Our Region Office Managers and Assistants are responsible for the administration of Scouts NSW’s 10 geographical Regions. These professional staff members play a vital role in developing the profile of Scouting and in building organisational support and membership within their Region.
Our People
Meet the teams that help our organisation thrive!
Scouts NSW has a dynamic team of Board members, volunteers and professional staff who work together to support more than 16,000 young people and adults who enjoy the daily fun, learning and adventure that is Scouting.
Together, they enhance the business of Scouting, ensuring the framework is in place for members to grow and develop through adventure and activity.
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Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KCChief Scout New South Wales Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC was invested as Chief Scout of New South Wales on Thursday 11 July 2019, following her appointment as the 39th Governor of New South Wales on 2 May. As Chief Scout, Her Excellency serves as the public face of the Scouting movement in New South Wales. Prior to her appointment as Governor, Her Excellency enjoyed a long and distinguished law career spanning 43 years, during which time she served as a role model for women in law at both the State and national level. Her Excellency brings her deep commitment to education, youth leadership, human rights and social justice to the role in service of the people of New South Wales. |
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Kerry McGoldrickChair of the Board |
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Richard HodgeDeputy Chair of the Board Richard was elected to the Scouts NSW Board on 17 July 2021 and has been a member of the Finance Committee since July 2017. He is presently a Senior Advisor within the Policy and Budget Group of the NSW Treasury. A qualified Chartered Accountant, his professional experience also includes working as a Policy Advisor to a NSW Cabinet Minister and as a Senior Accountant within the Audit and Assurance division of KPMG. Richard has been involved in scouting for more than 20 years as a Cub Scout, Scout, Venturer Scout and Rover Scout and wants to ensure that young Australians have the opportunity to grow and develop by experiencing the youth program that scouting offers. |
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Stuart ThorpeNon-Executive Director, Treasurer Stuart was appointed to the Board on 14 November 2022. Stuart is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), with extensive financial services industry experience. He is the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary for Australian Sailing, having made a decision to transition from financial services into roles where he can make a broader social contribution in areas of lifelong interest. Stuart has fond memories of his youth progressing through the Scouting Movement and is an active community member with substantial experience coordinating and delivering youth programs at a grassroots level. |
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Lloyd NurthenChief Commissioner Lloyd became Chief Commissioner of Scouts NSW on 7 April 2023. Lloyd has been an active member of Scouts for more than 17 years, starting as a youth member and progressing through various leadership roles including the first Youth Commissioner for Scouts NSW, Assistant Group Leader at his local group, State Commissioner International, and Deputy Contingent Leader for the 25th World Jamboree in South Korea. He was a member of the Youth Program Review team in 2015-2017, and currently serves on the Public Fund Committee. Lloyd attributes his success in his professional career in part to the skills first developed through Scouts, including leadership, teamwork, resilience and community involvement. |
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Janet HaleEx-Officio Director Before becoming a member of the Scouts NSW Board, Janet served for 22 years with NSW Police, reaching the rank of Detective Senior Constable, serving on specialist task forces, including homicide and drugs. Janet is North Coast Region Chair and Group Manager of 1st Ballina Scout Group. She also volunteers at her children’s local school in Ballina. Her family is actively involved in scouting, with children in the Scout and Rover Scout sections, and her two sons having achieved the Queen's Scout Award. |
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Steve Fernie OAMEx-Officio Director Steve has been a member of Scouting continuously for just short of six decades, including 40-plus years in the senior operational space and the last 19 years as Region Commissioner for Hunter and Coastal Region. Steve previously served on the Board of Directors for a period of seven years in the capacities of Region Commissioner Nominee and Country Region Nominee, and is currently a member of the Scouts NSW Asset Committee. Steve has worked in the building industry for more than 50 years. He brings significant Scouting operational experience to the table. Steve’s Scouting contributions have been recognised with a Silver Kangaroo in 2006 and a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2017. |
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Nathan LeivesleyEx-Officio Director Nathan has been a member of the Scouting Movement for over 15 years in a number of capacities, including as a youth member, Leader, Assistant National Commissioner and Assistant Contingent Leader for the Australian Contingent to the 2016 New Zealand Venture. In addition to his uniformed role as Deputy Chief Commissioner (Governance), Nathan currently holds appointments on the Scouts NSW Nominations Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee. Outside of Scouting, Nathan works as a lawyer for a government agency advising on risk, compliance, and governance matters among other things. Nathan will utilise the qualities that Scouting has instilled in him - a willingness to ask questions, a sense of adventure, and a joy in finding creative solutions to tricky problems - to maintain Scouts NSW's position as a leading organisation for young people. |
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Brett GrimmondEx-Officio Director Brett has been the serving Region Commissioner for the North West Region for six years and a member of the NW Region Executive since 2007. He is recently retired, having served six years as a Sailor in the Royal Australian Navy and 35 years as a Senior Communications Officer in the NSW Police Force. Brett has lived a life of service, as a member of the Volunteer Rescue Association, State Emergency Service and St Johns Ambulance, and assisting the Cancer Council as a volunteer driver. |
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Anthea CudworthNon-Executive Director Anthea joined the Board in 2022, having volunteered for Scouts NSW as a Scout Leader and State Commissioner since 2011. She is an experienced Communications Director with a track record of delivering valued reputation advice for high profile international financial and technical businesses. With previous Board experience and professional qualifications in investment management, finance and communications, Anthea is proud of the important role Scouts plays for young people in our communities. |
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Antony KeenanNon-Executive Director Antony joined the Board in 2018 as a Non-Executive Director. Antony’s career spans more than 20 years in senior retail management including 12 years in property management leading some of Australia’s largest shopping centres. Antony is also heavily involved in Diversity and Inclusion workplace initiatives with experience in a number of specialties. Antony is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), a licenced Real Estate Agent and is Degree qualified. Antony enjoyed spending his youth growing up in the Scouting Movement and attributes his leadership abilities today to the experiences and life skills received during that time. |
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Renee BurkinshawNon-Executive Director Renee joined the Board in 2022, bringing more than a decade of experience in HR leadership and organisational change, along with expertise in culture, diversity and inclusion, and stakeholder engagement. She has a degree in Sociology, as well as post-graduate qualifications in HR and Applied Coaching, and is a member of professional associations in these fields. Renee is pragmatic and focused on delivering solution-oriented outcomes to address organisational challenges, and to realise individual and collective strengths and opportunities. Her guiding vision and commitment is to uplift leadership capability to build safer and inclusive workplaces and communities that enable people to thrive. |
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Bernard CronanNon-Executive Director Bernard was elected to the Scouts NSW Board in 2023. A qualified Chartered Accountant, his extensive professional experience includes external financial audit, management consulting, talent consulting and talent development executive roles with EY, Barclays Bank and a number of non for profit organisations. He was also a Non Executive Director of a youth refuge service in NSW. Bernard started Scouts as a Cub and continued through Scouts, Venturers to Rovers before he became an adult leader running large scale activities for Scouts NSW (DragonSkin) and Scouts Australia (Jamboree). With degrees in management and certifications across technology, innovation and leadership, Bernard is a strategist at heart, a consultant by nature, an auditor by training and a Scout in values. |
The Scouts NSW State Team is made up of Scouting specialists and experts from different professional fields, responsible for working at a State or Region level to assist Region and District teams and to support Groups across NSW to deliver on the Scout promise of an exciting program and development opportunities. Rolling out the Youth Program and providing young people with opportunities to achieve is a key focus, along with making sure our activity program is accessible and inclusive. Child safety, training and Member support are other important functions. Guiding the "business of Scouting" is a critical part of what we do – including strategic planning, partnerships, stakeholder engagement and culture.
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Lloyd NurthenChief Commissioner |
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Nathan LeivesleyDeputy Chief Commissioner - Governance |
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Niamh HitchmanAssistant Chief Commissioner - Program |
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Phil CrutchleyAssistant Chief Commissioner - People He is the holder of 3 Wood Badges (Cub Scouts, Scouts and Leader of Adults) and is a Youth Safe Advocate and Mental Health First Aid accredited. He has attended 6 National Jamborees in various senior management roles and managed the strategic implementation of our mental health first aid program and many other projects across the Branch. Professionally his career has been in heavy industry and local government working across a range of senior management roles. |
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David JacobsAssistant Chief Commissioner - Events |
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Jenny RileyAssistant Chief Commissioner - Youth shared appointment |
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Toby ChandiokAssistant Chief Commissioner - Youth shared appointment Most recently, Toby has been heavily involved in the State Youth Council, as both member and vice-chairperson, as well as the Youth Representative to the State Adventurous Activities Council. He has also presented awards and MC'd at Scouting events such as Scout of the Year Awards, NSW Parliamentary friends of Scouting, Chief Commissioners Council Recognition Dinner and the Scouts NSW AGM. Outside of Scouts, Toby is currently studying at university. |
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Kenton JurgsAssistant Chief Commissioner - Adventure His passion for adventure spans both his Scouting and personal experiences. He holds a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership and is an Adventurous Activity Guide. He’s active in the outdoors - he is a scuba diver, bushwalker, abseiler, canyoner and mountain biker. Scuba diving around the world including wrecks in Southeast Asia, icebergs in Antarctica and volcanic vents in Iceland. Guiding abseiling and canyons in the Blue Mountains. Walking and cycling across Scotland and Australia including climbing the Cuillin Range in Skye. He brings his risk management skills, organisation, decision making and planning from his professional career, including being a pilot in the Air Force and an Information Technology Consultant to the role. |
Led by the Chief Executive Officer, the professional staff at Scouts NSW State Service Centre are responsible for supporting the business of Scouting, ensuring the framework and processes are in place for thousands of Australians to participate in the Scouting program.
The key business functions at State Service Centre are listed below.
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Carolyn CampbellChief Executive Officer (CEO) Carolyn joined Scouts NSW as CEO in January 2022. She brings more than 25 years’ experience at executive level roles to the position. She was a visionary leader for 15 years at Netball NSW where she grew the appeal of netball at both grassroots and elite levels. Under her guidance, Netball NSW saw exceptional growth in membership and participation. More recently, she was Interim CEO of Basketball Australia. Her depth of experience with Not-for-Profit organisation and outdoor recreation is also reflected in her position as Chair of Sport NSW |
Chief Executive’s Office
The Chief Executive’s Office is responsible for supporting the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commissioner of Scouts NSW. The Office coordinates State-level events including the Annual General Meeting, Chief Commissioner’s Council and Commissioner’s Conference, and is responsible for management of the State Service Centre.
Youth Protection & Historic Matters
The Child Protection Department coordinates Child Protection and Behavioural Management Issues and develops and champions the Scouts NSW Child Safety Policy and Procedures.
Operations
The Executive Manager Operations, Community & Growth is responsible for the operational service delivery of Scouts NSW.
Member Experience
The Member Experience team coordinates membership awards, membership invoicing, forms and membership data processing, and is responsible for travel, hotel and vehicle bookings. Within that, the Member Experience team also overseas training services and is responsible for the management of training records, administration of leader training, wood badges, e-learning, and Adventurous Activity training. The team also manages accredited qualifications, as well as administering the Youth Safe Advocate training.
Marketing and Communications
Marketing and Communications is responsible for the management and coordination of marketing, corporate communications, brand, media, digital media, publications and events.
State Activity Centres
Scouts NSW owns and manages 3 commercial Activity Centres: Cataract Activity Centre, Baden-Powell Activity Centre and Alpine Activity Centre.
Operations, Compliance and Risk
The WHS/Risk Department coordinates compliance, incident and hazard reports, asbestos management, WHS site audits, support for volunteer ScoutSafe Team and Risk Management.
Finance
Finance is responsible for the strategic and operational aspects of financial planning and management, including insurance, procurement, budgeting, taxation, audit, payroll, and financial accounting.
Grants
Grants is responsible for the administration of government and philanthropic grants for Scouts NSW and Scout Groups, including the Community Building Partnership Grants.
Property
Property is responsible for the high-level management of, and input to, the procedural practice and strategic direction of the State property portfolio.
IT
The IT team provides IT and admin support to members of Scouts NSW, including assistance with Office365, ScoutHub access and email registration and functionalities.
