Our Volunteers
Our Board
Frances Wade, Chairperson
Frances has over 15 years of experience, reporting to Boards both on Strategy and Finance.
Frances’ roles include Treasurer, on the Board of Corethics and as an Individual Board Member with the Refugee Council of Australia.
With a passion to make an impact, France finds her Board roles to be extremely rewarding particularly when providing assistance in the governance, risk and overall strategy and direction of the companies.
Since 2008, Frances has worked for Not for Profit (NfP) organisations. Prior to this Frances has vast experience in Government, Health and Education in the fields of finance and operations.
Frances is currently the Chief Finance and Operations Officer at a not for profit organisation serving the aged care, disability and children’s services. Frances is an avid Sydney FC supporter and you will frequently find her singing and supporting the team in The Cove.
Rodney Forrester, Treasurer
Rodney is a partner of Forrester Korfiatis and has worked with business owners and high net worth individuals.
Rodney commenced his career in tax and accounting in 1987 in a second tier accounting firm which gave a solid background in assisting business.
Rodney has a strong interest in assisting business to grow, by meeting business owners at times suitable to them, often at their premises.
Rodney lives in the Sutherland Shire, is married to Judy, and has 3 children. In his spare time, Rodney enjoys golf, table tennis and sports trivia.
Reika Phung Dzupinka, Director
Reika has 15+ years of experience starting her career in top-tier consulting and more recently in high growth tech with expertise in Sales, Operations and Go-to-Market Strategy. Reika is currently the Head of Operations at Domain Housing Group.
Prior to Domain, she held leadership positions at Ceridian as the Head of Revenue Strategy and Execution for the APJ region, the Growth and Strategy General Manager at Ascender and Head of SMB sales at LinkedIn for the ANZ market.
Reika has a BSc/BE from the University of Sydney and an MBA from INSEAD. Reika is an advisor to Triiyo, an employee experience platform and joined the ACN board in February 2022.
Our Staff
Vanessa Gauci, Chief Executive Officer
Vanessa Gauci was appointed Chief Executive Officer of ACN in February 2023. Vanessa’s passion for making a difference in communities shines through in her over 15 years of expertise in stakeholder relations, government and non-profit work. Throughout her career, Vanessa has consistently demonstrated her commitment to excellence and her ability to create positive outcomes for stakeholders.
Before joining ACN, she held key positions at a community organization based in Sydney where she was highly regarded for her leadership skills and community outreach initiatives. Her earlier experience in the government sector provided her with a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on government and non-profit organizations. Vanessa is a highly respected leader, known for her warmth, integrity, and ability to bring people together towards a common goal.
A proud mother of 5, Vanessa has lived experience having a son with a dual diagnosis of Down Syndrome and Autism. She has been a passionate advocate and voice not only for her son but for others in the community in need of support for over 20 years.
