Our People

Richard has worked in a variety of Financial Management roles for 30 years having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1993. His career started in the UK and Europe where he worked in small through to international businesses. Moving to Australia in 2004, he established a consulting business that evolved to become focused on the Not For Profit sector. This led him to working in senior financial management roles in that sector, including at a disability iNGO, before commencing at The Bridge in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer. Richard is a strategically minded CFO with a passion for the “for purpose” sector and has been transforming the reliability and easy delivery of information at The Bridge to enable strong decision making.

David has worked in the employment services sector for over 20 years, specialising in contract compliance, governance, quality, and risk management. He has experience working in small and large not-for-profit organisations leading their contract compliance teams as well as working for the Australian Federal Government – Department of Employment. David completed a Bachelor of Business Degree at Victoria University in 2004 and a Certificate IV in Employment Services. He is passionate about the employment services industry and supporting The Bridge Employment in assisting participants who need the most help to achieve their own independence in life through employment.

Nicole has extensive experience working within the disability sector spanning over 20 years. Nicole initially completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Intellectual Disability) and then a Graduate Diploma in Disability (Leadership). She also holds her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Nicole’s experience includes group based supports as well as individualised services and brokerage supports. Having worked in direct support before moving into a range of leadership and management roles, she is committed to the delivery of quality services and outcomes to enhance the lives of people with a disability.

James has enjoyed many successful management and consulting roles in the ICT industry from both a customer and service provider perspective. The Bridge has been continuously developing the maturity of their ICT landscape and James is excited about helping to drive further improvements especially around cyber security.

Melinda has extensive experience working in Human Resources for the past 15 years with a focus on leading teams and developing and implementing HR strategy. Melinda has a Bachelor of Business in Human Resources, Certificate IV in training and Assessment as well as a qualification in Gender Equality. Melinda has worked across a variety of industries and sectors including Corporate, Education, Health and Local Government. Melinda is an authentic leader with a passion for diversity and inclusion as well as having significant experience in workplace relations, change management, coaching and learning and development. Melinda is excited to have joined the Not-For-Profit sector utilising her skills and experience to lead HR initiatives and strategies, focusing on developing and building leadership capability whilst continuing to grow and inspire a culture of inclusivity and connection at The Bridge.

Naomi leads the Marketing and Communications team at The Bridge, bringing a rich background in strategic marketing and a deep passion for purpose-driven work. Originally from London, she spent 15 years in the media industry before moving to Australia in 2014. Since then, she has worked across diverse sectors including health, legal, aged care, and not-for-profit. Her experience spans branding, content marketing, customer insights, and marketing strategy—all of which she now channels into growing The Bridge’s reach and impact. Naomi is dedicated to helping more people access disability and employment services by strengthening how The Bridge connects with the community.