Good Sammy Enterprises, a leading WA organisation dedicated to creating employment opportunities for people with disability, today announces a significant transition in its Board leadership.
Trent Bartlett, who has served as Chair since 2016 and as a Non-Executive Director since 2011, will step down from these roles in December 2023.
Fiona Payne has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director and will assume the Chair role on Mr Bartlett’s departure.
Under Mr Bartlett's directorship and Board leadership over the past 12 years, Good Sammy has achieved remarkable growth and impact. Some of the highlights during this time include:
- Successful transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as a critical provider of employment supports for people with disability.
- Creation of a jobs and skills-focused Academy to achieve the employment goals of people with disability.
- Development of an inclusive Board with representation of people with, and with lived experience of, disability.
- Enhancements of the maturity of the organisation’s governance and strategic planning processes.
- Introduction of new social enterprises in Hospitality, Gardening and E-Commerce.
- Sustainable growth of the Retail enterprise to deliver mission and margin out-comes for the broader organisation.
- Strong engagement with the Uniting Church of WA and its agencies.
Mr Bartlett has also been recognised recently for his commitment more broadly across the disability and for-purpose sector, with the Australian Institute of Company Directors awarding him the PwC Director Award for Excellence in the Metro WA Not-for-Profit Sector.
Ms Payne joins the Board having had several decades of governance and operational leadership experience in the disability and health sector. She currently serves as Chair at Therapy Focus, one of the State’s leading providers of allied health services to people with disability, and as Director of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
Ms Payne’s previous Board roles include Chair of 360 Health + Community, Chair of Kiind (previously Kalparrin), inaugural Board Member of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Director of Community First International and Foundation Co-Lead of the Disability Health Network.
Ms Payne’s leadership has been marked by innovation, collaboration and a commitment to creating meaningful impact to the lives of people with disability. Her extensive governance experience and personal passion for the sector, position her strongly to lead the Board and work with Good Sammy’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kane Blackman, to deliver the organisation’s strategy.
"I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with the role of Chair at Good Sammy," said Ms Payne. "This is an iconic Western Australia organisation with a strong brand and important purpose to create employment opportunities for people with disability. I am excited to work with my Board colleagues and the Executive Team to build upon the organisation's strong foundation and achieve its vision of transforming workplaces and society through disability employment.”
Good Sammy CEO, Mr Blackman said the entire organisation expressed its gratitude to Trent for his exceptional leadership and contribution throughout his tenure. His dedication and passion have been integral to the organisation's success and growth.
On behalf of the Board and Executive we all look forward to working closely with Fiona to facilitate this transition and continue the growth-focused mission of the organisation in an environment of continued underrepresentation of people with disability in workforces.
