Alzheimer's WA Leadership Team
Warren Harding - Chairman and Head of Research, Grants, and Innovation
Warren Harding (AM) was appointed to the Board in 2018/19. Warren has over 30 years of strategic management consulting and other NFP board experience. He was the former Ministerial adviser to a state Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development and held various senior government roles including Treasury.
Warren has a very broad international experience with PwC, Deloitte and Accenture at Managing Partner level in Asia Pacific serving some of the world’s largest companies in energy, mining, telecommunications; life-sciences, health and public sector. He has been an External Adviser to McKinsey & Company. He has led major organisational transformations involving complex OPEX/CAPEX budgets; major technology change and has a track record of building culture and developing talent.
He was a co-founder of the Future of Work Institute in WA and has been a regular speaker on future work skills, and the human factors of digitisation; AI and Automation and digital health accutive technology and wearables.
He was the Minister for Health’s Nominee on the Sustainable Health Review (2017-2019) and has strong views around financial sustainability, addressing inequity of regional access and delivery, the opportunity for digital health and assistive technology to support care in the home, and importance of workforce training. He has real-lived experience with dementia as a carer. He was appointed by the State Government to the Board, Disability Services Commission in 2020.
Warren holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Hons) from the University of Western Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Media (AFTRS); was a British Council Scholar at London School of Economics; and holds an Adjunct Professorship to the Curtin Faculty of Health Sciences.
Ella Dachs - Chief Executive Officer
Ella Dachs has over twenty years of consulting experience in change management and is an experienced People and Organisation Culture Change professional. Her career began in Tax, then Human Resources and continued on to Change Management and Talent Development. She has held operational and leadership roles and has developed a comprehensive understanding of different industry sectors across multiple geographies.
Ella is the CEO and leads a dedicated team of talented professionals who have extensive experience in Care and Support Services, People and Culture, Education, Consulting, Finance, Marketing, Brand and Digital Strategy. The team is committed to providing high quality, person-centred services that can improve the lives of those living with dementia.
Ella holds a B.Bus. Organisational Psychology and Human Resources Management (UCT) and a Post Grad. Dip. Marketing (IMM). She is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion to ensure Alzheimer’s WA delivers on our purpose, to be the dementia care experts and ensure AWA is an employer of choice.
“At Alzheimer’s WA, we look forward to developing trusted relationships with our ageing community and working with you, your family, friends and loved ones to enable and empower our ageing to live independently in their own homes for longer and to age in place with dignity in order to become truly inclusive dementia-friendly communities.”
Nigel Holmes – Head of Finance and Operational Performance
The Aged Care sector is going through significant change and Nigel’s role is focused on creating financial value for the organisation and its members. To achieve this, we need to ensure we have robust systems and processes in place. Being able to introduce improvements and efficiencies to realise value provides job satisfaction.
Nigel has significant finance and commercial experience from working across various industries in senior finance roles. Working for Alzheimer’s WA has allowed him to be part of a values-based organisation that addresses the needs of those living with dementia.
Nigel is a Member of CPA Australia and enjoys mentoring finance staff to help them achieve CPA membership.
Fatima McCormick - Head of People and Capability
Fatima holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology and Postgraduate Diplomas in Organisational Psychology and HR Management. She has held HR leadership roles across various industries, both locally and internationally.
Recently, she was an HR Manager for a manufacturing company in Victoria and worked with a consulting firm, a pathology lab, and a not-for-profit Aboriginal Corporation in Derby. Her expertise spans remuneration, employee relations, team building, award interpretation, restructuring, policy development, and continuous improvement.
Fatima is a mother of three who enjoys gardening, the beach, staying active, and socialising.
Chamila Jayalath – Senior Manager, People & Culture
As Senior Manager People and Culture at Alzheimer’s WA, Chamila is passionate about driving people and culture strategies that will accumulate to a more engaged workforce and help to establish Alzheimer’s WA as an employer of choice in Western Australia.
Chamila is a strategically and operationally oriented HR professional with over 25 years of experience and is skilled in developing and implementing people related strategy and HR management across all aspects of the employee lifecycle.
She has held senior HR positions across manufacturing, travel and tourism, disability and aged care industries in Australia and overseas. Having special interests in the areas of Leadership, Culture and Change Management Chamila has successfully and proactively led turnaround and transformational change initiatives especially within the human services sector that have added value to business growth strategies and is a strong believer in open and transparent communication across all levels of organisations.
Chamila is a Certified Practitioner Human Resources CPHR of Australian Human Resources Institute and holds a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma in Human Resource Management, and a Master of Human Resource Management from the Curtin University.
Russell Sharara – Manager Quality & Risk
Russell brings over 15 years of diverse experience in the aged care sector, having held a range of clinical and leadership roles across Melbourne and Perth. His extensive background has given him a deep understanding of the evolving needs of older Australians and the complexities of delivering high-quality care. Most recently, Russell has made significant contributions to two of Australia’s largest aged care providers, where he led initiatives to improve service delivery and drive continuous quality improvement. His work has consistently focused on enhancing outcomes for residents and ensuring excellence in care.
A passionate advocate for dementia care, Russell has hands-on experience in designing and implementing person-centred strategies that meaningfully improve the lives of individuals living with cognitive decline.
Russell is also deeply committed to staff development and mentoring. He has successfully led multidisciplinary teams, championed professional growth among nurses and care staff, and cultivated a culture of learning, collaboration, and excellence. With strong expertise in regulatory compliance, clinical governance, and consumer-directed care, Russell is well-positioned to contribute to the delivery of innovative, compassionate, and high-quality aged care services.
Sana Tariq – Executive Officer
Sana brings a wealth of expertise and a distinguished track record of excellence to our team, derived from over eight years of close collaboration with top executives, CEOs, and board members. She has adeptly navigated diverse work cultures and dynamics across multiple industries, including retail, real estate, and environmental services. As a seasoned professional, her core strengths encompass providing strategic support to senior leadership, ensuring seamless operations, and facilitating informed decision-making processes.
Renowned for her unwavering commitment to excellence and meticulous approach, Sana consistently strives to optimize organizational performance and foster a collaborative work environment. Her proactive and positive demeanor is instrumental in driving success and ensuring long-term growth.
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Samantha Bowen - Program Manager, Consultancy
Samantha Bowen, with her strong management skills, including volunteer leadership and a talent for crafting high-level content, empowers people to excel by emphasizing accountability, integrity, and impactful outcomes. She takes pride in developing robust networks and influencing key stakeholders to forge mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations that align with a shared vision. Samantha has achieved significant milestones, such as establishing successful mentoring programs, leading national leadership initiatives, co-creating impactful campaigns, and honing her skills as a dynamic public speaker and facilitator.
Skye Forsyth - House Manager, Walker House, Woodvale
Skye found her passion in the Aged Care sector 7 years ago, whilst working in Lifestyle for Cognitive Support. Skye joined Alzheimer’s WA in 2022, commencing as a Support Worker, then moving into an Assistant Co-ordinator role, to now, House Manager to Walker House. Skye has consistently gone above and beyond with a calm, caring, and respectful approach to every task and interaction. Skye’s genuine commitment to the well-being of our Members, Staff and overall Community has made a lasting impression. Skyes journey in Community Services has equipped her with extensive hands-on experience and knowledge in Dementia/Cognitive Support with an unwavering dedication to person centred care, maintaining independence & identity, and overall change in public perception and understanding of Dementia related illnesses.
Outside of her profession, Skye is a mother of 2, enjoys creative writing, Australian History and loves travelling around Western Australia.
Errolette Kemp - House Manager - Ella's House, Mandurah
Originally from New Zealand, Errolette discovered her passion for the community sector while working in mental health. This early experience led her through various roles, including frontline worker, administration, and coordination, ultimately advancing into managerial positions.
With over 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, she has dedicated her career to mental health, disability, aged care, and community services.
Her journey has equipped her with a deep understanding of various funding schemes and a strong commitment to enhancing the quality of care and support within the community.
“I am passionate about making a positive impact and fostering inclusive environments that empower individual.’’
Lorraine Benson – House Manager – Hawthorn House, Albany
Lorraine is a dedicated member of the Alzheimer’s WA team, joining the organisation over 20 years ago.
For the last 7 years, Lorraine has managed the hardworking, passionate team at Hawthorn House, Albany. Hawthorn House is a respite centre, focused on delivering best practice relationship-based support in the Albany area.
Lorraine has had years of experience working with people with dementia and an enthusiastic drive to improve services.
“I feel strongly that the values of people should be respected, and that we never lose sight of the individual and their role in community and family.”
