MEET OUR TEAM
We’re a growing team of dedicated volunteers and the wearer of many hats.
Dedicated to helping where help is most needed in times of emergencies.
Deb Brook
Founder and President
As a young child Deb was involved with charity work helping her Mum with Meals On Wheels and other causes. Her charity work continued on aiding numerous charities over the decades when needed.
Deb is self employed with a management background, largely in marketing. Well over a decade ago she founded/co-founded the large, information and support groups: Special Needs Adoption Australia, Adoption Australia and Singles Adoption Australia, among others.
Knowing that many well-meaning people tend to donate items that are not needed or cannot be used in an emergency situation, and also that many people want to help but don't know where or how, Deb devised a model that mobilises and educates the community while helping those in need, as organised and fast as possible and Bayside Community Emergency Relief was born.
Stephanie Hunt
Vice President
Stephanie is an Australian lawyer with experience in litigation and international dispute settlement in the public and private sector.
She has been a committed volunteer from her earlier years on community radio, for over a decade delivering pro bono legal services to those in need, and as a dedicated participant of Hilma’s Network.
Stephanie is also a polyglot and is fluent in Spanish, French, Mandarin and English.
Stephanie’s passion for serving our Bayside community has led her to come on board with us as Vice President.
Louis Kee
Treasurer
Louis is a Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years of experience in finance and strategy across a diverse range of industries. Starting from a Big Four accounting firm, and now an accounting manager in a payment solution company, he is keen to give back to community through his financial knowledge through supporting Bayside Community Emergency Relief.
Louis first volunteered after finishing his accountancy studies and did regular hospital visits and community support in his hometown (Johor, Malaysia), providing aid for those who needed it. After migrating to Australia, Louis continues his involvement in charitable activities such as humanitarian aid, weekend community school and nursing home visits.
Having experienced hardship in the past, this drives Louis to offer hope to those who face difficulties and to ultimately build a more compassionate world.
Tracy Vi
Secretary
Born in Vietnam Tracy arrived in Australia as a young child with her family as refugees in the 1980’s, Tracy experienced the life changing blessings that organisations such as BCER provided to people in need
and is a strong believer in the work that BCER does and the initiatives that are timely deployed which directly helps improve the lives of others in our community. Tracy was first drawn to BCER as a contributor in response to the bushfire emergency in 2020. Since then, she has been a supporter of BCER over the years.
With a finance and property industry background and more than 20 years of experience in the private sector, Tracy hopes that she can use her experience to make a greater contribution to the community and provide help to others like the support that was once accorded to her family.
Patricia Linard
General Support & Events
Patricia joined Bayside Community Emergency Relief to give back to the community and give herself a purpose. She was previously a fundraising officer with the Special Olympics helping raise much needed funds to get athletes essential equipment and travel expenses.
She enjoys fundraising for causes and interacting with people for all backgrounds and couldn’t think of a more deserving charity to give her time and effort to.
Jodie Baker
Website & Social Media Support
New to the Bayside community Josie wanted to become an active member of a local charity with a desire to make a meaningful impact.
Currently studying for her Diploma in Counselling and working as a wellness facilitator Josie is always looking at ways to offer guidance and support and when she came across an opening on our team she saw this as an opportunity to provide support in a way that utilises some of her business skills that she has learnt after many years of running a small business.
Charli Meney
Social Media Support: Instagram
Charli moved to the Bayside area 2 years ago, having grown up in regional Victoria. She works in Community Health as a Health Promotion Officer, and has previous experience managing social media pages for a health organisation.
Charli has previous volunteer experience in junior basketball and netball sports coaching, and maths tutoring for secondary school students. She travelled to Cambodia in 2022 with Monash University, spending 3 weeks learning about the healthcare system and volunteering with a remote health clinic that provides free health services to children and adults located in very remote and disadvantaged regions of the Tonle Sap Lake Area. Charli has also recently commenced volunteer work with ‘Food Filled’, a food rescue charity that collects left over food and resources from supermarkets, and then deliveries them to local charities.
Charli is passionate about helping others and is excited to be apart of such an amazing organisation that makes a real difference in the local community!’
Cartolyn Marriott
Grants
Carolyn is a Bayside local and has a corporate background in the shopping centre and retail property sector.
For several years, as part of her New Year planning, Carolyn nominates a Melbourne-based charity to add to the group of charities she supports that align with her interests and values. Starting her own consulting business in 2018, affording her a bit more flexibility compared to corporate life, Carolyn has been able to expand her volunteering commitments.
When Bayside Community Emergency Relief came on Carolyn’s radar in 2023 it was a perfect fit. The timing coupled with a concurrent diversification of her services into Grant Consulting and Grant Writing presented a perfect opportunity to support BCER as a Committee Member dedicated to securing grants that are so important to help to fund inspiring work that has made such a difference to people’s lives since 2020.