Our Team
Kairos Prison Ministry Australia is a volunteer based organisation with three part time paid employees in Kairos Support Office. All other work relies on a flow of volunteers into positions from Chair of the Board and directors through to the volunteers who run the programs.
Board of Directors
Vern Harvey
Bio
Vern Harvey
Director Since October 2017
Qualifications: B Economics (Hons) Monash: Ph.D. ANU.
Vern has a professional background in banking and finance as well as consulting. He has worked for major companies in Australia and been a consultant to many clients locally and overseas.
He has been a volunteer with Kairos since 1998 and served in many roles being elected to the Chair of the Board in 2018.
His commitment is to helping as many people affected by imprisonment know there is a more rewarding way to live a life free of anxiety and full of purpose following Jesus.
Deborah Poulton
Bio
Deborah Poulton
Director Since December 2018
Qualifications: Fellow of the Institute of Chartered accountants Australia and New Zealand and partner of Bellchambers Barrett.
Deborah has worked in accountancy and tax agent sector for over 40 years. A Chartered Accountant since April 1983. Fellow since February 2013. She has worked for Ernst & Young and predecessor firms for over 20 years before going into private practise in 2000. Deborah is currently the Chair of the Catholic Development fund for the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn and was formally involved with Lions for over 20 years.
Deborah became involved in Kairos around 15 years ago as a guest of KO Canberra Monaro and as well as being a Director is also Chair of the Ministry Growth Group and KPMA Treasurer.
Ian French
Bio
Ian French
Director Since June 2017
Qualifications: B Commerce CPA, Fellow CPA. Auditor for Parish Council St Albans.
Ian is a seasoned and resilient business leader with extensive international experience gained through supporting the governance, strategic, financial and operational needs of publicly listed, commercial and government business entities.
Ian has been an independent Kairos board member since 2017 and has participated in the Parklea NSW Kairos Inside program since 2019.
Apart from Kairos, Ian currently holds directorships with commercial and ‘for purpose’ organisations that pursue both cultural and religious missions.
Based in Sydney NSW, Ian worships at St Albans Lindfield and fellowships extensively with other followers of Jesus Christ.
Chris Firbank
Bio
Chris Firbank
Director Since August 2019
Qualifications: B Fin Admin, MACS, CPA.
Chris was appointed as a Director and Company Secretary when he joined the Board in August 2019. Chris has been involved in Kairos ministry since 2001, being on KI teams in Silverwater, Parklea CDTC, Parklea Area 4 and with his wife Helen on Kairos Torch at Frank Baxter. Chris held senior roles in IT and software development management including the integration of St George, Advance and Bank SA systems. In continuing semi retirement, Chris is the Accountant and IT Manager for the Sydney Law Firm of Mervyn Finlay Thorburn and Marshall. Locally, Chris has served in various leadership positions at Gordon Uniting Church and served for 10 years on the School Council of Ravenswood School for Girls.
John Wheeler
Bio
John Wheeler
Director Since July 2021
Qualifications: BAS Construction Management
John is the Co-Managing Director of Stokes Wheeler Pty Ltd, a commercial building contractor operating in Qld and Northern NSW. He also holds various directorships and ownership of another 3 businesses in Queensland.
John is a long time supporter and mentor for a charity on the Gold Coast called Men of Business.
John has been involved in Cursillo, Emmaus and Kairos since he was about 18 years old. Kairos for the past 6 years. John is always humbled by the ministry through the contact we have with the residents. So many men whose only real crime was having terrible parents. John has been on team for many Emmaus walks and about 5 Kairos Programs.
Rob Rodenburg
Bio
Rob Rodenburg
Director Since May 2019
Qualifications: Dip Civil Engineering, Grad Diploma Engineering Science, Environmental Engineer.
Rob is a qualified civil engineer who manages his own environmental consultancy in South Australia.
He is married with two adult children, both of whom live in South Australia with their families.
Rob became involved in Kairos in 2001 when the first Kairos course was presented at Mobilong prison. Like many Kairos volunteers he’s amazed at how the Kairos flame still burns brightly after so many years.
Col Stiller
Bio
Col Stiller
Director Since June 2019
Qualifications: BA App Sci, Dip Ed, Dip Th, MEd.
Col has a background in Education and has worked for the Lutheran Church of Australia as a senior chaplain at Redeemer Lutheran College Rochedale, Brisbane. Col also works in a street van ministry and a men’s shed.
Col has a passion to spread the saving message of the gospel of Jesus to those who are generally forgotten in society.
Col has been a volunteer with Kairos since 1997 and has participated in many Kairos Inside Short Courses, the first in Borallon Correctional Centre in 1999.
Sue Hodges
Bio
Sue Hodges
Director Since February 2022
Sue works for The Salvation Army as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinator across NSW and ACT. Previously, Sue worked as a Secondary High School Teacher in History.
Sue is from the Wiradjuri people (Wellington NSW). She has been married for 41 years and has 4 adult children and is Grandmother to 10. She attends The Salvation Army Cessnock Corps.
As well as Director, Sue holds various roles in Kairos including the NSW/ACT State Council Deputy Chair, Kairos Outside Hunter Agape Coordinator, Advanced Kairos Trainer and runs the Kairos Outside Hunter Regional Private Facebook page.
Alf Baker
Bio
Alf Baker
Director since February 2023
Alf’s background includes being a Company Director of public and private companies over the past 50 years. He is a Graduate of Company Directors Course and current member of AICD. His business interests have been in the inorganic chemical field and more recently in mining and mineral processing. Before Kairos, Alf was the Registrar in Victoria for the Emmaus Bible College Correspondence School for 10 years where the students were all prison inmates.
In 2001, Alf was invited to attend as an observer at a Kairos Inside at Long Bay Correctional Complex. He was so impacted, that he had to get involved. He was the founding member and Chair of the Kairos Victorian State Council in 2003 and attended the first Kairos Inside Program at Fulham Correctional Centre. He was elected to the KPMA Board in 2005 and served as Chair from 2007 – 2009 when he stepped back from the Board to start an after-prison ministry and take charge of business projects.
Now that business is stabilising, Alf is privileged to be re-invited back to the KPMA Board with a special interest in growing the ministry in Victoria and Western Australia.
Tony Hoban
Bio
Tony Hoban
Director since February 2023
Qualifications: MBA (Syd/AGSM), Company Directors Diploma, Grad. Cert. Pastoral Counselling (CSU).
Tony has a varied background in journalism, management and ministry. He has worked for organisations as diverse as Fairfax, NRMA, the NSW Business Chamber, CatholicCare (Parramatta), the St Vincent De Paul Society, Catholic Mission and ACU. He is an ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church and serves as Pastoral Leader of St Luke’s, Marsden Park. He is the Chair of the National Association of Deacons.
His involvement with Kairos commenced in 2012 and he has served on teams at Parklea drug correctional centre and John Morony.
He sees his various Kairos roles as being intrinsic to the call of deacons to be ambassadors for Christ and a bridge between the Church and the world and seeking to bring them both together.
Neil Miller
Bio
Neil Miller
Director since June 2023
Qualifications: BE (Civil) Hons, ME UNSW, Ph.D. in Introducing Change UNSW, psc (Military)
Neil has a professional background in both military and civilian environments in management and technology consulting, software development and marketing. He has presented many public and private management courses, including AGSM MBA facilitation.
Neil was the founder, Managing Director and CEO of a private contracting, consulting and software development company that sold its products globally. He has collaborated with many government and private organizations to meet organization wide technology and cultural challenges.
In the Army, he led construction and development projects across Australia and the South Pacific. He commanded the 5th Brigade (reserve units in southern NSW and ACT) and was the National Commander of Army Cadets. Other postings included Deputy Training Commander and the first Army Change Manager. He spent two years on exchange with the US Army in Hawaii.
He has been a volunteer with Kairos since 2018 and serves on teams at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (ACT) and Goulburn Correctional Centre. He has served in many churches across Australia and in Hawaii.
His desire is to show people affected by imprisonment that life can be better when you accept the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
Management Team
Vern Harvey
Deb Poulton
Bruce Bond
Sandra Brame
Sarah Giordano
Keith Robards
Kairos Support Office Staff
Bruce Bond
Sandra Brame
Keith Robards
Sarah Giordano
State Chairpersons
Jackie Stoneman
Brian Stone
Rob Rodenburg
Ian Knight
Get Involved
There are many ways to support Kairos