Mr Dean Hely has been appointed Chair of the Board of Youth Focus.
Mr Hely, Managing Partner of leading Western Australia law firm Lavan, who has been a Board Director since March 2015, replaces Mr David Gray who steps down from the Board on 25 February 2020.
Mr Gray, who is a Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, was a Youth Focus Board Director for 12 years, including the last two and a half years as Chair.
Mr Hely said he was honoured to have been appointed Chair.
“I would like to acknowledge David’s steadfast contribution to Youth Focus,” Mr Hely said.
“As a long-term Board member and Chair, he has led the organisation through a significant and positive period of change and evolution.
“I’m thrilled to enter the role of Chair and guide Youth Focus through its next stage of growth, which will see the organisation expand and diversify its suite of services and revenue streams.
“A key focus incorporated into the organisation’s new strategic direction is to have greater client impact through the expansion and diversification of services both locally and in regional and remote areas.
“In 2019, Youth Focus supported 4,559 young people, an increase of 23 per cent on the previous year.
“This year, we’re eager to see another increase of not only young people supported, but across all aspects of the organisation including service and program delivery, staff and revenue growth.
Also joining the Youth Focus Board of Directors are Ashleigh Lin and Billy Meston.
Associate Professor Ashleigh Lin is the Program Head of Mental Health and Youth at the Telethon Kids Institute. Dr Lin’s research is focused on early detection and intervention for mental health problems in adolescents and young adults. As an individual who works closely with youth mental health service providers across Perth and actively contributes to reference groups and committees in youth mental health in the state, Dr Lin is a welcome addition to the Youth Focus Board.
Mr Meston, a partner with PwC in Perth, has been working with private, entrepreneurial and not-for-profit organisations in Australia and the UK since 1994. Mr Meston brings a wealth of knowledge to the Board with extensive experience in corporate governance; process and performance improvement; strategy; valuations; mergers and acquisitions; and national and international expansion.