Who We Are
At Harbour, we are fortunate to have a dynamic and dedicated leadership team committed to steering our mission of providing a safe haven for women and children escaping Family and Domestic Violence. Our Board Members and Executive Team collectively bring a wealth of expertise and passion to guide Harbour on its transformative journey.
Their collective commitment ensures that Harbour stands as a beacon of hope, offering not only refuge but also a pathway to healing, resilience, and empowerment. Get to know the faces behind Harbour’s impactful work, driving positive change in our community.
Our Team
Meet our skilled & compassionate Board Members and Executive Team
Board Chairperson
Nerida Pickup
With over 35 years in finance and business banking, Nerida is crucial to the Refuge’s financial management.
Nerida also contributes to community fundraising and runs Governance Workshops, offering valuable skills and experience to Harbour Refuge and Support Services.
Vice Chairperson
Krystal Laurentsch
Krystal Laurenstsch has over 30 years’ experience in the health and community services sectors. She has 18 years in Executive roles and 13 in CEO roles. She is currently the CEO of Primary Healthcare organisation Oseca Health.
Krystal has qualifications in public health, nursing, clinical governance degree & health service management.
Treasurer
Carina Roney
Carina Roney brings 30 years of expertise in tax law, accounting, and finance. A Chartered Accountant and member of CAANZ, she holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master’s in Applied Finance.
Her extensive skill set includes contract reviews, negotiation, research, financial risk assessment and government submissions.
Secretary
Martina Aitken
Martina Aitken is a values driven strategic programs and partnerships lead in the public sector with more than 20 years of service across affordable housing, asset management, biosecurity, and community development.
Her work reflects a thoughtful balance of operational excellence, community impact, genuine dedication to improving lives.
Board Member
Shae Phillips
Shae Phillips has spent most of her career working in the community service sector, often with community and groups who are going through change and need support through challenges in life, such as disability, housing stress, relationship struggles and other factors.
She holds a strong governance and risk mitigation experience. Qualifications in human resource management, social science, education, leadership & comms.
Board Member
Maria Scott
Maria is a lawyer and has years of experience as a senior manager in health regulation and professional conduct investigations. She has a strong commitment to social justice. She provided legal assistance to victim survivors of family violence while working with local community legal centre.
Maria has strong communication skills and has published work well as presenting regular to large groups as part of work.
Board Member
Craig Durkee
Craig Durkee is an experienced operations and safety leader. As a proud contributor to indigenous business through Bunji Australia PTY LTD. He brings a strong understanding of governance, compliance, and strategic management.
Craig is committed to promoting inclusion, continuous improvement, and community wellbeing through effective leadership and collaboration.
Board Member
Sonja Cahill
Sonja joined the Harbour Board in 2025. She is the CEO of Milligan a local community organisation and a Board Member of Bunbury Catholic College and Linkwest.
Sonja is committed to fostering collaboration, knowing that we are always stronger together and believes that real impact comes from working in partnership, driving systemic change, and challenging the status quo to create lasting improvements in our communities.
Sonja brings skills of governance, planning, finance, grant writing and networking.
Chief Executive Officer
Ali White
Ali commenced as CEO of South West Refuge Inc in January 2020 and has held previous CEO and Senior Management positions across health, housing, aged care, disability, mental health, unemployment and social enterprises.
She holds academic qualifications in Nursing, an MBA and a Diploma of Governance.
Crisis Accommodation Manager
Maggie Simms
Maggie is an experienced Social Worker who has held senior positions across Domestic Violence, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Counselling, Child Witness and Victim Support Services both in Victoria and Bunbury. Maggie’s experience has developed over many years of frontline service, engaging and supporting vulnerable individuals.
As Crisis Accommodation Manager Maggie brings strong clinical governance, risk management and theoretical expertise to the role in supporting the team of Advocates in their work on the frontline.
Join Our Team and Make a Difference
We are always on the lookout for passionate individuals who share our commitment to making a positive impact. If you’re interested in working with us or exploring work placement opportunities, we invite you to reach out.