Committee of Management
Colin
Brokenshire Chairperson
Colin has been involved in BIM for several years. He manages the BIM Facebook page and website and had been a Committee of Management member before taking the role of Vice Chair in 2020. He stepped into the role of President in March 2024.
With a passion for helping others, Colin worked in the Not-For-Profit (NFP) sector for five years before an accident in 2005 caused a TBI. He has volunteered with numerous other NFPs for the past 17 years. Colin recently graduated with a Graduate Diploma of Disability and Inclusion from Deakin University in September 2022, after studying long and hard. He is now contemplating a Master's in Disability and Inclusion in 2023. Colin hopes that BIM will grow as an organization capable of assisting more individuals.His personal interests include music, reading, and golf.
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Nia
Giddings Vice Chairperson
Nia has been a member of BIM since 2019. She was re-elected as Secretary at the 2021 AGM and also holds the position of SARU/BIM rep. In her role as SARU/BIM rep she keeps both organisations up to date with the latest events and information that concern BIM.
The peer support that BIM delivers is something that Nia is really excited about. She says, “I know how important the support of those with a lived experience can be to someone who feels isolated and/or suddenly coming to terms with a completely new way of living. I hope it makes a difference to many members.”
Nia had a car accident in 1988. Initially she lost her speech and couldn't move her right side.
A few years after her accident, Nia did a BA and followed that with a Master of Library and Information Studies.
She has held many voluntary positions over the years and is now a full-time mother.
Nia lives with her two daughters, and a cat.
Roger
Astell Treasurer
Roger has been the Treasurer at BIM since November 2018. He has a Master of Business Administration Degree and a background with ANZ Bank (Senior Manager, Financial Planning Operations) followed by Industry Super (National Manager, Operations) and finally Australian Super (Executive Coach).
Nearly 11 years ago, Roger’s life dramatically changed when he had a motorcycle accident involving a kangaroo. Before his accident, he had been in charge of billions of dollars and over 1,000 staff. He says his career came first and his family second. But post-accident he lost his job because the company no longer trusted him with so much responsibility. He also quickly realised how important his family was. Apart from volunteering his time at BIM, Roger volunteers for Road Trauma Support Services Victoria. He speaks to people who have been ordered by the courts to attend education on road safety and about how choices can affect your future.Roger says, “I’d never heard of ABI before my accident. My hope for BIM is that it can become an access portal for people living with ABI so they can obtain helpful information. One of the most helpful things for me has been finding out about the Travel Access Pass through Metro so I don’t have to worry about managing a MYKI card.”
Flying model aeroplanes is Roger’s favourite hobby. He takes each day as it comes.“I don’t think about tomorrow or I get the ‘sads’, but I think about today and set myself goals to achieve each day.
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Peter
Lester Secretary
Peter has been a BIM member for quite a while now and on the c/m for a few months and was also part of a team speaking to groups friendships, relationships, and family. I really enjoy the BIM, and the leaders are fantastic and supportive.
He comes from a background in local council and health and wellbeing. Studying business, IT, and community development. Peter has started various clubs around Melbourne including photography, computers and takes people down to the Melbourne Sewerage Plant (yes there’ are birds down there) Peter is also involved in model trains and meets at a club on a Tuesday and visits various exhibitions during the year. He has also been building and running a layout at home. Peter also enjoys time with Sydney his mini fox terrier who chews up his watch bands
Anat
Bigos Committee Member
Anat has been involved with BIM for about 5 years. She is a member of the Committee of Management, attends a peer support group and is a regular at the weekly online coffee mornings. Anat says she loves being part of BIM because she gets to spend time with like-minded people who have all been through a similar life-changing experience.
At the age of 24, Anat had a car accident and lost many of her abilities. She says, “I often heard that many people felt sorry for me. I’m not entirely sure whether this is a good or bad quality, but I’m still often quite pleased with my life, even with my drastically-reduced abilities!”
Five years ago, Anat started up a local social disability group through the Glen Eira council. She has also done voluntary work as a teaching assistant in a primary school, sometimes helps out therapists at the Epworth and regularly makes presentations, both to senior & primary school students. Anat says, “I majorly enjoy speaking to educate people about brain injury. This is one of my passions in life, since I really enjoy telling people about my situation and what I do nowadays.”
Anat speaks many languages and her personal interests include keeping fit and writing, which she enjoys doing even more since her accident!
Adrian
JonesCommittee Member
Adrian has only just joined the Committee this year (2022). He has been a member of BIM for the last 6 years. joined a number of charities over the years, including Rotaract (junior Rotary), Heads Together, Heading Out and now Brain Injury Matters.
His injury was 35 years ago- on a fateful day on October 28, 1987. He was hit by a car while on his bicycle without a helmet. After being unconscious for a month, he lost his speech and couldn’t move the left side of his body. After a year of fulltime hospital at Bethesda (now Epworth) he returned to school.
He has a job, where he has been working for the last 29 years (basically since he had finished school. Adrian is a fervent supporter of other people recovering from brain injuries. The acronym A.B.I. means Always Be Improving. Over the years he has started (but not always completed…) a few courses (including accounting, information technology, gardening). He has also started a gardening business, which lasted for 5 years.
Kelvin
LimCommittee Member
Kelvin has been a long-term member of BIM – so long he can’t remember when he started at BIM! He has also been an active committee member for many years.
His hope is that many more people will become involved and that BIM can continue to reach out to more people with brain injury. He says, “We have done a lot of good things but there’s always more we can do.”
Kelvin’s brain injury occurred when he had a stroke in 2000.
One of his main passions in life is food. When asked what type of food his reply was, “I’m just interested in food – anything good, of which there is a whole lot.”
Staff Team
Georgia Tracy
Support and Coordination Worker
Hello Everyone,
My name is Georgia Tracy and I am brand new to the role of Coordination Support Worker at Brain Injury Matters.
My most recent role was Marketing & Fundraising Manager and prior to that I worked in a support worker role, delivering therapeutic horticulture programs to people with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities.
I continue to be very interested in the impacts of nature and gardening on human health and wellbeing. As well as working, I am currently studying part-time towards a Bachelor of Arts (psychology major) which I am really enjoying.
I have two teenage sons who love gaming and basketball and in my spare time I do a fair bit of cooking, gardening and distance running. My days at BIM will be Tuesdays and Thursdays in the office at Ross House. I am absolutely thrilled to join the BIM team and can already see that my colleagues are doing great work to both connect people with brain injuries to supports and inform the wider community about the impacts of living with brain injury.
As well as undertaking some of the administrative functions, I am excited to do whatever I can to support the BIM mission.
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Poppy Egan
Project Co-Manager
Poppy’s working life has been varied and involved working in adult education, community health and the education sector as a primary teacher. She has also been involved in volunteering including, reading with students at her children’s school, being a committee member for South Eastern Multiple Births Association and tutoring for the Father Bob Foundation. Poppy has also hosted and taken part in online peer support groups for people who have experienced traumatic brain injury and chronic disease.
Spending only a few days in hospital, Poppy was not a high priority for community rehabilitation.
In the months following her stroke, she experienced loneliness and isolation.
Connecting with communities such as BIM have been so important in supporting Poppy to better understand the impact of her brain injury and enabled her to adapt and flourish.
More importantly, the peer support groups have improved her overall wellbeing and alleviated her sense of isolation. When the opportunity to work for BIM presented itself, she was really excited.
Poppy has experienced firsthand the impact of peer support groups (PSG) as a member of the Northern suburbs PSG and is very committed to seeing this program continue to grow in metropolitan and regional Victoria. She would like to see greater community awareness of the impact of ABI.
Poppy believes there is great scope to improve accessibility for people living with ABI. In her spare time, Poppy enjoys spending time with friends. She enjoys making art, reading, gardening, swimming, and walking in nature.
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Fraser Baxter
Finance and Administration Officer.
Fraser is employed as a finance and administration officer for BIM. His nephew, William has an acquired brain injury, so Fraser can appreciate how dramatically a person’s life changes overnight. Fraser has huge admiration for the ways in which people living with an acquired brain injury cope with daily challenges.
In his spare time, Fraser likes to perform on stage in theatrical plays and enjoys films and reading. Fraser believes he is lucky to work with such great volunteers and staff at BIM.
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Fiona HopperPeer Project
Coordinator
Coordinator
Fiona is a skilled and passionate Peer Project Worker at BIM, who began working with the organization in the year 2019.
Since then, Fiona has been actively involved in several aspects of the organization's work, including facilitating Virtual Coffee mornings, piloting a peer support group, networking with rehabilitation hospitals and specialized workers, and developing evaluation tools to measure the effectiveness of BIM programs. Her hard work and dedication have helped many individuals in need of assistance.
She is also an avid reader and a part of a book group.
Fiona's passion for finance and helping people has led her to volunteer as a financial coach in her free time. Overall, Fiona is an asset to BIM and is always keen to help individuals in need.
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Yannick GoodsirPeer Digital
Coordinator
Coordinator
Yannick is a valued member of BIM and has demonstrated his dedication since joining the team in August 2019. He has been a key contributor to previous projects, working as a Project Peer Worker in the ILC project. His expertise in this role helped immensely in supporting the team and ensuring the project's success. Now, in the new project, he has taken on the role of Peer Digital Coordinator, where he will undoubtedly make a significant impact.
As a member of the project team, Yannick has a clear goal in mind - he wants to succeed in his role and create a solid foundation for all BIM members to be proud of and build on. His passion and drive are evident in everything he does, and his dedication to the project is admirable. It is worth noting that Yannick is one of three people with a brain injury on the project team. He was involved in a traumatic motorbike accident in 2010, which resulted in a mild ABI. Despite this significant setback, he has continued to push himself to achieve his goals and be a valuable member of BIM.Email Yannick
Sally HelmSupport Worker
Sally has been an integral part of the BIM team since 2019 as a support worker.
Her role involves collaborating with Peer Coordinators, providing them with the necessary support and encouragement so that they can fulfil the organization’s vision and purpose.
Along with her stint at BIM, Sally has previously worked in the education and wellbeing sectors.
She has also worked as a Casual Relief Teacher in Special Development Schools located across Melbourne, supporting the staff and students.
If you want to get in touch with Sally, you can drop an email at the provided address.
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