fabi Fugazza
Director, Company Secretary
Fabi Fugazza
– Director, Company Secretary
Joined Human & Co in December 2023.
Fabi is a lawyer, Co-CEO and author with extensive experience in human and civil rights. She is currently Co-Executive Director and Legal Expert at the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD), and teaches law, public policy and human rights at the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University. She also makes decisions on institutional child sex abuse cases for Australia's National Redress Scheme.
Fabi is a member of the Global Strategic Litigation Council and has worked within non-profit organisations for over 15 years, including within the National Justice Project and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. Fabi holds undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications across law, marketing and management and when in Australia, works on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.
Anna Ross
Director
Anna Ross
– Director
Joined Human & Co Board 2013.
Anna is a Partner of law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth and a Member of the Law Society of New South Wales.
Anna is an inquiry and public law specialist with deep expertise in complex and sensitive policy areas and compliance. She specialises in working with private and public sector clients operating in high profile sectors that receive considerable public interest and attention. Anna's practice involves helping clients involved in inquiries, prosecutions, Royal Commissions, FOI, class actions and investigations by regulators. She has extensive experience in dealing with international human rights complaints made against Australian entities, including governments.
Anna also regularly works with clients facing a broad range of commercial disputes and risks including in relation to contractual compliance, real property and consumer claims regarding medical technology.
As well as her commercial work, Anna is a passionate supporter of pro bono legal services and was Pro Bono Partner of Corrs Sydney office for many years. Anna served as the Chair of Human & Co from 2016 - 2025.
Dr Leigh Gassner
Director
Dr Leigh Gassner
– Director
Joined the Human & Co Board in 2018.
Leigh is an experienced Director and has been a Member of the Prime Ministers Commonwealth Government Violence against Women Advisory Group, Victorian Ministerial Advisory Committee on Mental Health Reform and Chair of the Victoria Coroners Family Violence Death Review Panels.
Dr Leigh Gassner was in Victoria Police for 35 years leaving as an Assistant Commissioner. His senior executive and leadership experience has included leading and managing two of the largest police regions in Victoria and being responsible for the wide range of services to the community that each region delivered. He has chaired Cabinet endorsed committees involving system reform including the State-wide Steering Committee to Reduce Family Violence and the State-wide Steering Committee to Reduce Sexual Assault involving both the community and government sectors.
Since leaving the public-sector Leigh has provided executive coaching and leadership development programs in the finance, manufacturing and retail sectors. Leigh has also worked numerous times in China with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Supreme People’s Court of China on family violence legislative and system reform and in South Africa on system reform to violence against women.
Lizette Twisleton
Director
Lizette Twisleton
– Director
Joined the Human & Co Board in 2018.
Lizette Twisleton has worked in the human and community services sector for 30 years for NGO’s and in local government. Lizette has experience in domestic and family violence having worked with victim-survivors, and men who use family violence.
She has a background in nursing, youth work, health promotion and community development. Lizette has specialised in men’s behaviour change work over the past twenty years, twelve years as a men’s behaviour change practitioner, three years delivering partner contact and six years leading sector development projects and strategies at No to Violence, Australia’s largest peak body leading the change to end men’s family violence in Australia.
Lizette has previously served on the Board of Youth Action, the NSW peak body for young people and youth services and as Chair on the Board of a regional youth service in Northern NSW.
Leadership
Team
Our Senior Leadership Team brings together the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Brand Partnerships Manager and Chief Financial and Administration Officer, each playing a key role in guiding DVSM with care, clarity, and purpose. Together, they provide strategic leadership while staying closely connected to the day-to-day realities of our work. By working alongside and listening to our frontline teams, they ensure decisions are grounded in lived experience, practical insight, and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes for the people and communities we support.
Leadership
Team
Our Senior Leadership Team brings together the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Brand Partnerships Manager and Chief Financial and Administration Officer, each playing a key role in guiding Human & Co with care, clarity, and purpose. Together, they provide strategic leadership while staying closely connected to the day-to-day realities of our work. By working alongside and listening to our frontline teams, they ensure decisions are grounded in lived experience, practical insight, and a shared commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes for the people and communities we support.
Steph Smith
Chief Executive
Officer (CEO)
Steph Smith
– Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Stephanie has more than 20 years in the human services fields starting as a Statutory Social Worker in New Zealand in the late 1990’s. Her career has largely been dedicated to working within the justice sector, with harmful behaviours and violence in therapeutic ways. Her first management role began in 2003 and she has progressively developed her career from front line management; to Operations and Strategic Leadership at both a regional and national level. Stephanie spent six years working in Educational Leadership and Governance and has also supported other not-for-profits as a change consultant and external supervisor.
First and foremost, Stephanie is committed to building relationships as a tool to impact the environment and culture of organisations; and in turn the outcomes for the people who use the services offered. Her uniquely New Zealand experience holds valuable insights in how organisations can work in partnership with indigenous and first nations people and understands the challenges and rewards that come from taking this brave step.
As well as Social Work qualifications, Stephanie has undertaken post graduate studies in Social Services Supervision at Massey University; a year long Executive Development programme in 2012; and most recently she completed the Leading Strategic Projects Programme through the Saïd School of Business at Oxford University.
Stephanie is passionate that the not-for-profit sector not only deliver the most outstanding and aspirational services for the people who use them, but the staff that commit to working in the area gain skills and expertise, build meaningful and beneficial relationships; and have experiences that make them feel valued, seen, confident and know they have made an incredible contribution to wider society.
Kath Wheeler
Chief Operations
Officer (COO)
Kath Wheeler
– Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Kath brings over a decade of experience in the sector, with a strong dedication to supporting women and children survivors of Domestic and Family Violence. Her journey began as a case manager at the Drug and Alcohol Women’s Network (DAWN) in Campbelltown, and she subsequently transitioned into a support role at Taree Women and Children’s Refuge. During her tenure there, she ascended to a senior worker position.
Following the Going Home Staying Home (GHSH) reform, Kath assumed the role of SHS Manager at Community Resources, where she oversaw a youth refuge, transitional properties, and outreach services. For almost six years, she served as the Safety Action Meeting Senior Coordinator with Mid Coast WDVCAS, covering the Mid North Coast and Manning Great Lakes regions.
Kath later relocated to Sydney with her family and took on the role of Service Lead at DVSM for the Moving Out Moving On (MOMO) service, which provides essential outreach support to women in the Inner City of Sydney. Her time at DVSM exposed her to a broad spectrum of programs, equipping her with valuable insights that prepared her to recently secure the position of GM Operations.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Kath places a strong emphasis on family and cherishes quality family time. Outside of work, she enjoys socialising with friends and exploring the city, making the most of her free time.
Grace Kim
Chief Financial
& Administration Officer
Grace Kim
– Chief Financial & Administration Officer
Grace is a qualified Accountant with the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), with over two decades of work experience in various sectors including Financial Services, Education and Start-Up. Grace has worked overseas including Singapore and Hong Kong where she developed diverse and extensive background in accounting and finance. Her international experience has sharpened her skills in financial management, reporting and people management.
Grace is committed to becoming an empathic finance leader, combining strong interpersonal skills in solving complex financial problems which will result in both individual and organisation success.
Outside of work, Grace is a dedicated mother to young boys who keep her very busy. To maintain her wellbeing, Grace enjoys winding down with a session of pilates on the reformer, which keeps her fit and relaxed.
Kate Hurley
Brand, Partnerships
& Projects Manager
Kate Hurley
– Brand, Partnerships & Projects Manager
Kate is a marketing and communications leader with experience across the media industry and the not-for-profit sector. Since moving into the not-for-profit sector in 2012, she has focused on using strategic communications, partnerships and fundraising to support organisations creating meaningful social impact.
Before transitioning to the not-for-profit sector, Kate built her career in media, working across some of Australia’s most recognisable magazine titles and leading communications for the Australian Radio Network’s commercial radio stations.
Kate is driven by a passion for people and problem solving. She enjoys tackling complex challenges with creativity and is always exploring new ways to create opportunities that generate positive impact. She remains committed to contributing to work that helps create stronger communities and better outcomes for people.
Stories that light the way
