Board of Directors.
Safe Waters Community Care Inc. is led by a Board of Directors who are passionate and dedicated to helping those experiencing homelessness, social isolation and other vulnerabilities in their local area of Ulladulla.
Sarah Date - Founder, Director & CEO
Sarah has a strong passion for seeking change within the current social services system. She has over 10 years experience in the community service sector and over 20 years in business and management. She holds a degree in Social Science & Psychology and has a private counselling practice in Ulladulla. Sarah has managed homelessness services in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra areas and ran programs supporting men leaving prison.
In 2019, understanding there was no supported crisis accommodation where she lives in Ulladulla, Sarah founded SWCC with a board of like-minded people. Spiritually led, Sarah feels deep compassion for those who are vulnerable or have lost their voice in this world.
Chris Martin – Co-Founder & Chair
Chris Martin’s background is in education and drug rehabilitation. For 20 years Chris was head teacher of agriculture at Dubbo TAFE before taking a counselling course and establishing a residential drug rehabilitation program based on a farm, with his wife Jeanie. Relocating to the Ulladulla area, he became heavily involved in the SWCC founding committee, forming the SWCC board of directors. Motivated by his faith in God, Chris is passionate about helping people who have been damaged by life to find a better future.
Jeanie Martin – Co-Founder & Director
Formerly a primary school teacher in Dubbo, Jeanie Martin loves nurturing people to reach their potential. After studying counselling, with her husband Chris, they began a residential drug rehabilitation program which ran for many years. After moving to Ulladulla, recognising homelessness was a growing problem, she became involved with the SWCC founding committee forming the SWCC board of directors. Jeanie is a Christian who believes that following Jesus means caring for those experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Lisa Gowen – Director
Lisa Gowen has been working with children, youth and families in Ulladulla for 16 years. She joined our Board with her husband Adam, after being concerned that no local services offered safe shelter for people facing homelessness. Lisa has a Christian faith and truly believes in the innate worth and value of each individual and their right to dignity and safety. She looks forward to the day SWCC can provide people with a pathway into stable housing and out of homelessness.
Kim Vanden-Hengel – Secretary
Kim has worked in the non-profit space for her entire career - in West Africa for 12 years and in Australia for 25 years. She has worked and travelled extensively in Africa and Asia. She has had management/leadership roles for a range of charities, most recently working in philanthropy for Ozharvest and Dementia Australia. Kim has served on the boards of World Vision Australia, Interserve and WorldShare (formerly CNEC/Partners International). Kim holds a B.A. Dip.Ed (French/Italian), Master of Development Studies and Graduate Certificate in HR Management & Coaching. She volunteers in her local community to support those facing homelessness and with her husband, has offered refuge to women and children seeking a safe space, down the years.
Greig Robertson – Vice-Chair & Treasurer
Greig relocated with his family to the NSW South Coast in October 2023. With a long history of volunteering in his local community with St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army, he soon sought out Safe Waters and expressed interest in contributing.
Six months after becoming a regular volunteer, an opportunity to join the board became available, and he expressed his interest in that position. Greig’s extensive career in executive roles within the maritime industry, particularly in servicing remote island communities, caught the board's attention, leading to his successful appointment as Treasurer and Vice Chairman. Greig is committed to establishing a long-term, sustainable model that provides services meeting the demand while maintaining the dignity of Safe Waters guests.
Louise Hunnisett – Director
Louise spent 30+ years teaching in primary schools. She has experience volunteering in the community, including with Safe Waters from its beginning. At all life stages she has felt secure, safe and supported. She sees home and safety as a basic human right, recognising that not all people experience this. She values the importance of serving, showing compassion and giving to others.
Tim Hunnisett – Director
Tim was a high school teacher for 36 years, has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, and led teams of teachers in Economics, Business Studies and student welfare/personal development. His vision is for SWCC to remain financially sustainable with local community support, and to enable this dynamic and innovative charity to best meet the needs of the broader Ulladulla region. Tim’s Christian faith is a very important part of his life, and “loving your neighbour” is a central principle of the faith; SWCC is an opportunity to “show love” to locals doing it tough.