Our team

Julie is the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids.

She is a results focused leader achieving better outcomes for children, young people, families and communities experiencing vulnerability.

Julie has significant experience in the community sector, predominantly in the areas of early intervention and prevention, domestic violence, and homelessness. She was previously the Chief Executive Officer at NSW Family Services Inc (Fams). Julie is a professionally certified Results Based AccountabilityTM practitioner, and wishes she had access to the framework principles a decade earlier than she did.

Julie has also worked in community legal centres, government legal roles and corporate accounting firms.

She maintains her legal practising certificate and has a Masters in Law (Human Rights and Social Justice). She has been a NSW Government-appointed member of the Housing Appeals Committee since 2010 and a Presiding Chair since July 2013.

Julianne is an experienced executive with over 20 years’ experience in events, business development, communications, fundraising and marketing in the government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

As a long-term public servant in the NSW Government, she specialised in stakeholder engagement and consultation, whole of government strategic projects, and bringing complex innovative projects to fruition. Julianne was Director, Corporate Communications at the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC), and spent two years at Premier and Cabinet designing a sector-wide workplace giving initiative for NSW Government employees.

Julianne has held Board positions at Sydney Community Foundation, Australian Community Philanthropy, Sydney Pride Centre, and the Aurora Group and is a member of the Keeping Women Out of Prison (KWOOP) coalition.

Barb Cohen is the Aboriginal Program Manager at SHINE for Kids and a very proud Dunghutti Woman from Kempsey NSW where she was born, raised and still lives today.

Throughout her 30-plus years working in the local community, Barb held positions with the Credit Union, Aboriginal Legal Service and Booroongen Djugun, and has been with SHINE for Kids since 2010.

Barb is passionate about the work she does and, having lived experience herself, is determined to support families and reduce intergenerational trauma so children can live in a safe and healthy environment.

Her team facilitates “Belonging to Family” (BTF), a unique and culturally appropriate program for Aboriginal Men and Women at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre.

Barb and her team have strong relationships with local government and non-government agencies and advocate for families in the justice system.

Barb was recognised for her invaluable contribution to the region at the Women of the Macleay Awards in 2013 and was AbSec’s NSW Aboriginal Child and Family Awards “Practitioner of the Year” in 2020. This award recognises an Aboriginal practitioner’s excellence in achieving positive outcomes for Aboriginal children, families and communities.

Kim has a strong background in developing, implementing and evaluating programs for 15 years using an outcomes measurement framework. Starting in the early intervention space, working with children, young people and families in urban, regional and rural settings, Kim later moved into an operational role where she developed strategic plans, data collection tools, and continuous quality improvement processes to reflect outcomes-focused service delivery.

Before commencing with SHINE for Kids, Kim was a Capacity Building Consultant at Fams, a NSW peak body, and provided support to their members through building skills and knowledge in outcomes-based frameworks and systematic policy and advocacy.  Kim’s first role at SHINE for Kids will be to support the SHINE workforce in implementing their Outcomes Framework and to use data to inform decision-making.

Kim’s area of study is Sociology, applied in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities with a particular interest in evidence-informed practice, combining the ‘practice’ and ‘theory’ of working in communities.  She is a member of TASA (The Australian Sociological Association) and the applied sociology thematic group.

Arun joined SHINE for Kids in January 2026, bringing over a decade of leadership experience and a deep-seated passion for supporting young people and families.

With an extensive background in statutory child protection, non-family-based care, and foster and kinship care, Arun’s nuanced understanding of the sector’s complexities fuels his commitment to the work.

At SHINE for Kids, he collaborates with program leaders to embed compliance and governance into everyday practice. By balancing robust risk oversight with fit-for-purpose governance systems, Arun ensures that all contractual, regulatory and governance obligations are met and clearly evidenced.

He holds a Master of Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma.

Moana Wati is the National Practice Manager for SHINE for Kids.

An action-orientated and solution-focused manager, Moana has a passion for leadership, government engagement and advocating for the rights of children and young people in the criminal justice system.

With 20 years of experience in Counselling and Psychological support, Moana specialises in Family Violence work and has facilitated Men Living Without Violence courses and Positive Parenting programs.

Moana has developed curriculum, trained teams and facilitated Early Intervention programs for community groups and across several school settings promoting self-esteem, building self-confidence and helping understand anger.

Moana is a strong Māori woman who has held board positions in the New Zealand community, tertiary education and budgeting services organisations.

Jess is a proud Wakka Wakka woman who was born on Kalkadoon Country in Mount Isa and raised in Townsville on the lands of the Bindal and Wulgurukaba Peoples.

Jess gained management experience and valuable insights on the importance of the early years for children during her 15+ years of working in various roles across the early learning and education sectors.

When becoming a mother herself, Jess felt drawn to work in the community services sector to strengthen supports for families.

She has worked at SHINE for Kids in Townsville since 2020, working with many families over the years. She facilitates the ‘Stay Together Play Together’ playgroup and ‘Bringing Up Great Kids’ parenting program at the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre and also the Rise program, which supports children’s emotional and social well-being and encourages positive engagement with their school communities.

Jess is passionate about supporting the families we work with.  Jess also volunteers her time to help young people in her community through the sport of boxing, with great enjoyment in playing a part in the development of others and seeing young people achieve their goals.

Matthew King is the Stand As One Manager in Cairns for SHINE for Kids. He has extensive experience working with young people and families impacted by the justice system, with a strong focus on mentoring, early intervention and community connection.

Matthew is a proud Yidinji man and is passionate about supporting young people to stay connected to culture, community and positive pathways for their future. Through his leadership of the Stand As One mentoring program, he works closely with mentors, families and community partners to build strong relationships and create supportive environments where young people feel heard, valued and empowered.

Matthew is committed to strengthening mentoring programs that help young people build confidence, resilience and the skills needed to thrive beyond the justice system.

Anna Burke is the Mentoring Manager for NSW at SHINE for Kids.

As Mentoring Manager, Anna provides leadership and support to mentors and mentees across SHINE for Kids’ Youth Justice programs.

Anna and the mentoring team offer young people transitioning from custody into the community the chance to participate in the Stand As One program, which provides positive role modelling and strengths-based alternatives to their previous convictions. This approach empowers young people to leverage their existing skills and passions to build a sustainable, authentic life.

Anna holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science with distinction, earning a university medal for exceptional achievement throughout her studies. Anna is also a qualified Endorsed Enrolled Nurse. Anna has been part of SHINE for Kids since 2019, both as a volunteer mentor and as Stand As One program coordinator.

As the SHINE For Kids’ Stand As One Mentoring manager for NSW, Anna is committed to building strong and effective working relationships with key community, government, legal, and other support agencies.

Anna is committed to maximising the well-being of young people, families, and communities impacted by the criminal justice system. Unconditional positive regard stands as the cornerstone of Anna’s practice, encouraging young people to search for lessons and opportunities for growth from their past life choices.

Summa has been working for SHINE for Kids since 2022, facilitating and now managing the Child and Family programs for Queensland – including the Parenting program, Storytime and Playgroup.

She has extensive experience working with children and families throughout her 20-year career in education, including roles as an educator, educational leader, curriculum designer, and director.  She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours (majoring in Education Studies).  She is passionate about education for social justice and pursues this passion through the delivery of SHINE for Kids child and family programs.

Summa finds her work with SHINE for Kids to be very meaningful and rewarding.  She particularly enjoys promoting the connection between incarcerated parents and their children and supporting families as they learn to regulate their emotions and become more attuned and responsive to their children’s needs.