Our management team
HomeGround has more than 130 staff working across four locations in Melbourne. Over the next year this will rise to more than 150 staff based across six sites.
Every member of staff, regardless of their role, contributes their expertise and passion towards our vision to end homelessness in Melbourne. This is what makes us a dynamic, effective and innovative organisation. Our Executive carries out strategic management of the organisation.
Executive
Stephen Nash, CEO
Stephen is the founding CEO of HomeGround Services and its predecessor, Argyle Street Housing. He has worked in the homelessness and housing sector for more than 20 years in roles spanning service delivery, policy, advocacy, campaigning, management and academia.
Stephen is committed to working in partnership with others to establish both the commitment to ending homelessness and the policies, approaches and tools needed to deliver on this commitment. He works with international and local leaders in homelessness and housing approaches.
Stephen is the founding chair of the Australian Common Ground Alliance and a board member of the Community Housing Federation of Victoria.
Ernst Ferreira, General Manager Corporate Services/Chief Financial Officer
Ernst joined HomeGround in November 2011. He leads Finance, Information Technology, Administration and OH&S/Risk Management.
Ernst has previously worked in various senior roles in the private sector as Internal Audit Manager, Financial and Commercial Manager; and in government as Financial Manager and CFO of the Unemployment Insurance Fund in South Africa. Ernst was closely involved in the South African Reconstruction and Development Programme and schemes to integrate unemployed people back into the workplace.
Josef Gardiner, General Manager Organisational Development
Josef joined HomeGround in 2008. He leads the organisational development team, which encompasses communications; human resources; and quality and planning.
Josef has over 15 years of experience in senior management and advisory positions, having led multi-disciplinary staff teams within the local government and not-for-profit sectors in Australia, the Caribbean, Southern Africa, South Asia and the UK. He has a particular interest in facilitating effective team work and in capacity building, mentoring and supporting people to maximise their potential.
Heather Holst, General Manager Client Services
Heather joined HomeGround in 2009. She leads the client services teams across all sites and programs. This encompasses all service delivery programs other than property management and includes research and service development.
Heather's experience spans tenancy advocacy, homelessness policy, program development, research, rural homelessness service coordination in both the non-profit sector and government. She co-authored the Opening Doors initiative and has contributed to key Victorian Government innovations including transitional housing, standards/accreditation, data collection, rights based approaches and sector training.
Heather has a PhD earned for historical research into the origins of Australian housing systems.
Client service managers
- Leanne Acreman, Supportive Housing Manager
- Zoe Vale, Northern Housing Services Manager
- Paul Kent, Northern Support Services Manager
- Sally Regan, Southern Manager
- Mark Gove, Property Services Manager
Organisational development managers
- George Hatvani, Service Development and Research Manager
- Melanie Hollows, Human Resources Manager
- Daniel Scoullar, Communications Manager
Corporate service managers
- Andrew Bunnage, IT Manager (KeyTrust)
- Ron Petersen, Finance Manager