Our Leadership

Janet Attwood

Chairperson
Commenced October 2022

Janet Attwood was appointed to the Board in October 2022. An accomplished senior leader and advisor to Boards/Executive Leadership teams and has served on strategic Public Sector committees. Janet has a deep understanding of work health and safety, legislative compliance, project management, risk, and governance and, extensive experience in Business transformation – designing contemporary organisational models that support positive cultural change.

Her public sector work and early career have centred around female led sectors like health care, social assistance, disability support and childcare.

Janet’s qualifications include a Masters in OHS, Post Graduate certificate in Autism and Diplomas in auditing, health, and social science.

Janet is a proud Central Coast woman with lived experience of disability.

Dr Stephanie Short

Secretary
Commenced October 2020

Stephanie is passionate about the Central Coast community having holidayed at Hardy’s Bay all her life. She moved to Woy Woy in 2015 to be near her mother who passed away in December 2019. She learnt to swim in the Bogey Hole at Killcare Beach and worked as a physiotherapist at the Woy Woy, Long Jetty and Wyong Hospitals, whilst undertaking further studies in Sociology in the 1980s.

She brings to the Board her professional experience as a registered physiotherapist, plus thirty-five years’ experience as an academic sociologist having worked since 2009 as Professor of Health Sociology at the University of Sydney and Director of HealthGov.

Stephanie has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Community Health Association of NSW for ten years and as a Company Director for KU Children’s Services (which operates over 130 early childhood services across Australia). She is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Stephanie has particular expertise in education and research, in strategic thinking and development activities holding Dip Phty, BA MSc and PhD FCHSM MAICD.

Makiko Hayamizu

Treasurer
Commenced June 2022

I am proud to have the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of women’s health and wellbeing in the Coast.

My passions are firmly aligned to this cause – tackling gender inequalities, society’s wealth gaps, and promoting the empowerment of women.

I am a member CCCWHC’s Board June 2022 in the board role of Treasurer. I work with Purpose Accounting, a boutique professional service/advisory firm that is dedicated to serving the Not-for-Profit sector as a Client Manager Senior Accountant/Finance Associate.

I am a chartered accountant with 10 years of experience and hold a master’s degree in accounting from the UNSW and have completed Micro-Master courses in Data and Development Economics from MIT. I apply my expertise in the Not-for-Profit sector to this role and contribute to the healthy financial management of CCCWHC.

Kathy Karimodini

Director
Commenced October 2022

I will never be retired from the main role that I have been allocated to for more than four decades: A proud woman!

I am a proud woman who is also a daughter, a sister, a mum, a friend, a worker, a volunteer, and a member of the Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre.

I immigrated to Australia about 16 years ago as a skilled worker when I was not able to speak English fluently. Raising my twin daughters mostly on my own, moving and living in 13 different cities/ towns in NSW, and learning about new cultures and people, helped me to develop my personal and professional skills to make a better future for me, my family and the whole community.

I changed my career from software engineering to community service about 6 years ago and started working in the communities from then. Volunteering in CCCWHC for almost 7 years, I worked as a multicultural Social Support coordinator with Mosaic Multicultural Connections for more than 5 years, winning the NSW Training Awards in 2018 and becoming an NSW ambassador for Vocational Education and Training, have allowed me to gain new skills to communicate with diverse communities and identify their needs. It also gave me better knowledge about my rights and all women’s right.

I would like to put all my effort to utilise my skills to make a better life and a brighter future for all women regardless of their age or background.

Elysha Stephens

Director
Commenced June 2024

A marketing strategist and executive leader with over two decades of experience, Elysha brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the Board of Directors at Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre. Her decision to join the Board was driven by a deep passion for the Centre’s mission of providing vital services and advocating for women’s health and empowerment, on the Central Coast. Elysha is a firm supporter of the feminist approach to holistic healthcare, which empowers women to make informed choices about their well-being.

Throughout her career, she has led marketing, sales, and fundraising efforts across various industries, including the not-for-profit sector. Skilled in building strong brand profiles and thought leadership initiatives, Elysha is a champion for innovation. With a keen eye for spotting growth potential and a strategic mind to turn potential into reality, her ability to identify and seize the right opportunities has consistently steered businesses toward new horizons.

Recognising that creativity is the lifeblood of progress, Elysha is a passionate advocate for fostering innovative solutions that not only drive business growth but also cultivate communities and propel organisations forward. Committed to leveraging her expertise to contribute to the organisation’s continued success, help build the profile of the inspiring work they do and expand advocacy efforts, Elysha joined the Board in June 2024.