Meet the team

Michael Barnes

Chairperson

Relevant qualifications

• Bachelor of Business with Honours in Economics,  
• Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, 
• Advanced Leadership Program, and 
• Certificate of Management Excellence.

Special responsibilities

Chair of the Board, Chair of Governance and Nominations Committee, Member of Risk Committee. 

Biography

Michael was Western Australia’s Under Treasurer for 11 years until April 2025. As Under Treasurer, Michael was the State Government’s principal economic and financial adviser, with statutory responsibility for managing the State’s finances, including formulation of the annual State Budget.  

In addition to his role as Chair of the Keystart Board, Michael is also Chair of the Western Power Board, an Independent Director on the Board of Crown Perth, and has been engaged by the State Government as WA’s Chief GST ‘Fairness Fighter’.  

Michael has a Bachelor of Business with Honours in Economics from Curtin University, and a Certificate of Management Excellence from Harvard Business School. He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2020 for his outstanding public service to State Government finances and was the Institute of Public Administration’s Leader of the Year in State or Federal Government in 2022.

Term start date: 1 July 2025
Term end date: 30 June 2028
Keystart start date: 1 July 2025

Sue Ellery

Deputy Chairperson

Relevant qualifications

• Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and
• Bachelor of Arts.

Special responsibilities

Deputy Chair of the Board, Member of Audit Committee, Member of Risk Committee. 

Biography

Sue served as a senior Minister in the Western Australian State Government across diverse portfolios encompassing both service delivery and regulatory functions. Her portfolios included Child Protection, Education and Training, and Finance and Commerce. She has experience in strategic planning, regulatory and legislative frameworks, project implementation and delivery, crisis management, budget development, government relations, communications, and stakeholder engagement. 

Sue has an Arts Degree from the University of Western Australia and graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2024.

Term start date: 1 July 2025
Term end date: 30 June 2028
Keystart start date: 1 July 2025

Julie Keene

Non-Executive Director

Relevant qualifications

• Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors,
• Fellow Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand,
• Bachelor of Business, and 
• Master of Accounting.

Special responsibilities

Chair of Audit Committee, Member of Risk Committee.

Biography

Julie is a chartered accountant and has held senior executive roles at Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer level, with organisations including Bankwest, Murdoch University, HBF and MyIntegra. She is a Commissioner with the Insurance Commission of WA and holds current Board roles with St John of God Healthcare, Curtin Heritage Living, SensesWA and the Noongar Advisory Company. 

Julie holds a Bachelor of Business from Curtin University, a Master of Accounting from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Term start date: 1 July 2025
Term end date: 30 June 2027
Keystart start date: 10 November 2022 

Kerryn Edwards

Non-Executive Director

Relevant qualifications

• Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and
• Bachelor of Arts, Industrial Relations and Politics.

Special responsibilities

Member of Risk Committee, Member of Governance and Nominations Committee. 

Biography

Kerryn has more than 30 years’ experience in the community housing sector across Australia and the UK, spanning a wide variety of development projects and housing tenures. She has established and managed housing operations in both the Kimberley and Pilbara and has also worked extensively with Aboriginal Corporations, developing culturally informed housing strategies and models.

Her executive background includes leading large multidisciplinary teams delivering housing management and support services, with a focus on improving outcomes for marginalised people. As a consultant, she now works with clients across the Australian Community Housing Provider sector to strengthen organisational capability and enhance service delivery. 

Kerryn holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Term start date: 1 July 2025
Term end date: 30 June 2028
Keystart start date: 1 July 2025

Paige Walker

Non-Executive Director

Relevant qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing and Management,
• Master of Property and Construction, and
• Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Special responsibilities

Member of Risk Committee, Member of Audit Committee.

Biography

Paige is the Chief Executive Officer of Fiveight, overseeing the company’s national property development, asset management and hospitality portfolio. She joined Fiveight in 2023 as its inaugural CEO. Paige previously spent 16 years with Mirvac, most recently as General Manager – Residential Development WA. She has held senior industry roles, including serving as WA President and Vice-President of the Property Council of Australia. She is also a Non-Executive Director of Bethanie Housing and “My Home” Australasia. 

Paige holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University, a Master of Property and Construction from RMIT University, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Term start date: 1 January 2026
Term end date: 30 June 2027
Keystart start date: 1 January 2026

Rebecca Field

Non-Executive Director

Relevant qualifications

• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice,
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws, and
• Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Special responsibilities

Member of Risk Committee, Member of Governance and Nominations Committee. 

Biography

Rebecca was appointed to the Keystart Board on 1 October 2026. She is a partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, where she advises clients on legal, strategic and risk management matters relating to property development and linear and social infrastructure projects. She also advises on capital transactions and complex ownership and management structures related to commercial, industrial, pastoral, agricultural, aged care and tourism assets. Rebecca has extensive experience in property and development finance and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Term start date: 1 October 2026
Term end date: 30 September 2029
Keystart start date: 1 October 2026

Mark Tomasz

Chief Executive Officer

Mark has more than 20 years’ experience in financial services, joining Keystart in 2024. Mark has held a number of senior executive positions at HSBC in Asia, Europe and Latin America. He is a qualified CPA Australia accountant and Board member of the charity Nakuru Hope.

John Patmore

Chief Information Officer

John has over 20 years’ ICT experience gained across various industries including financial services and education. He has been with Keystart since 2010. Originally from the UK, John held a number of roles for companies in London, working with a variety of clients across Europe and North America. 

Nicole Brown

Chief Financial Officer

Nicole joined Keystart in 2022 and has 20 years’ experience in Australia and overseas. Prior to joining Keystart, Nicole held finance, risk and commercial roles at Bankwest and Commonwealth Bank after starting her career in a Big Four professional services firm. 

Claire Properjohn

Chief People and Corporate Services Officer

Claire joined Keystart in 2021 and commenced in the role of Chief People and Corporate Services Officer in December 2024. Claire has 25 years’ experience in HR, operations, organisational development, and transformational change across diverse industries, including private health, utilities, tech startups, insurance, legal and professional services. 

Liam Loan-Lack

Chief Customer Officer

Prior to joining Keystart, Liam worked in-house for, and consulted to, blue-chip FMCG, e-commerce and financial services businesses in the UK, Australia and the US. His recent remit at the FTSE 250 organisation CMC Markets demonstrated both his passion and ability for delivering world-class customer experiences within the finance category. 

Belinda Goosen

Chief Risk and Corporate Affairs Officer

Belinda brings expertise in enterprise risk management, compliance and governance across highly regulated sectors. Prior to joining Keystart in 2026, she held the role of Chief Risk Officer at a WA-based health insurance organisation, overseeing risk strategy, prudential compliance and enterprise‑wide assurance within a complex financial services environment. Belinda has previously held senior roles within a global advisory firm, advising financial services organisations on risk transformation and governance optimisation.

Avril Doyle

Company Secretary and Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs

Avril Doyle is a Chartered Company Secretary and member of the Governance Institute of Australia, with qualifications in business, finance, risk and corporate governance. She joined Keystart in 2019 and plays a senior role leading the company secretariat and jointly overseeing the organisation’s government and corporate affairs functions. With more than 15 years’ experience supporting boards and executives in the finance, resources and technology sectors, Avril brings extensive expertise in corporate governance, compliance and stakeholder engagement.