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ABOUT US

We support young people and persons with a disability to be part of the community, empowering them in leading rewarding lives.

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WHO WE ARE.

MADEC is a not for profit, community organisation. Recognised as a Public Benevolent Institution since 2014, we have been providing disability and youth supports in the Mackay/Whitsunday region since 1973. We are a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Provider and Licensed Child Safety Provider in Mackay. 

We view our community as a whole, inclusive of individuals and groups of all ages and abilities. 

Our Vision is to create an inclusive community that empowers, supports and respects all individuals.

Our Mission is to empower and support people to do their best!

Our Values are: 

  • Person-Centred – The needs and rights of people is at the centre of everything we do.
  • Trust – We build trust through honesty, respect and by following through on our commitments.
  • Empowerment – We are here to empower people to develop life skills, have a voice and be heard.‍
  • Community – We believe that the best results occur when we work together to support all individuals.
  • ‍Excellence – We strive for continuous improvement and are committed to going above and beyond in our service.
A group of MADEC staff posing for a photo

WHY CHOOSE MADEC?

As a leading provider of disability supports, we are chosen to provide support because we bring high quality service and care, ensuring you reach your goals in a comfortable and caring environment.

By upholding and championing young people and persons with a disability in our community, we are supporting their capacity and empowerment in leading rewarding lives.

Community

With unequalled Community spirit, MADEC has fifty years of experience supplying meaningful supports to Mackay and the Whitsundays. Community is a cornerstone of our organisation.

Values

Our values are Person-Centred, Trust, Empowerment, Community, and Excellence. Our shared values, vision, and mission bind us in creating a whole organisation.

Culture

Our high-performing team embraces change and challenges the status quo. By sharing knowledge and valuing differences; we shine as individuals and excel as a team.

Our Senior Leadership Team

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Jasmine Lowry

Chief Executive Officer

Meet Jaz, our fearless leader, who makes sure MADEC is the best possible organisation it can be by formulating and implementing the strategic plan guiding the direction of the organisation.

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Anne McNamee

Finance Controller

Meet Anne, who oversees our finances, budgets and forecasting to ensure MADEC is a sustainable and compliant organisation.

Bernhardette Lishman

Bernhardette Lishman

Strategic Quality Manager

Meet Bernhardette, who leads our strategic focus on positive client outcomes, compliance and risk management.

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Karen Low

People & Culture Manager

Meet Karen, who designs, develops, and implements strategies for recruitment, drafts HR policies, and monitors employee performance.

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Keely Shepherd

Youth Services Manager

Meet Keely, who operates and oversees the day to day running of residential youth programs. Keely ensures the young people receive trauma-informed care from their team of youth workers which meets the Standards of Care and MADEC policies and procedures.

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Vanessa Prevett

Disability Services Manager

Meet Vanessa, who provides support and guidance to Coordinators and frontline workers to ensure continuity, consistency and quality of services.

Our Board

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Brooke Morvinson

Chair

Brooke Morvinson is an Australian AHPRA Registered Nurse, currently employed in multiple positions as a Board Director, Board Advisor, Business Advisor and Healthcare Executive. She has extensive business development and clinical management experience both nationally and internationally, and is a nurse leader with a passion for human rights and equality.

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Patrick Wilsmore

Deputy Chair

Patrick Wilsmore is a strong values based leader with strong commercial and business acumen. He has worked in numerous sectors and industries including not-for-profit, NDIS and Out of Home Care (OOHC) where he has had a conscious focus on the value propositions of organisations, their employees and their participants/customers.  Patrick has lived experience with NDIA/Disability, Direct Lived Experience with Child Protection/OOHC and through marriage has shared lived experience with First Nations people.

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Joel Rauer

Treasurer

Joel Rauer is a property executive with extensive experience in both the public and private sector. With tertiary qualifications in Economics and Property, along with an MBA, he brings significant expertise gained from reputable national and international property firms. He also holds positions on several not-for-profit boards, including MADEC, Girl Guides South Australia, and Women and Children’s First.

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Nicole Walsh

Secretary

Nicole is an experiened HR/Industrial Relations, Diversity & Inclusion and People Experience Execuive with a proven track record in creating leading employee and customer experiences within the profit-for-purpose, NDIS and community service sectors. With a lived experience of disability, a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University, and a passion for Human Rights Law, Nicole is a dedicated advocate for improving outcomes for those from diverse backgrounds in our community.

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Stephen Fernando

Director

A strategy & finance professional, Stephen Fernando counts significant experience with Strategy Formulation, Business Transformation, Technology Enabled System Improvements, and Data Analytics for Improved Decision Making. In addition to his management accounting and CPA qualifications, Stephen holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the USA and is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

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Bill Yeates

Director

Diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s in August 2019 at 59, Bill Yeates has designed his own holistic person-centred approach to slow down his cognitive decline and rebuild his concept of self. Bill now competes in masters swimming, finswimming and surf lifesaving events, and speaks at conferences worldwide on how to live a better quality of life.

People on a stage during a 1973 opening presentation

OUR STORY

MADEC was born of a community need for assistance and support, and this legacy runs through and true today.

MADEC initially started as a pioneering resource centre for Teachers of the Mackay and surrounding region. Over the years MADEC proved itself adaptable and flexible by responding to changing community needs.

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Transitioning from a Teacher and training focus, to a youth and disability service required MADEC to be agile and forward thinking, a strength that has served us to this day.

As of 2014, MADEC has been recognised as a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI). A PBI is a charity whose main purpose is to relieve poverty, sickness, suffering or disability. It is the highest level of charitable goodness.

The frame of the John E Smith Home during the building process
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The John E Smith Respite Home

Today, we support young people and persons with a disability to be part of the community and empower them to lead rewarding lives. If you’re interested in the NDIS Mackay, get in touch!

The privilege of evolving to meet community needs means we look a little different to when we started. MADEC has survived and thrived with 50 years of community involvement and support behind us. This support is invaluable to us, and we stand proud knowing the generosity and belief backing us from past, present, and future.

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We now look forward to evolution again, having commenced work on a charitable housing project, benefitting many community members requiring affordable and accessible housing.

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Commissioned by MADEC, this beautiful painting is by talented aboriginal artist Gordon Lister, 2023.

“The intent of the painting is to reflect the MADEC image of being Safe, Secure, and Local. By incorporating the MADEC logo into my traditional Aboriginal art designs I hope to tell the story of MADEC’s vision of an inclusive community that is empowered, supported, and respected.”