Carlyle Ginger (Chair)
Carlyle Ginger graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) and subsequently with an MBA (Majoring in Environmental Management and International Business) from Deakin University. He has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Value Management Facilitation and the Australian Institute of Company Directors course. Carl was a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia and in his engineering career, specialises in Water and Wastewater Engineering as well as Coastal Engineering.
He has over 25 years of experience as a Senior Executive in the NSW Government, Local Government, and NGO sectors. He currently serves as the Divisional Manager Technical Services with the Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Some of his major projects have been in the areas of capacity building and public infrastructure development in NSW and countries including Indonesia, Laos, The Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Mauritius, Timor Leste, and Trinidad. Funding for these projects was secured through the World Bank, UNDP, and AusAID.
His passion for making a difference has seen him actively involved in capacity building in many countries and at all levels of society, from the grassroots level to the highest level of government.
Carlyle's voluntary humanitarian and community development projects include water supply, sanitation, schools, education, housing, rural medical infrastructure, adult literacy, micro-enterprise development, environmental management, and capacity building. Some of the countries Carlyle has been proactively involved in include India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Zambia, and Sri Lanka. Carlyle has also served as the Deputy Chair of the ACFID Code of Conduct Community and the Chair of Asian Aid.
Carlyle continues to be actively involved in the NGO sector, on a voluntary basis, and currently serves as a Board Member on:
- World Relief Australia
- Bright Futures Australia
- Vine Communities Australia (Chair)
- Frontline Community Services (USA)
- Child Impact International (USA)
Val Mann
Born in Port Pirie South Australia, Valerie Robyn Mann (nee Ford) spent her early working years in Adelaide in media, specifically in Public Relations for ADS Channel 7 and Programming for Radio 5AA.
In the late 1970s, the opening of a new radio station brought a move to The Illawarra and subsequent involvement in land subdivision. Val held the position of Company Secretary for Nareena Developments Limited and Nebo Farm Pty. Limited and much of the residential suburb of Figtree in Wollongong resulted from the subdivision development of those companies.
With a young family, Val held various positions with her children’s education facilities before returning to the University of Wollongong to complete a Bachelor of Teaching with post-graduate qualifications in Gifted Education. She is also qualified in International Baccalaureate (PYP) education.
Always active in the sport of basketball, Val was elected to the position of Chair of the Board of Illawarra Basketball Association and then was elected to the board of Basketball NSW, a position she held for nine years.
Val has retired from full-time work but remains active in various child-centred roles.
Dr. Denis Hankinson
I have a professional background of over 40 years of ministry in Australia and New Zealand. This has included leadership in cross cultural work with Aboriginal, Maori, Burmese and African groups. In that period, 13 years of my work has been focused in Administration oversight including: Youth and Adolescent support, Aged Care, Emergency services, counselling and general church community support. My academic record includes: a BA in Theology, an MA focusing on Ancient Near East Archaeology, a Masters in Leadership and Management and a Doctorate in Church Growth and Group Dynamics.
My life motto is "Living Life to the Full Following Jesus". I have been blessed with a happy marriage to Bev for over 40 years. We have 3 children and 8 grandchildren. I enjoy relaxing with the family, golfing and most water sports particularly surfing.
I became excited about the ARCC Thailand orphanage when I visited with a Youth group in 2018. This started an ongoing interest and involvement supporting this challenging ministry to disadvantaged children.
Noel Mallari
Born in The Philippines and migrated to Australia in the late 80s, Noel Mallari has over 22 years of experience as a Senior Manager in commercial real estate in Australia. He currently serves as the National Property Manager with Greenlit Brands Group which operates 300 outlets and 8 Manufacturing and Integrated Logistics across Asia, Australia and New Zealand. His responsibilities include strategic network expansion, site inspections, demographic assessments, contracts management and leasehold acquisitions from concept to completion. Apart from his interest in photography and nature, Noel is an avid volunteer, supporter and contributor to missional works and not-for-profit projects. He has on-going participation in overseas projects in The Philippines including school builds in Mindanao, medical missions and educational initiatives in Luzon, micro-business sustainability projects and child sponsorships in India.
While currently working full time, Noel continues his active involvement in the NGO world where he believes global sustainability has a critical role to play in today's society.
Althea Thomson (nee Currie)
Althea's life began in New Zealand as the youngest child of Pr. David and Gaya Currie. She attended seven schools in eight years and has lived in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Thailand. After graduating as a registered nurse from the Sydney Adventist Hospital, she worked as a nanny in Sydney and the UK before specialising in surgical nursing. Her last position in that field was as a Nurse Unit Manager at the Ringwood, Victoria hospital. For the past six years Althea has worked as the Country Director and Administrator for a children's village, now called the Adventist Rescued Chidlren's Care (ARCC) in Chiangmai, Thailand. Her passion is seeing where these children come from and where they get to go. Althea nominates this as the most rewarding work she has ever been involved in, loving to share the children's stories and showing how God always provides. ARCC is a happy place where you hear laughter, chatter and singing. The children's smiles mask the tragedy each of them has faced. They smile because they are happy to have a safe place to call home.
Garnet Dale
Garnet is an experienced "Jack of All Trades" and Master of most! His tertiary qualifications are a M.Ed (Industrial Education) from the University of Newcastle and a B.Ed (Industrial Arts) from Avondale College NSW. His trade certificates from Meadowbank Institute NSW cover Plumbing, Draining, Gas Fitting and LP Gas Fitting, complemented by a plethora of short courses including asbestos handling, hazardous substances, carbon monoxide testing, training and assessment and OHS. Garnet's overseas experience includes plumbing and asbestos roofing removal Macquarie Island Antarctica, Facilities Manager at both Warburton Hospital and Pacific Adventist University, Educator, Primcipial and Business Manager at Paglum High School PNG, team leader on Box Hill Institutes/Rotary International project in the Solomon Islands, part of a Rotary International project training ex-freedom fighters in roofing skills in East Timor, project planning and construction of a community hall in Moe Island Torres Straight, project manager on water supply projects in Western Samoa and Vanuatu. In 2002 Garnet received the Australian Government AusAid appreciation certificate for service in East Timor.
Sherree Hughes
Sherree is a hospitality VET teacher at Bethel Christian School in Albany, Western Australia. She has been involved in development work in Cambodia since 2010. Flourish Cambodia was established in 2012 when Sherree and her family spent time living and training in the rural community south of Phnom Penh. Sherree has been heavily involved at Light of Hope Cambodia since 2013 and loves working alongside the staff who do an amazing job. She believes in the power of education to lift these families and communities out of poverty. Sherree gains great satisfaction from working at the grass-roots level with the local people and seeing the impact that effective development projects can have in these communities.
Sherree is married with three adult sons and one lovely daughter-in-law. She loves her daily walks along the beach and enjoys being creative when she can find the time.
Dr Alex Currie
Alex S. Currie, Ed.D. (Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA, 1977) retired in 2001 as Assistant to the President of the South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists, Sydney, Australia.
A New Zealander by birth, Currie has served the Adventist Church as a pastor, evangelist, college teacher, director of theological education, College principal, departmental director at Conference and Union levels, hospital chaplain and administrator. In retirement he oversaw International Children's Care operations in Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and helped pioneer the Solomon Islands Education Support organisation. He has authored significant publications and magazine articles. He is married to Beverley with four adult sons, twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Alan Pike
I was born and bred in Sydney and am happily married to my wife, Annette. I am the proud father of six children and nine grandchildren. I have been in the building industry for 40+ years and, during that time, have operated a small but busy family civil works business in Sydney. I have a heart for helping others so they, in turn, can help themselves and I have been involved in a number of charities over the years. I have concentrated more recently on constructing facilities at remote schools in the Solomon Islands. I am excited to be part of Vine Communities and hope we can achieve great outcomes for all who are involved.
