As a proud descendant of the Wiradjuri and Wonnarua peoples, Kellie has kinship and family connections around the NSW Murrumbidgee River and Hunter Valley. She is the Chief First Nations Officer at Playgroup NSW, with over 25 years’ experience working in education, early childhood, and Aboriginal education with First Nations families and community.     

Kellie has always been passionate about working in and with her community for better outcomes for families. Her commitment lies in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural priorities and aspirations for families and communities, as well as driving systemic change to support success.    

In the nine years Kellie has been with Playgroup NSW, she has demonstrated a strong commitment for helping to drive self-determination and creating opportunities for families to connect with their communities and learn through play and cultural connections.  She is very passionate about supporting Aboriginal families as they start their parenting journey and connecting them to Aboriginal community through song and dance and traditional learning techniques. This connection to culture is underpinned by established referral networks that support each families unique needs.    

Kellie has developed strong working relationships with stakeholders, local government, and other organisations, work under a Community of Practice approach that fosters collaboration and continuous learning.

 Ashley is the Executive Officer and one of the founders of Rainbow Families - a charity that supports, connects and empowers LGBTQ+ parents and their families. As a proud gay dad, in 2012 when Ashley’s eldest daughter was born, he was shocked at the lack of support for LGBTQ+ parents. In 2015 Ashley came together with other queer parents to create Rainbow Families. Since that time Ashley and Rainbow Families have supported thousands of parents across Australia to be their best, authentic selves. 

Jo Ubilla

Village Connect

Jo Ubilla is Program Lead, Systems Navigator for a young parent program in SouthWest Sydney called Village Connect.  Employed by Karitane, Jo’s role involves working with key stakeholders to find creative, sustainable ways to stop young parents from falling through gaps in the complex eco system of child and family health and wellbeing supports.  Jo has a passion for understanding and designing ways of working based on the voices of those with lived and living experience. 

Melo Kalemkeridis – Parent Peer Facilitator:  Melo lives in Kangaroo Point, NSW with his wife, 15 yo son, and 13 yo daughter. It is because of Victoria, who has a significant intellectual disability, ADHD, and numerous physical challenges, that he is working in the disability sector… he does so in an effort to “pay it forward” to other parents, due to the positive impact other parents have had on his own parenting journey… which feeds into his philosophy of Better Parent, Better Partner, Better Person. 

For the last 7 years, Melo has been delivering parenting programs on Secure Attachment, Emotion Coaching, and Family Leadership. He has been lucky to do this in Australia, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand. He has also led a dad's group for over 5 years, providing resources and a place for dads to connect. He sits on the Reference Group for Children, Families and Young People Advising the IAC to the NDIS, and also the Co-design Advisory group on Integrity and Fraud Prevention for the NDIS. As well as the Carers Advisory Group on Intellectual Disability for Clinical Innovation to NSW Health.  

Most importantly, on weekends, Melo enjoys taking his son to his soccer games and getting out into the community with Victoria, anything from hitting the beach to shopping. Melo's motto, born from Victoria's energy and desire for social connection, is "Anywhere there are people, is somewhere Victoria can thrive.”