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Scope is driven by a passionate and dedicated Executive Leadership Team who are committed to making a lasting impact in the lives of people with disability.

Our Executive Leadership Team comprises of a diverse group of accomplished professionals, each bringing a wealth of expertise and a shared vision of fostering inclusion and empowerment.

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Kate MacRae

Chief Executive Officer

Kate joined Scope in April 2022. She has extensive experience in the disability and healthcare sectors, having held various executive and director roles.

Before joining Scope, Kate held the position of CEO with Able Australia. She guided the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic and further established a supply chain of PPE for the sector.

With Able Australia, she established the Deafblind Centre of Excellence in 2019. The Centre is now a recognised leader in the field, actively collaborating with the World Health Organization, United Nations and Deafblind International to improve outcomes for people who are deafblind.

Kate has held various leadership roles with Vision Australia, Monash Health and Peninsula Health and been appointed to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (AHPRA) and Deafblind International Board. Her clinical career has spanned mental health, neurology, and paediatrics.

Kate is also the founder and inaugural Chair of The CEO Collaboration, a national body of 120+ NDIS providers.

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Liz Cairns

Chief Strategy and Risk Officer

Liz joins Scope with over 25 years’ experience in the areas of health and disability in both New Zealand and Australia. Liz’s career has focused on using her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector to impact significant disability reform particularly over the past five years. 

Liz previously held the role of Head of Strategy, Sectors and Research at the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) where she worked closely with the TAC Board to develop, implement, and execute the TAC long term strategy and to develop key national and international strategic partnerships in improved client outcomes and experiences.

Prior to the TAC, Liz held the role of Director Health and Disability Advisory at Price Waterhouse Coopers before moving to the National Disability Insurance Agency as the inaugural Victorian trial site manager, and then as General Manager Operations. As a further testament to Liz’s skill, in 2020 she was seconded to the DHHS to lead the Government’s Covid response in the highly vulnerable non-Government social housing sector (Supported Residential Services, rooming houses, boarding hostels).

Liz also brings to Scope significant experience in organisational service design and development and is highly motivated to finesse and implement systems to improve the lives and experiences of service users. Liz has working knowledge of Scope, having been previously appointed to our Disability Royal Commission Independent Advisory Committee and our Risk and Audit Committee in 2019.

Liz is currently appointed to the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Premium Committee for SIRA NSW, is President and Member of the Rotary Club of Kardinia, and Advisory Board member for Access Your Supports.

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Lisa Evans

Chief Operating Officer 

Lisa joined Scope in 2023 as Chief Operating Officer Victoria following which she was appointed Chief Operating Officer for Scope nationally in July 2024.

She brings with her over 30 years of knowledge and experience in senior roles across health, nursing and disability sectors.

Before joining the Scope community, Lisa held the position of CEO Accord and Group Director of Community Services with St John of God Healthcare (SJOG), which includes Accord disability services, social outreach services, international health and ambulatory and healthcare at home services. In addition to SJOG, Lisa has held executive positions as Director of Nursing at St God Berwick Hospital, and Bundoora Extended Care Centre.

Lisa is passionate advocate for people with disability and seeks to use her experience to shape the disability sector. With her eldest son living with a disability, Lisa’s experience raising Jack has been a great driving force behind her work in the sector.

Lisa joined the Board at Very Special Kids in November 2023 as a non executive director.

Debra Benger

Debra Benger

Chief Quality, Safeguarding and Practice Officer

Debra joined Scope in 2024 as Scope in the role of Chief Quality, Safeguarding and Practice Officer.

Debra is an experienced executive with extensive health care, aged care and disability sector experience. She combines a high level of commercial acumen with systems thinking and has a passion to embed the consumer voice.  

Debra has come from her role as Executive Lead Quality & Risk at Maxlife Care and was previously General Manager Bodewell Community Care (Home Care Division of Arcare Aged Care).  She has also held senior Allied Health roles at St Vincent’s Private Hospital and on their Executive Standard 2 (Partnering with Consumers) Committee.  

Her academic qualifications include Master of Health Administration, Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy), Certificate IV in Frontline Management, Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Physiotherapy and she is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management.

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Bruce McCowan

Chief People Officer

Bruce joined Scope as the Interim Chief People Officer in late 2022 and was appointed as Chief People Officer in May 2023.

An experienced Executive, human resources leader, consultant and Board Director, Bruce has a strong background in organisational transformation through alignment of business and HR strategy. Bruce has a particular interest in culture change and improving leadership capabilities.

Bruce has experience in the disability sector, both in an Executive role and serving as a Board Member in two different disability services organisations, including Chair of Quality and Client Safeguarding Committee and Chair Governance and Remuneration Committee

Bruce serves as the Chair of the White Ribbon Australia Workplace Accreditation Panel and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

John Preston

John Preston

Chief Employment Pathways Officer 

John is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience within the disability sector. During this time, he has held a variety of senior leadership roles and served as a board director. He possesses a deep knowledge of the sector and has overseen a wide array of services across dispersed geographies.  

Prior to joining Scope, John worked for Northcott as their State Operations Manager, leading their transition to the NDIS and overseeing a period of significant growth.  

John joined Scope as an Executive General Manager at DSA, where he has played a pivotal role in leading transformative programs and welcoming DSA to the Scope family.  

John has a passion for improving practice, with a special interest in active support and the development of valued roles. 

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Sid Shekar

Chief Information Officer

Sid joined Scope in December 2020 and leads the IT function and Enterprise Project Management Office for the organisation. He was previously the General Manager of Strategy, Technology and Transformation with NBN Co, where he was responsible for end-to-end strategy, planning, transformation and management across people, processes, and technology initiatives.

With extensive operations and technology experience in senior roles, Sid is well placed to lead the Information, Communication and Technology team through the continued growth of the organisation.

Sid is both client and outcome focused and uses his leadership and collaboration across all levels to achieve significant outcomes through innovative and simplified client solutions.

Leanne Dillon

Leanne Dillon

General Counsel

Leanne joined Scope in 2024. With more than 25 years’ experience in health and disability services, Leanne has focused her career primarily in the public/for purpose sector. 

Holding qualifications in law, business administration and nursing, Leanne has held diverse executive and senior management roles.

Leanne has a passion for using her skills and expertise to improve the lives of vulnerable people and believes that client focussed, and co-designed services empower individuals to belong and thrive. 

Before joining Scope, Leanne was General Counsel and Board Secretary at the Royal Women’s Hospital (The Women’s) in Melbourne, where she helped Melbourne’s leading women’s hospital operate successfully within the complex regulatory and legislative framework in which it delivers services. 

Leanne has held a number of roles including Manager Legal and Compliance with Dental Health Services Australia, Director Governance and Board Secretary with the National Disability Insurance Agency, Director Clinical Governance and Medico-Legal with Western Health Footscray, and Legal Counsel and Board Secretary at Western Health.

Leanne also served as a Director and Committee member over a seven-year period from 2014 – 2021 for cohealth, a not-for-profit community health organisation servicing a broad area of high-growth communities across Melbourne’s northern, western and inner suburbs.

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Joel Chibert

Chief Financial Officer

Joel joined Scope as Chief Financial Officer in June 2024.

Joel holds as Bachelor of Commerce and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Joel is an experienced financial and corporate services executive with extensive experience across a range of sectors including education, health, scientific research and development, and professional services.

He is currently a Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee and a Board member of Austin Health.

Previously Joel was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Melbourne Business School. Prior to that he was Chief Financial Officer at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and has held a range of senior finance roles with Monash University.

Joel is passionate about transformational change, best practice service delivery, sound financial management and ensuring the Scope community are well supported.