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Our Board
The Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Board consists of up to eleven directors.
The Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Board consists of up to eleven directors. The Board is responsible for the development of our organisational strategic directions, monitoring organisational performance, and overseeing organisational governance and risk requirements. The Board operates three subcommittees:
- Finance, Audit and Risk Management
- Nomination, Remuneration and Culture
- Corporate Governance
Chair - Jacqui Jones
Jacqui Jones, B.Ec (Soc Sci), M.A., Grad Dip Ed, MAICD
“I love that we are focused on ensuring that people with blindness or low vision have independence so they can get on with achieving their life goals!”
Jacqui is Executive Director of the Constellation Project and Director of the Impact Assembly at PwC. She has more than 25 years’ experience working across the private and not-for-profit sectors to improve outcomes for people in the areas of education and homelessness. Jacqui joined the Board in August 2018. She is a member of the Nomination Remuneration and Culture Committee and Board representative member of the Customer Advisory Panel.
Robin Low
Robin Low, BCom, FCA, GAICD
“I have loved Guide Dogs all my life. My role is made most rewarding because of the way Guide Dogs bring together our Clients, our people, the dogs and technology to enable better lives.”
Robin is a non-executive director and is on the board of four listed companies: Appen Limited, AUB Group Limited, IPH Limited and Marley Spoon AG and serves as Chair of their Audit and Audit and Risk Committees. She is on the board of the Sax Institute and is a member of the University of New South Wales Audit Committee. She joined the Board in June 2019. Robin brings broad sector experience across financial services, technology, medical research funding, mergers and acquisitions and governance and risk. Robin’s executive career was with PwC where she was a partner specialising in audit and risk. She is a past deputy chair of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. Robin is also Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Darryl Newton
Darryl Newton, BCom, CA, GAICD
“I love being part of a group of people that make a profound difference in people’s lives.”
Darryl joined the Board in October 2019. He has had an extensive and varied executive career in accounting, consulting, finance, and risk management roles. He was a partner at Ernst & Young (EY) for 14 years specialising in financial services. After leaving EY, Darryl held senior management roles at Westpac, Bank of Queensland and, most recently, Australia Post. Currently, in addition to Guide Dogs, Darryl is a Non-Executive director at ING Bank (Australia) Limited and Chair of its Audit Committee. Darryl is a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee and a Non-Executive director and Chair of Centre for Eye Health Limited.
Breanna Davies
Breanna Davies
“I am passionate about ensuring an inclusive world where everyone can thrive.”
Breanna joined the Board in October 2022 and is a partner at Gadens Lawyers specialising in corporate and commercial law. She has over 17 years experience as a solicitor, including advising clients in the charities and not for profit space. Breanna previously worked at Henry Davis York Lawyers, and has a Bachelor Laws / Communications (Journalism) from UTS and a Masters in Law from UNSW. In the 2022 edition of Doyle’s Guide, Breanna was recognised as a Leading Commercial & Business Lawyer – New South Wales. In her spare time Breanna loves to spend time with her husband and young daughters, and she is thrilled to be joining the Board of GDN.
Karen Knight
Karen Knight, BA, G.Dip.Psych, M.Psych.Ed, MBA
“Being a Director enables me to bring my lived experience and extensive knowledge of the blindness sector to assist people who are blind or vision impaired to have access to the supports and services to live the life they choose.”
Karen has many years experience as a leader in blindness service provider and consumer organisations. She has provided consultancy services to blindness organisations internationally. As a Psychologist specialising in adjustment counselling, she has also worked in youth suicide prevention and mental health promotion. Karen is an experienced disability advocate and has been part of the Australian delegation to the World Blind Union.
Cameron Evans
Cameron Evans
“I am passionate about building a more inclusive society that enables everyone to reach their life goals.”
Cameron is an experienced senior executive with a career that has been focused on the infrastructure sector, both locally and internationally. He has held leadership roles across the sector, from investments, asset development and origination, through construction, operations, and maintenance. Before joining Indara, Cameron held senior roles with Brookfield Infrastructure, Zinfra and Ventia. Cameron holds of Bachelor of Engineering (University of Newcastle), Masters of Engineering (University of Sydney), MBA (Executive) from Australian Graduate School of Business, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Cheryl Hayman
Cheryl Hayman, FAICD, FGIA
“Social purpose and inclusion, a more diverse culture and ensuring equity and success for every Australian, underpin my values and my ethos of putting people and their needs front and centre of a organisation’s decision making. These values align with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and the ability to contribute as a Director is an honour.”
Cheryl joined the Board in October 2023. She is an experienced non-executive director who has significant technology and digital transformation expertise as well as deep financial acumen and governance expertise, along with a focus on customer and consumer. Her breadth of experience comes from a former career deep in brand marketing and innovation across large scale manufacturing, operational and commercial enterprises and subsequently through a diverse Board portfolio spanning multiple industry sectors. She is currently a Non-Executive Director, with Board and Committee positions, on three listed company Boards: Silk Logistics Holdings Ltd, Ai-Media Technology Ltd, and Beston Global Food Company. She also holds Board positions on Peer Support Australia and Darlinghurst Theatre Company.
Board Lived Experience Advisor - James Bennett
James Bennett OAM, B Eng
“I will be forever indebted to Guide Dogs NSW/ACT for the gift of regaining a high degree of independence through the assistance of my Guide Dogs both past and present.”
James is a Mechanical Engineer and self-employed business consultant (Disability Services Auditor). He is a client, an experienced Guide Dog handler and an advocate for those who are blind or vision impaired and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2017 for services to the blind and low vision community. James joined the Board in 2011. He also sits on several Advisory Committees with the National Disability Services covering Open Employment and Australian Disability Enterprises. He is a member of the Corporate Governance Committee.
Annual Board Evaluation
Annual Board Evaluation
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT uses BoardOutlook to conduct an annual board evaluation on the performance of the board. In 2020, we benefited from a $50k grant under the BoardOutlook not-for-profit program.
