Our team

We have a great team of highly passionate community development workers, nurturing capacity builders, story tellers, engagement specialists, and forever calm staff working behind the scenes. Our work is also enhanced by the contributions of university students on placements.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

REBECCA COX

Bec brings a wealth of experience and a deep, personal connection to our sector, having spent many years working in and around community centres. From frontline service delivery to strategic leadership, she understands the challenges, strengths, and transformative power of centres and the vital role centres play in fostering inclusion, resilience, and belonging. A tireless advocate for connected, empowered communities, Bec has built her career championing the people and places at the heart of local life. Her passion, insight, and values-led leadership make her well positioned to guide Community Centres SA into its next chapter.

COMMUNITY CONNECTOR

TANIA BROWN

With an extensive background in non-profit organisations and a Diploma in Community Services, Tania expertly delivers various programs to community. Her experience in volunteering, co-design, and leadership enables her to foster strong relationships within the Community Connections Program. She is specialised in identifying and addressing the needs of those who might be vulnerable or socially isolated. Tania excels in place-making and story harvesting, taking time to understand community member narratives and the strengths inherent in their stories. She effectively collaborates to bridge gaps and initiate community-led programs, services, or safe spaces for connection.

PROGRAMS MANAGER

LAUREN BONNET

I’m a mum, partner, daughter, neighbour, friend, and social worker who is passionate about community development and social justice. I believe everyone has a story, skills, and passions to contribute, and that we do our best when we live, play, and work together. I’ve worked in social enterprise, community centres, volunteer management, advocacy, and intercultural work, driven by a community development approach. At Community Centres SA, I support centres as places of belonging, participation, and leadership, recognising that leadership belongs to the people shaping their own communities. I love working alongside centres, sharing research and evidence, learning and growing together, supporting one another to adapt knowledge to the many different contexts across our state, all while keeping creativity, innovation, and fun at the heart of the work!

PROGRAM COORDINATOR - STUDENT SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION PROGRAM

SANDRA MASSEY

Sandra is the Program Co-ordinator and Senior Social Worker in the Student Social Work supervision program, clinically supervising student placements within centres. She brings over two decades of experience in child and family welfare, wellbeing, and mental health fields. She has a rich professional history, having coordinated three Community Hubs across South Australia, where she focused on empowering vulnerable and isolated communities. Her roles in management, consultation, and clinical work span across government, education, and private sectors. Sandra is fervently passionate about mentoring and supervising Social Work students, guiding them on their journey to become proficient, qualified Social Workers in the field.

SOCIAL WORK FIELD EDUCATOR

REBECCA HIRD

Rebecca brings a passion for social work evolving from her work within community centres and community programs. Rebecca is an experienced social worker having worked in community centres, program management, volunteering, case management and crisis support. Working in both government and non-government organisations, Rebecca has provided support to both groups and individuals within statutory and community settings. Rebecca is enthusiastic about social work practice in community centres and the vital role community centres play in preventative care, relationship building, collaboration and consciousness raising. Rebecca has a love for exploring social work knowledges and theories and is enthusiastic about supporting safe learning spaces for emerging social workers to consider, reflect and share.

ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

MARKETING ASSISTANT

“If you do not step forward you will always be in the same place.”