Team
Our Team
The Grameen Australia Board and CEO have attracted a highly capable team of strategic advisors to establish Grameen microfinance activities in Australia. Each of these leaders drive key functions that are critical to our first phase of establishment and underpin the delivery our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan.
Jamie Terzi
Chief Executive Officer
Returning to Australia following almost 20 years abroad, Jamie Terzi is a passionate advocate for the profound effect microfinance has on the lives of women and their families.
Jamie brings 20 years of experience working in international development and poverty eradication and 10 years of work in gender equality and women’s health in Australia. She has strong expertise in women’s economic empowerment working with refugees and migrants worldwide.
As Vice President- Program Partnerships and Learning at CARE USA, Jamie led a team of over 150 people supporting US$600 million in global programming. She was a member of CARE USA’s executive management and leadership team working with high-profile corporate partners such as Pepsi, Walmart, GAP and Target, along with high-net-worth individuals.
Jamie was Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, managing annual program budgets of up to US$42 million and a team of 900 people from diverse backgrounds. In addition, she has been involved in microfinance in Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and through CARE’s global work with Village Savings and Loans Associations.
Jamie has a strong understanding of the Grameen model and sees the enormous potential of microfinance to support migrant and refugee women on low incomes to generate incomes and meaningful livelihoods.
Sheree Rolton
Finance and People Lead
Sheree Rolton is a finance and strategy executive with more than 20 years of experience working in complex, global organisations across multiple geographies.
Sheree has strong expertise in providing critical analytics and strategic support for large banking multi-national, software and fintech start-ups.
She has successfully led business transformation initiatives across multiple geographies including major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations.
Working in executive finance roles across the technology, banking and resource sectors, Sheree has had responsibility for strategic planning, forecasting, board and management reporting and project portfolio management. She is a qualified CPA and has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting).
Dr Vinita Godinho
Impact and Design Lead
Drawing on an extensive multi-disciplinary career as a senior banker, entrepreneur, academic, and non-profit leader, Vinita has led award-winning evidence-based social change for sustainable socio-economic wellbeing in collaboration with community groups for many decades.
Wearing multiple executive hats, she specialises in enabling business and government leaders to take action, including developing policies, processes and programs, to facilitate good health and wellbeing for those most at risk of experiencing disadvantage, within their own sphere of influence. Her research on Indigenous financial capability (PhD 2015) and community-led inclusive growth (2016-2019) continues to inform policymakers and practitioners in Australia, whilst a recent Fulbright scholarship (2019-2020) has broadened her network to include global thought-leaders.
Sarah Afifi
Member Experience Advisor
Sarah Afifi’s career includes meaningful work across the community service sector. Her experience includes working as a Disability Support Worker where she implemented behavioural support plans for children living with Autism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah played an important role at the Red Cross delivering support to migrants and refugees experiencing crisis and financial hardship.
Alongside her work at Grameen Australia, Sarah is an active contributor to local communities. She volunteers her skills on the Youth Advisory Board for the Victorian Lebanese Community Council, helps deliver food relief for rough sleepers at Humble Mission and supports the work of Orange Sky which provide a safe, positive and supportive environment for people who often feel disconnected from the community.
Dr Thuy Trong Duong
Centre Manager
Dr Thuy Trong Duong has substantial experience developing and delivering microfinance and microenterprise projects to support low-income women in Vietnam.
As a teacher and trainer, Thuy has delivered economic and gender studies programs. In addition, she was a lecturer at the Vietnam Women’s Academy and a trainer with Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation in Germany. Her Ph.D. focuses on social change for rural women when they engage in paid work.
Thuy is an active member of many community groups and networks in Australia, including the Australian Women’s Association and Community Identity Displacement Research Network. Her passion is helping disadvantaged women to stand on their own feet and create sustainable livelihoods.
Dr Topoyame Moremong-Nganunu
Centre Manager
Dr Topoyame Moremong-Nganunu (BA, MA, MBA, PhD) is a Botswana national who has taught and consulted throughout Africa, the Middle East and the world in the fields of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Her PhD is in entrepreneurship education in developing countries, where she evaluated the United Nations’ ILO’s entrepreneurship program.
In Australia, Topoyame’s experience includes teaching entrepreneurship and business management courses as a sessional staff member at Swinburne University of Technology, Monash University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Central Queensland University.
As an entrepreneur, she co-founded a management consulting firm in Botswana and is the founder of the Australian Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Rise and Shine Coaching.
Jenny Port
People and Culture Advisor
Jenny has a passion for developing people to achieve their goals. She is an advocate for inclusion and embracing culture both in the workplace and broader community.
An experienced human resources executive, Jenny has worked across a number of sectors including banking, manufacturing, not for profit and technology. Throughout her career, Jenny has demonstrated strong leadership, as well as strategic and generalist HR skills. Major project experience includes start-ups and greenfield operations, change management, mergers and acquisitions across multiple geographies.
Jenny speaks several languages and is keen to learn about different customs, countries and history. Coming from a migrant background, Jenny seeks to understand the different perspectives and challenges facing new migrants and refugees.
John Nguyen
Centre Manager
John Nguyen has over 20 years of management experience in banking and finance, international business development, and marketing roles in Australia and Vietnam.
With solid experience in entrepreneurship, John is the co-founder of a multi-language subscription satellite and streaming service and media and television channel in Australia for the Vietnamese community.
His passion for giving back to society has led John to work with many with charities and not-for-profit organisations assisting the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our communities. He has held various leadership and advisory roles in business associations and committees within the Vietnamese community in Victoria.
John is currently completing a Masters in Business Administration.
Minette Cilliers
Manager Finance and Compliance
Minette is a Chartered Accountant with over 10 years of experience in external auditing and accounting across a wide range of industries including digital bank software, industrial products, retail and consumer products. Her experience includes board reporting, accounting records and forecasting, statutory accounts preparation, cost analysis, financial audits, reporting, policies and procedures.
She has a proven ability to work through complex problems, developing practical solutions and successful partnerships. Minette is from South Africa and has worked in the US with Ernst & Young. Minette is passionate about helping women on low incomes achieve financial independence.