Kaylene Hubbard

Non-Executive Director, Chair

Kaylene was appointed to the Board in July 2024. She has more than 25 years’ experience in professional services, with technical expertise in tax. She has previously served as the Managing Partner of the KPMG Greater Western Sydney office and is currently the Partner in Charge of Tax Advisory in the Enterprise practice. Kaylene also has a strong commitment to community, volunteering at grassroots sports associations, school fundraising committees and local initiatives. She also has a strong commitment to Scouting, seeing her sons thrive from Cub Scouts to Rover Scouts. She has strong appreciation for the value and history of the Scouting Movement in Australia and is keen to play her part in taking this forward and growing the reach of Scouts.

Philip Cooper OAM

Ex-Officio Director, Deputy Chair

Along with his experience as the Region Chair and Region Commissioner (Major Events) for Sydney North Region, Phil also currently serves on the Scouts NSW Insurance sub-committee. He began his adult Scouting life in Cheltenham in 1997, holding various Group, District and Region roles.

Bernard Cronan

Non-Executive Director

Bernard was appointed to the Scouts NSW Board in July 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 not-for-profit organisations. He was also a Non-Executive Director of a youth refuge service in NSW. Bernard started Scouts as a Cub Scout and continued through to Rover Scouts before he became an adult Leader running large-scale activities for Scouts NSW (Dragon Skin) 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.

Brett Grimmond

Ex-Officio Director

Brett has volunteered for Scouts for many years, serving as past 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. 

Cassandra Hammond

Ex-Officio Director

Cassandra was appointed to the Scouts NSW Board in July 2025, representing the Region Commissioners. She has been involved in Scouts for a little over four years, initially as a Joey Scout Leader for 2nd Armidale Group before transitioning to the Scout section, and was appointed the North West Region Commissioner in early 2025. She is passionate about supporting and developing leadership at all levels, helping both youth and adults grow their skills and confidence. She seeks to support Leaders in engaging the wider community and delivering a varied and meaningful youth program. 

Benjamin Hendriks

Non-Executive Director

Benjamin was appointed to the Scouts NSW Board in July 2025. He brings more than 25 years of leadership in property strategy, urban planning, governance and executive management. Benjamin is the founder and Executive Chair of Mecone Consulting – a national urban policy and property advisory firm – and serves as an independent expert on the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel, which determines development applications in place of Council. He is also a proud Scout parent, adult helper and committee member at 1st Haberfield Scout Group, and a former Scout at 1st Lismore Scout Group.

Bel Howell

Ex-Officio Director

Bel took on the role of Chief Commissioner in April 2026. She's been a member of Scouts NSW since 2007, firstly on the Group Committee when her children were youth members, quickly progressing through her Leader training across roles including Group Leader, then Scout Leader, as well as various Region and State roles. Most recently, Bel was Deputy Assistant Chief Commissioner (Strategic Support) and Region Commissioner (North Coast), with a focus on supporting senior volunteers to deliver the youth program across the state. Bel has also attended Australian Jamborees as Director of Marketing, Communications, Media and Merchandise with a focus to create life-long memories for participants. She's a Youth Safe Advocate and is Mental Health First Aid certified.

Professionally, Bel has extensive experience in marketing, communications, organisational engagement, supporting programs, and cultural change. She's currently the Organisational Engagement Manager with the University of Sydney, and has worked in multi-national technology and financial services organisations. Bel is a qualified Change Manager and has worked in both Asia Pacific and Global roles, including being selected from a global pool of professionals to work in Romania for a special assignment. 

Niamh Hitchman

Ex-Officio Director

Niamh has been a member of Scouts NSW since 2019, starting as an Assistant Venturer Scout Leader and subsequently taking on a number of different roles such as Youth Safe Advocate, and a member of several working groups and initatives. She was appointed Assistant Chief Commissioner for Program in June 2023 and later took on her current role of Deputy Chief Commissioner. Additionally, she holds an appointment as an Assistant Leader Trainer.

Professionally, Niamh is an Operations Manager with a background in IT management, cybersecurity, change and risk management and corporate governance. Before her tenure with Scouts NSW, she volunteered with the Red Cross, managing large teams of volunteers delivering harm minimisation at major music festivals. 

Niamh leverages the skills and values from her professional and volunteer experiences to maintain and enhance Scouts NSW's mission and impact.

Lachie Page

Ex-Officio Director (Under 30s Representative)

Lachie has been a member of Scouts NSW for the last 20 years, both as a youth member and a member of the senior volunteer leadership team. His Scouting journey and experience have ensured that he follows the values and principles that the movement represents.

Currently, Lachie is the Assistant Chief Commissioner - Program, a member of the National Program Team and the State Asset Committee, as well as an active Rover Scout with 1st Figtree Rover Unit, and brings a wealth of experiences to this role of Director. In his professional life, Lachie is a Civil Engineer managing a large contract with Sydney Water where he balances technical expertise, finance and people management skills.

Katherine Peters

Non-Executive Director

Katherine (Katie) was appointed to the Scouts NSW Board in July 2025. As a transformation and operations executive with a background in organisational change, leadership and communiation, she brings expertise in major organisational transformation and a personal love of the Scouting Movement and the profound impact it has had on her son and the broader community. Katie has led large-scale transformation and cultural change initiatives in complex organisations, including Microsoft, and delivered stakeholder engagement in both consulting and leadership roles for both corporate and not-for-profit organisations.

Stuart Thorpe

Non-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.

Bel Howell

Chief Commissioner

Bel took on the role of Chief Commissioner in April 2026. She's been a member of Scouts NSW since 2007, firstly on the Group Committee when her children were youth members, quickly progressing through her Leader training across roles including Group Leader, then Scout Leader, as well as various Region and State roles. Most recently, Bel was Deputy Assistant Chief Commissioner (Strategic Support) and Region Commissioner (North Coast), with a focus on supporting senior volunteers to deliver the youth program across the state. Bel has also attended Australian Jamborees as Director of Marketing, Communications, Media and Merchandise with a focus to create life-long memories for participants. She's a Youth Safe Advocate and is Mental Health First Aid certified.

Phil Crutchley

Deputy Chief Commissioner - Operations & Support
Phil comes to this role with a wealth of experience stretching over 34 years as an adult member across the Scouting spectrum. His Scouting knowledge and experience includes all functional operating and support mechanisms at Group, District, Region and State levels, as well as a past member of the Scouts NSW Board of Directors, Nominations Committee, National Youth Program Support Team and National Training Team.

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. 

Gai Green

Deputy Chief Commissioner - Program, Youth & Adults in Scouting
Gai has been a member of Scouts NSW for over 20 years in various roles and comes into this role with a passion for training.
 
Her Scouting experience includes Youth Program, Program support, Training and Adults in Scouting in various roles from Group level to state. Gai holds a woodbadge and a Certificate of Higher Adult Leadership (an Axe & Log). She has attended every Jamboree since 2007 at Elmore VIC, enjoying many roles with youth and the contingent.
 
Gai is also a current Leader Trainer with the National training team and is a valued member on both the National Training Committee (NTC) and the National Adults in Scouting Committee (NAISC).  Gai is also a Youth Safe Advocate and is Mental Health First Aid accredited.
 
When Gai isn’t Scouting, she runs a bookkeeping business on the Central Coast and enjoys spending time with her granddaughter