Faith Housing Australia is not a housing provider or a direct support service. If you are seeking emergency accommodation, visit Link2Home.

Meet Faith Housing Australia’s Board members

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

DR ROB STOKES

CHAIR

BA LLM PhD (Environmental & Planning Law)

Rob Stokes is an urbanist and recognised thought leader on sustainable urban development. He served as Australia’s first-ever minister for Active Transport with the NSW Government and also served as minister for Planning, Public Spaces, Cities, Infrastructure, Transport, Education, Environment and Heritage in a political career spanning more than 15 years.

Rob is a regular columnist on cities and planning and has written over 20 articles in referred books and journals. A qualified lawyer, Rob has read sustainable urban development at Oxford and completed a PhD in planning law under a Commonwealth Scholarship. 

He was announced as a member of the Albanese Government’s Urban Policy Forum in May 2023.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

Antony Anisse

B Economics/B Laws, Harvard Grad Program in Real Estate Investment and Development

Antony is the Co-Founder of Good Housing and acts as the Chief Empowerment Officer. He is an experienced public-private executive with a record of strong social and economic outcomes in major urban renewal projects including Parramatta Square, Riverbank and the Civic Link Projects.

He has previously held senior positions in private development firms, Local and State Governments and the Urban Growth Development Corporation. Antony was elected to the Hornsby Shire Council in September 2012 and held office until 2017.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

Cheri Erai-Collins

TREASURER

B Sc (Finance)

Cheri is the State Manager at Salvation Army Housing NSW QLD & ACT. Cheri works with the senior leadership team on strategy and business development and with both Salvation Army Australia and external partners on new programs and property projects.

Cheri is an accountant with almost 15 years’ experience working in the community and not-for-profit sectors in the UK and Australia. Her most recent accomplishment is the delivery of the Chermside Salvation Army Complex, a powerful $5.5 million partnership with the Corey Charitable Foundation that offers affordable accommodation to rough sleepers.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

THE HON GRAHAM WEST

B Comm (Management Studies)

B IT (Information Technology

M International Studies with Merit (Human Rights, Public Policy)

Graham is the CEO of Amelie Housing and St Vincent de Paul Housing. With over 25 years’ experience in the NFP and Government sectors as a CEO, Government Minister, Member of Parliament, Board Member and Chair, Graham has a proven track record of achieving transformative outcomes in the social sector, leading and championing change, and advocating for greater investment in social housing and homelessness support services.

He established the End Street Sleeping Collaboration, negotiating an international agreement with NGOs, NSW Government, City of Sydney and the Institute of Global Homelessness to halve street homelessness across NSW by 2025.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

HAJEH MAHA ABDO OAM

B Social Work

M Soc Sc (Youth Services, Administration)

Grad Dip Family Dispute Resolution

Maha is a passionate advocate for social justice and serves as the CEO of Muslim Women Australia (MWA), a representative body for Muslim women working to enrich humanity, advocating for equality and the rights of all women.

Maha represents and gives voice to Muslim women abroad as well as in Australia. She advises government on policy, services and strategies. In 2016 Maha was the NSW Seniors Week Ambassador as well as the BreastScreen NSW Ambassador. In 2015, Maha was a finalist for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Medal; in 2014, she was the NSW Human Rights Ambassador.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

SIMON FURNESS GAICD

B Sc (Hons) Civil Engineering

MBA

Simon is a member of Uniting’s Executive Leadership Team as Director of Property and Housing, managing its large and diverse property portfolio engaged in the delivery of a wide range of aged care, disability, children and family services across NSW and ACT, as well as the operation and performance of Uniting’s Retirement Living business comprising of 3,000 units in 87 villages.

In his career, Simon worked with large organisations whose success depended heavily on infrastructure and property assets. He has enjoyed opportunities that transform property portfolios to improve business performance, and provide spaces where people enjoy working and visiting.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

DR ROB STOKES

CHAIR

BA LLM PhD (Environmental & Planning Law)

Rob Stokes is an urbanist and recognised thought leader on sustainable urban development. He served as Australia’s first-ever minister for Active Transport with the NSW Government, and also served as minister for Planning, Public Spaces, Cities, Infrastructure, Transport, Education, Environment and Heritage in a political career spanning more than 15 years.

Rob is a regular columnist on cities and planning and has written over 20 articles in referred books and journals. A qualified lawyer, Rob has read sustainable urban development at Oxford and completed a PhD in planning law under a Commonwealth Scholarship. 

He was announced as a member of the Albanese Government’s Urban Policy Forum in May 2023.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

Antony Anisse

B Economics/B Laws, Harvard Grad Program in Real Estate Investment and Development

Antony is the Co-Founder of Good Housing and acts as the Chief Empowerment Officer. He is an experienced public-private executive with a record of strong social and economic outcomes in major urban renewal projects including Parramatta Square, Riverbank and the Civic Link Projects.

He has previously held senior positions in private development firms, Local and State Governments and the Urban Growth Development Corporation. Antony was elected to the Hornsby Shire Council in September 2012 and held office until 2017.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

Cheri Erai-Collins

TREASURER

B Sc (Finance)

Cheri is the State Manager at Salvation Army Housing NSW QLD & ACT. Cheri works with the senior leadership team on strategy and business development and with both Salvation Army Australia and external partners on new programs and property projects.

Cheri is an accountant with almost 15 years’ experience working in the community and not-for-profit sectors in the UK and Australia. Her most recent accomplishment is the delivery of the Chermside Salvation Army Complex, a powerful $5.5 million partnership with the Corey Charitable Foundation that offers affordable accommodation to rough sleepers.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

THE HON GRAHAM WEST

B Comm (Management Studies), B IT (Information Technology), M International Studies with Merit (Human Rights, Public Policy)

Graham is the CEO of Amelie Housing and St Vincent de Paul Housing. With over 25 years’ experience in the NFP and Government sectors as a CEO, Government Minister, Member of Parliament, Board Member and Chair, Graham has a proven track record of achieving transformative outcomes in the social sector, leading and championing change, and advocating for greater investment in social housing and homelessness support services.

He established the End Street Sleeping Collaboration, negotiating an international agreement with NGOs, NSW Government, City of Sydney and the Institute of Global Homelessness to halve street homelessness across NSW by 2025.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

SIMON FURNESS GAICD

B Sc (Hons) Civil Engineering, MBA

Simon is a member of Uniting’s Executive Leadership Team as Director of Property and Housing, managing its large and diverse property portfolio engaged in the delivery of a wide range of aged care, disability, children and family services across NSW and ACT, as well as the operation and performance of Uniting’s Retirement Living business comprising of 3,000 units in 87 villages.

In his career, Simon worked with large organisations whose success depended heavily on infrastructure and property assets. He has enjoyed opportunities that transform property portfolios to improve business performance, and provide spaces where people enjoy working and visiting.

Faith Housing Australia Board, Faith Housing Australia

HAJEH MAHA ABDO OAM

B Social Work, M Soc Sc (Youth Services, Administration), Grad Dip Family Dispute Resolution

Maha is a passionate advocate for social justice and serves as the CEO of Muslim Women Australia (MWA), a representative body for Muslim women working to enrich humanity, advocating for equality and the rights of all women.

Maha represents and gives voice to Muslim women abroad as well as in Australia. She advises government on policy, services and strategies. In 2016 Maha was the NSW Seniors Week Ambassador as well as the BreastScreen NSW Ambassador. In 2015, Maha was a finalist for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Medal; in 2014, she was the NSW Human Rights Ambassador.

Eager to learn more?

Find out more about our Board structure

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Faith Housing Australia is not a housing provider or a direct support service.

If you are seeking emergency accommodation, visit Link2Home.