Dianne Ritson
Chair
Dianne Ritson joined the Board of Forrest Personnel in August 2023 and was appointed Chair in October 2023. Dianne holds undergraduate qualifications in allied health, post-graduate qualifications in medical education, and holds a Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom. She is Chair of Ability WA, and Chair of the Ability WA Foundation. She is a graduate of the Institute of Company Directors, with diverse experience in leadership positions facilitating strategic performance outcomes for organisations in disability, health, regional health research, tertiary education, and community sectors. Dianne’s dynamic and responsive style of governance has effectively guided a range of sustainability strategies across health and disability contexts undergoing significant transformation and growth.
Dr Gae Synnott
Deputy Chair
Dr Synnott joined the Board of Forrest Personnel in March 2021. Gae’s background is in the social sciences and she has more than 30 years of consulting experience in strategy and communications, plus experience in corporate, government and academic roles. Gae holds a Communications degree, an MBA, a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, and a PhD in Psychology exploring issues of culture, values and identity. She is a Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors and is on the Board of Busselton Water.
Bradley Brown
Director
Bradley Brown joined the Board of Forrest Personnel in November 2021. With a background in economics and social policy, Bradley has held executive leadership positions across the logistics, mining, regional and international development, and infrastructure sectors. With more than 20 years’ experience in business development, project delivery, commercial performance, corporate governance and strategic advisory, Bradley brings a proven track record in public and private expertise both domestically and internationally. Bradley holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. As a proud father of two boys, husband to a Kisii woman from the Lake Victoria region of Kenya, and with connections to country as a Noongar man whose family descends from Wardandi clan of Western Australia, Bradley has a passion for economic empowerment, transparent governance and self-determination for all people.
Ben Aldridge
Director
Ben first rolled through the doors of Forrest Personnel in 2011 as a DES participant and was employed by them shortly after. After working in a variety of roles Ben struck out on his own in 2017 and now returns as a Board member, joining in November 2021. Ben has a background in systemic advocacy, innovation and building cultures of resilient leaders, using his lived experience of disability and military experience as change-making tools. Holding qualifications in employment services and work health and safety, Ben is a graduate of Leadership WA’s Rising Leadership Program and named one of Western Australia’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders under the age of 40 in the 2020 Business News 40 under40 Awards.
Karen Bradley
Director
Karen Bradley joined the Board of Forrest Personnel in November 2021. Karen is an independent consultant, with extensive experience in the not for profit and government health sectors and skills in clinical and corporate governance, health policy, strategy and planning, workforce and leadership development. Karen holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing), a Master’s Degree in Leadership (Social Justice) and was awarded a Doctorate in Nursing (Hon) from Edith Cowan University. Karen is a Non-Executive Director on the board of Rural Health West, a Fellow and Vice President (WA Branch) of the Australasian College of Health Service Management and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Keith Smith
Director
Keith Smith joined the Board of Forrest Personnel in July 2022. Since coming to Australia 11 years ago he has held CEO, COO, FD and Company Secretary roles for private, public and NFP companies. Keith is an accomplished Executive and Non-Executive Director delivering strategies and change management often in businesses who were operating in rapidly changing environments. He has consistently led positive outcomes with the enterprises he has been associated with and through his excellent leadership skills he has been able to influence outcomes across businesses. Keith holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons), is a Chartered Accountant, ICAEW & CA ANZ, and holds a GIA (Cert).