Housing and homelessness

Her recent experience has included:

• Working alongside an executive director of Australia’s biggest public transport project – to bring their team together, to connect, and align on the key priorities for the team for the next 12-18 months. This included agreeing measures of success and ways of working to deliver their program of work effectively.
• Working with the CEO and board of a community affordable housing organisation in Sydney’s west to agree their overall strategic direction and aspiration and consider key strategic questions to set them up for future success and to assess their investment pipeline and growth strategy.
• Working with the head of External Affairs of a peak body in the energy industry, Gemma worked collaboratively with the team to develop a set of ‘mega themes’ to better define their work priorities and align their work to the broader organisational goals.

Prior to joining Right Lane Consulting, Gemma was director of Strategic Engagement at Industry Super Australia where she was responsible for strengthening relationships between ISA and key stakeholders. Gemma has built her successful career as a skilled leader bringing complex stakeholders together, solving complex problems and leading and driving outcomes.

Gemma was also previously a trustee director of
AustralianSuper, a director of Industry Fund Services and a member of the senior team at the ACTU. She worked in senior roles in the trade union movement for twenty years, including leading organisational reviews for the ACTU. She is a skilled facilitator and enjoys working with boards and teams across a variety of sectors, with her passion being in housing, gender and sustainability.

Gemma is a director of the progressive think tank Per Capita and holds a Master’s degree in Communication from RMIT, an Honours degree in Women’s Studies and Politics from Monash University and is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors course.

Right Lane Consulting. (2024, May). Housing Matters: Unlocking the supply of social and affordable housing at scale

Her recent experience has included:

• Facilitating strategy days with boards and executive teams for multiple organisations, including developing the 3-5 year strategic direction and attendant ‘strategy on a page’.
• Developing Right Lane Consulting’s inaugural Housing Matters Report 2024.
• Designing and delivering sector consultation to inform how a federal government agency can build fundraising capability in the cultural and creative industries.
• Designing and delivering stakeholder engagement to consult members on the current and future state of peak bodies in the community housing sector.
• Supporting an alliance of local councils and social service providers to clarify how they will work together to increase social housing in south east Melbourne.
• Determining the new executive team and organisational structure of a merged social services provider.
• Designing a service excellence hub for a national mental health service provider.
• Designing an early intervention program for young men at risk of violence for a social services provider.
• Drafting an evidence and impact strategy for a national primary prevention agency.

Cassandra is motivated to drive change and make a positive impact and pursues this in both professional and volunteer roles. Cassandra has completed The Observership Program and served on the boards of Music Victoria, CoHousing Australia and Farmer Incubator.

Prior to joining Right Lane Consulting, Cassandra’s most recent role was as the Principal Adviser in the Policy and Advocacy team at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In this role she delivered the Victoria Summit 2021 Playbook, which created a shared vision for Victoria in 2050, and highlights her ability to turn a big idea into a quality deliverable.

Cassandra has a Master of Business Administration at Monash University and received a Dean’s Commendation. She also holds a Bachelor of Business (First Class Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology.

His recent experience has included:

• Developing a 4-year strategic plan for an emergency management agency, engaging with key stakeholders to align on the best approach for success in a resource-constrained environment.
• Facilitating a board strategy offsite for a leading peak body, supporting participants to make key strategic decisions in a rapidly changing environment.
• Leading the implementation of a new strategy for a large community housing provider, organising sessions with the CEO and executive team to prioritise initiatives and ensure consistent implementation.
• Conducing an operating model review for a national not-for-profit enterprise, resulting in a more suitable leadership structure, clarified organisational capabilities, and alignment with savings targets. The project incorporated a ‘lived experience’ perspective to promote buy-in for changes.
• Reviewing and advising on roles and responsibilities for senior executives in a public sector organisation, identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and developing recommendations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Facilitating focus groups to inform a review of an organisation’s operating model, ways of working, and culture, leading to valuable insights and clear next steps for improvement.
• Evaluating youth engagement programs aimed at reducing incarceration rates for a large not-for-profit employment provider across multiple states, completing performance evaluations with recommendations and tools to sustainably enhance the organisation’s impact.

Matthew is a qualified Australian Lawyer and commenced his career at a large professional services firm delivering tax and employment law advisory services to both ASX-listed companies, private companies and not-for-profits.

Matthew has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts degree from Monash University and a Master of Public Policy and Management at the University of Melbourne, which included a first-class honours thesis.