Mahima Matta

Manager Karingal Patient Transition Accommodation Facility

Mahima Matta joined Yumba-Meta in 2023, to manage the Karingal Patient Transition Accommodation Facility.

Mahima worked in the Northern Territory for Kakadu National Park for 5 years and then the Katherine West Health Board for 6 years and has a Master’s degree in Foods and Nutrition.

Vicki Miles

Manager Housing Services
Co-Manager Residential Care for Young People Program

Vicki Miles joined Yumba-Meta as Housing Manager in January 2021, bringing with her a strong background in public sector housing through her 20-year career with the Department of Housing.

From 2009, Vicki took a lead role in delivering the Townsville social housing component of the federal government’s $42 billion Nation Building Economic Stimulus Package, which covered social housing, education, roads and safety, and energy saving initiatives.

This project involved Vicki managing and delivering the stimulus package for close to 400 community housing and public housing properties, for the Townsville Housing Service Centre for Department of Housing.

From 2016 to 2020, Vicki was the housing representative on the multi-agency Townsville Stronger Communities Action Group, a coordinated response to the issue of youth crime in Townsville.

As Housing Manager, Vicki’s priority is ensuring people have the opportunity, knowledge and supports they need, to sustain their tenancy.

Jody Chetty

Manager Residential Care Service Program

Jody Chetty boasts a diverse heritage of South African Indian, Scottish, and English roots. While initially pursuing a Bachelor of Education for two years, Jody put her studies on hold to focus on raising her family.

Entering the workforce, Jody ventured into retail management and later transitioned to working at a school with students with special needs. In 2021, she found her true calling at Yumba-Meta Limited as a Case Worker at Dale Parker Place.

Progressing within the organisation, Jody became the Case Manager and Coordinator for Weeburra Thulgarri Tutoring and Mentoring Program in 2022. By mid-2023, she took on the role of Coordinator for the new Residential Care Service Program, focusing on young people aged 12 to 18 years. In 2024, Jody was promoted to Manager of the Residential Care Service Program.

Jody finds immense reward in overcoming challenges while working with youth. Adopting a holistic approach, she and her team support youth in reaching their goals, fostering family connections, engaging in education, building life skills, and cultivating healthy relationships.

Taileah Watson

Manager Women’s Shelters

As a young child, Taileah Watson relocated to Townsville from Bundaberg where her mum’s connection to the Gungarri people of Southwest Queensland shaped her cultural background.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, majoring in English and Media, and additional postgraduate studies in Editing and Publishing, Taileah discovered her passion for aiding vulnerable communities during a semester abroad in Samoa.

Upon her return, she joined Yumba-Meta Limited, starting as a case manager at Dale Parker Place. Recognised for her excellent work with women and children, she transitioned to the YML women’s shelters team. With positive outcomes and a supportive team, Taileah advanced to Program Coordinator and now serves as Manager Women’s Shelters.

Taileah’s dedication lies in assisting vulnerable women and children in escaping domestic and family violence. The most fulfilling part of her role is being part of the clients’ journeys, witnessing their safe return to the community.

Belinda Readon

Corporate Support

Belinda Readon brings over 30 years of leadership experience to Yumba-Meta Limited. In 2023, she earned her Graduate Certificate in Business with a Human Resources Management Major, complementing her expertise demonstrated in a Diploma in Human Resources Management.
Renowned for her agility, Belinda has successfully led diverse teams (20+) across various industries, including disability, health, victim’s services, retail, facilities management, engineering, defence, education, telecommunication, and financial services.

In her current role at Yumba-Meta, Belinda adopts a balanced approach of strategic practicality and compassion. She collaborates with a multi-agency team, contributing to integrated, holistic, and culturally sensitive safety responses for victim survivors at high risk of harm from Family and Domestic Violence. Operating with utmost confidentiality, Belinda manages time-sensitive and intricate cases, providing support in a culturally considerate, person-centric manner.

Founding Father of Yumba-Meta Limited, Dr Ernest Hoolihan OAM (fondly known as ‘Ernie’) established the organisation in 1973 under the Whitlam Government.

In addition to Yumba-Meta, Ernie’s achievements are many, having helped establish the Townsville Aboriginal Cultural Centre, supporting Aboriginal inmates through the associated Legal Service for 30 plus years, addressing educational disadvantage with the Headstart Kindergarten program, ongoing work with the Seniors Safety Group of the Townsville Safe Communities Project, along with fund raising for the local Leukaemia House.

Ernie also established TAIHS Townsville Aboriginal and Islanders Health Services.

Though his community service and leadership positions over the years are immeasurable, his efforts are somewhat reflected in his rich collection of accolades, including being acknowledged; as a Queensland Senior Citizen of the Year, a Distinguished Past Student of Townsville Grammar, with an Honorary Doctorate, and, most stunningly of all, with a Medal of the Order of Australia on the Queen’s Honours List.

The Hon. Peter Lindsay OAM is an experienced Community Advocate, Chairperson and Committee Member who joined Yumba-Meta Limited’s Board in 2020. To this role, Peter brings special insight into lawmaking and governance.

While politics has dominated his career, Peter actually started out working in television, progressing through engineering, production, news, editorial and executive roles, before switching gears and running his own electronics business for 25 years.

In 1985, Peter was elected as Councillor to the Townsville City Council which launched a five-term career to 1996 when he moved to Australian Parliament, as Federal Member for the electorate of Herbert. Peter held this position for five terms also, until 2010. In 2007, Peter was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, moving to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary until 2010. Throughout his parliamentary career, Peter represented Australia in Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Pakistan, Federated States of Micronesia, United Kingdom and the United States.

At Board level, Peter’s experience spans education, IT services, mining, a youth-focused diplomacy program, and both State and Commonwealth government tribunals and committees.

He has served as: Deputy Chancellor to the James Cook University Council; Chair of Guildford Coal; Foundation Chair of Global Voices; Member of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal; and Member of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. He currently serves as a Director of the Constitutional Education Fund of Australia; Chair of James Cook University’s Clinical Practice Building Trust; and Chair of Origin Net.

Some of Peter’s career highlights include: leading the community battle to establish the Reef Representative Areas Program, which engaged community and delivered a visionary new Zoning Plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park; and being involved in establishing Left Right Think Tank, Australia’s first independent, non-partisan think-tank of young minds focused on a mission to involve young people in public policy. Peter is active within his community not only through his work, but as a volunteer. He is an Honorary Life Member and triple past president of the Rotary Club of Townsville Daybreak, and an Honorary Life Member and past president of the Townsville Amateur Radio Club.

In 2016, Peter was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

Recruited as a skill-based Director to Yumba-Meta’s Board in 2016, Douglas brings over 30 years of board-level experience as a Non-Executive Director, Consultant and Senior Associate across diverse industries.

With expertise in internal/external audit, risk management, financial management and governance services across the not-for-profit, public and commercial sectors both within Australia and internationally, Doug’s eminent skill-set has particularly informed and shaped the development of robust governance frameworks for YML.

Amongst his illustrious history of board and executive successes, Doug has served as the National President PNG CPA and inaugural President of the PNG Branch of CPA Australia. He serves as a Queensland Divisional Councillor and North Queensland Branch Councillor for CPA Australia.

Apart from being a Committee Member of various Boards, he has also served Company Secretarial roles, in Financial Accounting roles as a CFO and in C Suite Management roles as a Governance Expert.

He is a Fellow of CPA Australia, the Governance Institute of Australia and the Institute of Managers and Leaders. He holds a BBus in Accounting and an MBA in International Business.