The Board of Directors provide expert guidance and governance to help ensure the successful management and growth of our organisation, whilst maintaining the culture and values of The Order of St John. Day-to-day management is led by the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Team.
James is an experienced and dynamic executive and non-executive director with a professional background in transport and infrastructure.
He is currently Chief Executive of Accommodation Australia and has previously been Chief Executive of the Australian Airports Association and ANCAP - the leading vehicle safety advocate in Australia and New Zealand.
He is a former journalist and news presenter and has held senior corporate affairs and government relations positions at several member-based organisations including the Australian Automobile Association and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. He also held a high-profile corporate affairs position at AirServices Australia - the Australian Government agency providing air traffic management and firefighting services.
He has served as a Director of St John Ambulance ACT since 2015 and was appointed Chair in 2021. James also serves on the National Board of St John Ambulance Australia. He is an Officer of the Order of St John (OStJ) and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communications & Politics), is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and has served as a Board Member of Auto Skills Australia, Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Solutions and on the ACT Government Road Safety Advisory Council.
Clare Forster is a Senior Software Engineer with a prominent Defence Company. Clare leads a dynamic team of software engineers in the development of cutting-edge solutions that safeguard Australia's national security. Clare's technical background has given her a strong understanding of risk management and problem solving skills which she applies to her role as a director of St John Ambulance ACT.
Clare has been a volunteer with St John Ambulance ACT for more than 15 years and held volunteer leadership roles for 10 of these. This extensive experience in volunteer management has enriched her perspective and equipped her with the skills to effectively engage, motivate, and lead teams of volunteers. Continually dedicated to community service, Clare's ongoing commitment to St John ACT is evidenced by her active involvement in events, where she serves as a Team Leader and First Responder. She also held the role of Deputy Director of Ceremonies within St John ACT from 2016 - 2023, a role which is focussed on celebrating the rich traditions and history of the organisation. This hands-on engagement has bestowed her with a profound understanding of St John ACT's pivotal role in the local community.
Clare has served as a Director for St John Ambulance ACT since 2018. Her qualifications include completing the Australian Institute of Company Directors Governance Foundations for Not for Profit Directors course, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and degrees in Engineering and Information Technology from ANU. She is an Officer of the Order of St John.
Graham Catt is CEO of Independent Schools Australia. His twenty years’ leadership experience includes roles as a CEO, entrepreneur, and Chairman.
He has served as a Director of St John Ambulance ACT since 2021.
Graham has extensive knowledge of not-for-profit organisations, advocacy, small business, and the health sector After an early career in communications, he founded a successful communications agency before joining the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), and then moving to the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) as CEO.
With Graham’s appointment as Canberra Business Chamber CEO, he led the Chamber and Canberra’s business community though the impacts of fire, smoke haze, hail, and pandemic.
Graham was President of the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) from 2016 – 2019, and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Graham’s qualifications include a Masters’ degree in Literature, MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and executive leadership programs with the University of Melbourne and London Business School.
Phil Winter has had a diverse career in military, policing and sporting organisations, and is currently the CEO of the Returned & Services League of Australia.
He has served as a Director of St John Ambulance ACT since 2021.
Previously he enjoyed a career of over thirty years in the Australian Regular Army in artillery, intelligence and physical training appointments, and served overseas in Southern Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and the Balkans. He is still serving in the Army Reserve as Director General of ADF Sport, and in recent years has led Defence contributions to projects such as the Invictus Games, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Centenary of Anzac.
Phil also had a career for over a decade in the Australian Federal Police in Forensics and Intelligence portfolios. Phil is a past President and current Patron of the Eastlake Cricket Club. He is a graduate of various universities with Masters degrees in Management, Defence Studies and History, and is also a graduate of the Army’s Command and Staff College and Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies. He has been a St John ACT volunteer for several years. Phil is also an honorary Aide de Camp to the Governor General of Australia.
Michael has served as a Director of St John Ambulance ACT since 2022 and served the ACT community for over a decade as an Intensive Care Paramedic with the ACT Ambulance Service.
With experience in clinical governance, organisational capability development, and workplace safety and wellbeing, he currently serves as an Operations Manager, responsible for frontline operations and staff capability.
After completing his Bachelor's degree in Paramedicine in Melbourne he moved to Canberra in 2011 and never left. He has since completed his postgraduate degree in Prehospital Intensive Care and a master's in healthcare administration.
When he's not working, he will be traveling, working on his photography, or preparing for the footy season (AFL of course).
Declan Norrie is a lawyer and management consultant with Proximity where he has worked since 2017. He specialises in legislative development as well as regulatory (re)design and implementation. He also manages Proximity's Community Program, co-ordinating and providing pro bono services to community organisations across Australia as well as Proximity’s philanthropic efforts.
Declan has been recognised by the legal profession as a shortlisted Rising Star in the 2020 Australian Law Awards, an Private Practice Lawyer (30 and Under) Excellence Awardee in the Australasian Law Awards, and a Young Lawyer Award finalist in the 2021 ACT Law Awards.
Martin has served as Chief Executive Officer of St John ACT since September 2024 and is also an active St John volunteer. Drawing on more than 20 years of leadership experience across the private, public and community sectors, he is focused on advancing St John ACT's mission. Martin has led initiatives to strengthen the organisation's community impact, support its volunteer workforce, enhance service delivery and position St John ACT for long-term sustainability and growth.
Martin believes strongly in the power of volunteering to build safer, more connected communities and is proud to serve alongside the volunteers and staff who represent St John every day. His personal commitment to volunteering reflects his belief that leadership is most effective when grounded in service. Martin is also an advocate for increasing public access to first aid training and equipment and has been instrumental in improving St John ACT's publicly accessible defibrillator program and community education initiatives.
Prior to joining St John ACT, Martin spent 13 years as CEO of Menslink, one of Canberra's leading community organisations. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2022 for his significant service to the community and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michael began his journey with St John ACT as a volunteer in February 2022, quickly establishing himself as a dedicated and capable leader committed to serving the Canberra community. Michael's passion saw him join as a staff member that same year, where he has continued to make a significant impact across the organisation.
Michael brings with him a decade of experience in managing incidents with the NSW RFS and nine years with the NSW SES. Michael's operational expertise is underpinned by extensive training in emergency management and incident response. He holds qualifications in Basic Health Care, Major Incident Medical Management and Support (MIMMS Advanced), Manage Operations for a Level 2 Incident, and Control a Level 1 Incident. These qualifications, combined with his practical leadership experience, enable him to effectively manage complex operations and support the delivery of high-quality services in both routine and emergency environments.
Michael's experience across operational management, incident response and community program delivery enables him to successfully navigate complex environments while maintaining a focus on safety, quality and service excellence.
Haroon is a CPA (AUS) and FCCA (UK) qualified finance executive with over 20 years of experience leading financial management across construction, government, hospitality, and professional services sectors.
Haroon specializes in delivering robust financial governance, cash flow optimisation, and strategic planning, with a strong focus on compliance and operational efficiency.
He has successfully led finance teams and end-to-end functions, strengthening internal controls and improving reporting frameworks to support organisational growth.
Haroon brings a disciplined, commercially focused approach, underpinned by audit and risk experience from Deloitte a breadth of varied roles across industries.
Mike joined St John ACT in 2023 as Sales Manager and was promoted to his current role in late 2024. Mike brings a wealth of experience from running his own business and is a keen advocate for St John, regularly making a difference as an active volunteer. His leadership and passion for people and service, ensures our products and supplies team are as practical and efficient as they can be, meet the highest standards while supporting the community
Jacinta leads the Community Engagement initiatives at St John ACT, fostering strong connections and delivering programs that make a real impact. With a background in customer service and project coordination, Jacinta brings a people-first approach to her work and is committed to creating stronger, more connected communities.
Nathanael ensures that every student receives the highest quality First Aid and CPR training. He works closely with our trainers to balance strict RTO compliance requirements with fun, engaging classes that empower students to make a real difference when it matters most. Nathanael is excited to continue rolling out our new Mental Health and Crisis Support programs, designed to help individuals and businesses better navigate mental health challenges in everyday life and the workplace. With over 18 years of experience at St John Ambulance, Nathanael brings passion and expertise to every aspect of training. Outside of work, he enjoys social salsa dancing on Tuesday nights.