Facility Services Corporate Team
- Anne Tucker - Chief Executive Officer
- Kirstie Waterman - Corporate Financial Officer
- Marilhene Worrell - Personal Assistant to the CEO
- Anna Maria Nagy - General Operations Manager
- John Leong - Business Improvement Manager
- Elsa Silva - Diversional Therapy Coordinator
- Kathleen Sawyer - General Corporate Services Manager
- Carolina Thomas - Office Team Leader
- Stephen Mitchell - Maintenance Supervisor
Anne Tucker
Chief Executive Officer
Anne has held a variety of roles within Columbia since joining the team in 1976. With this experience she brought a wealth of residential aged care knowledge and skills to the role of Chief Executive Officer, which she took up in 1990. Under Anne’s leadership the company has grown significantly as the industry leader for excellence in residential aged care.
In her role as CEO, Anne acts as the Executive Officer, Delegate of the Approved Provider, Public Officer and Company Secretary for the Board of Directors and Columbia Aged Care Services. Anne has the authority to act for and on behalf of the Board and carries the responsibility to the Board for the overall strategic planning, policy, process and systems development, regulatory compliance and performance of Columbia Aged Care Services.
Kirstie Waterman
Corporate Financial Officer
Kirstie joined Columbia is 2002 as Corporate Financial Officer. In this position she is responsible for financial management including financial analysis, annual budget, daily accounting and Company Secretarial Duties for the group.
Prior to joining Columbia, Kirstie worked for Citibank where she held several positions including Team Manager in the Foreign Currency & Money Market Term Deposit Unit for their Global Consumer Bank.
Marilhene Worrell
Personal Assistant to the CEO
Marilhene on joining Columbia in September 2004 worked in the Administration and Accounts departments and it was on her return from maternity leave in October 2006 she took up her appointment as Personal Assistant to the CEO.
Her key responsibilities vary and include managing correspondence, functions and meetings, daily communication, reporting to the CEO, overseeing the smooth running of her office and coordination of daily administrative functions.
Marilhene has completed a Travel Agent Certificate and worked in the industry for four years before changing her mind and taking on a different career path. Whilst in the travel industry she worked in their call centre, administration, and customer service and accounts departments.
Anna Maria Nagy
General Operations Manager
Anna Maria joined Columbia as the General Operations Manager in August 2000. In this role, she has responsibility for overseeing the Columbia’s key service and program areas, on a corporate level, of regulatory compliance management; the organisation’s management systems; quality and accreditation processes; human resources management including workplace learning; OH&S; information systems; and marketing including publications.
Since entering the workforce in 1966 as a student nurse, Anna Maria has worked in the nursing and education fields in Sydney, Adelaide, London and Zurich Switzerland. Anna Maria also successfully established her own business in 1998 as an independent consultant. She came to Columbia with senior management and commercial experience in the public health and private aged care sectors.
Anna Maria has tertiary qualifications related to nurse education, managing training and development, organisational development, and publicity and public relations.
John Leong
Business Improvement Manager
John became a member of the Columbia team in January 2002. In his role as Business Improvement Manager he is responsible for providing support for the senior management team at each Centre.
John monitors clinical care practices, documentation compliance and compliance with the Accreditation Standards outcomes.
He has a Diploma and Bachelor of Applied Science (Nursing). He is currently completing an MBA with Deakin University by distance education.
Elsa Silva
Diversional Therapy Coordinator
Elsa started her career at our Parkland Centre in 1994 as a casual domestic, then moved into recreational activities, initially for 2 days per week, and then in 1996 to full- time. In 2003, Elsa accepted the role of Diversional Therapy (DT) Coordinator for the Marrickville Campus and in 2006 for the Columbia Group.
In this role, Elsa is responsible, in conjunction with site specific Recreational Activity Officers RAOs) and care staff, for coordinating and providing a range of individual, group and community activities according to residents’ individually assessed physical, social, cultural and spiritual needs and preferences. She also orientates new RAO staff across the Group, and provides them with professional guidance in DT activities.
In 1995, Elsa gained a Certificate in Working with Older People and the Diversional Therapy Association, Level One membership. In October 2006, she graduated with a Diploma in Diversional Therapy.
Kathleen Sawyer
General Corporate Services Manager
Kathleen joined the team in 1989 as the Office Manager of Columbia’s Head Office and from 1997 held the position of Administrator of Corporate Services and since 2000 has been the company’s General Corporate Services Manager.
In this role she is responsible for overseeing the Columbia’s key service and program areas on a corporate level, of payroll, personnel services, industrial relations, worker’s compensation and rehabilitation, compliance with building certification standards, and the company’s capital works and maintenance programs.
Carolina Thomas
Office Team Leader
Carolina became part of the corporate office team in 1994 working in accounts payable. In 1995 in addition to this responsibility she took role of managing the payroll for Columbia.
In her current role, held since January 2006, she now has the added responsibility for running the daily operations of the corporate office and working closely with the Corporate Financial Officer.
Carolina entered the workforce as primary school teacher and change direction in 1984 when she took up accountancy. In this capacity she worked for a number of wholesale companies as a bookkeeper.
Stephen Mitchell
Maintenance Supervisor
Stephen (or Steve as he is called) started with Columbia on a casual basis in 1994 as a bus driver. He stayed on and worked as a Laundry and Delivery Van driver, and in the Strathdale Centre’s Laundry. It was in 1996 he moved into the maintenance area as a Handyman at our Rosedale Centre.
In his current role as Maintenance Supervisor, which he has held since October 2002, Steve is oversees work repairs program, incorporating a preventative maintenance for all buildings, plant and equipment, and supervises works performed by our small team of handymen and that of contractors. He also manages the medical general goods stores.
Prior to coming to Columbia, Steve held management positions with a variety of companies related to transport, warehousing and shoes sales.