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Board Members

Pearl Proud - Chair

Pearl Proud was born in Durban, South Africa and migrated to Australia in 1987. In the private sector she has been a Banking Officer, Library Officer and a Medical Practice Manager. Her Public Sector work has included positions as a Psychologist with the WA Police Service and King Edward Memorial Hospital. Pearl is currently in a management role at an NGO specialising in torture and trauma and a CALD client base and sits on a Board of ConnectGroups, the peak body for support groups in Western Australia. She is also an Investor and Philanthropist with a long association with the arts especially the Perth International Arts Festival which is the oldest arts festival in Australia. Pearl was Patron for the Festival’s 50th year anniversary 2000; has been the Benefactor for the Perth Writer’s Festival and continues to support the Festival as a Medici Donor. Pearl is currently collaborating with ArtsSupport, a division of the Australia Arts Council, to promote philanthropy in WA through the Giving Circles initiative and recently delivered a workshop on the initiative at the University of Western Australia’s Extension programme. Pearl has facilitated well-being workshops and spiritual retreats; has been a guest speaker and been on a range of panels as well as presented on radio and television. Her work continues to be directed towards enhancing well-being through psychological, artistic and spiritual dimensions.

John Burrell - Deputy Chair

John is a representative of the self help group angelhands Inc., which provides support to those affected by the homicide of a loved one or other serious inter-personal violence.
He co-founded the group after the murder of a neighbour, & is still actively involved, though has stepped back from active daily participation since it grew to being self-sufficient.
He is a Director & active representative of a busy Perth IT company, and is the sole parent of two boys, having lost his wife to cancer 14 years ago. John joined the Board in June 2006 & has held a variety of roles including a stint as Chair. 

Kirsten Tannenbaum - Secretary

I was born and brought up in South Africa but have lived in WA since 1979. After matriculating and spending a year on exchange in the USA, I attended the University of the Witwatesrand In Johannesburg where I completed a social work degree. Before arriving in Perth, I lived in London and New Zealand. I am currently a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor for the Australian Breastfeeding Association, a national not-for-profit organisation. We aim to assist women to breastfeed and to educate the community to know that breastfeeding is an important part of  loving and nurturing mothering. As a board member of ConnectGroups, I represent the Association.

 Garry Jacobs - Treasurer

 Over twenty years experience in senior management, CEO and MD roles. My diverse experience includes retail, buying systems, manufacturing, distribution, direct marketing and franchising.
I have 15 years involvement at Director or Managing Director level with experience in mergers and takeovers, joint ventures, ‘green fields’ start ups, operational and change management.
I am a graduate of the AICD “Company Directors Diploma” and have over 6 years Company secretary experience. My training includes strategic development, financial management, leadership, negotiations, sales and marketing and “Train the Trainer”.
My commitment to Industry and Social Development includes the Co-operatives Federation of WA, participating as a Council Member of the state peak body for 6 years; a councillor of the Hardware Association of Western Australia for 18 years including 3 years as State President and National State representative. Rotary International Member for 20 years, Past President and Paul Harris Fellow.

Sumit Dutta

Sumit Dutta has worked in the ICT  industry since 1980 starting out as an  apprentice technician with   British  Telecom. Then  joining Honeywell in 1985  where he  enjoyed  5 successful  years progressing  from a computer engineer  into various leadership roles within the  organisation. In 1989 he decided to go out on his own and thus began a journey building several ICT businesses in  London & Barcelona.   Arriving in Australia  in 1997, he  undertook several ICT roles  providing support and leadership to West Australian organisations such as Fremantle Port Authority and the State Library of Perth whilst running a consultancy.   Then came a change of philosophy and in 2002 Sumit decided he wanted to use his ICT skills for the benefit of others and moved into the non-profit sector with Infoxchange Australia (www.infoxchange.net.au), a leading non-profit ICT Social Enterprise. Seeing the opportunity to assist the wider non-profit community sector in 2008 Sumit joined Community Sector Services (CSS) as ICT Program Manager, their first full time employee.  He has returned to  his  entrepreneurial  roots now  consulting to  small and medium  sized businesses (SME's) and  non-profits  helping them  get the  most from their ICT  as well as offering  ICT  planning, training, strategic  consulting, and  developing  ICT solutions. Sumit  Dutta joined  the board  of  ConnectGroup  in  2008 bringing not only his  ICT skills but  supporting  the organisation in its new strategic direction

Faye Baxter

Faye joined the Grants Team at Lotterywest in 1996 after moving to Perth from Esperance where she was involved in a range of regional community organisations.  Since joining Lotterywest she has continued her strong commitment to the community sector and support for the role played by not for profit organisations in delivering services.  

 Anne Hill

Anne Hill has over 12 years, at senior executive and CEO level, in the State public sector.  She has worked in a number of sectors, most recently specialising in energy, where she has actively engaged with the community sector to bring a social perspective to energy policy development. She is currently a senior executive with the WA Department of Planning.

Anne has qualifications in science and public sector management, and holds an AICD Company Directors Diploma.  She has served on the State councils of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and the Australian Institute of Energy, and on the board of a not-for-profit organisation in the health-care sector.  

Anne has experience in strategic planning and change management and a passion for practical problem-solving with a dogged insistence on evidence-based decisions.  She enjoys bringing people together to develop cooperative solutions, and is committed to making a difference.  She is married with one teenage son, and believes in achieving a sustainable work-life balance, although has so far found it elusive.

Marie Smyth

Marie Smyth has been a Counsellor and Psychotherapist in Private Practice for eighteen years. Marie was a research worker for two years, Department of Community Practice UWA. The research “An Initial Assessment of Suffering in Terminal Illness” was subsequently published. Marie has extensive experience as a Registered Nurse and Midwife in Clinical and Managerial roles at St John of God Hospital Subiaco, Ballarat and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. She has undertaken various roles as a Medical Scientist: Chief Microbiologist for eight years at St John of God Pathology Subiaco. Laboratory Manager for three years at St John of God Hospital Rivervale.
Marie was appointed to the board of ConnectGroups in December 2012.
Marie Smyth SSJG - MA Counselling, M.App. Sc., Grad. Dip. Hlth. Sc., Bach. Med. Sc., RN, RM, MPCAWA, MPACFA, Reg. No. 020140