Christy Roberts
President
Christy Roberts is a Life and Leadership Coach, Global Trainer of Self Directed Healing Practitioners, Certified Grief Educator, and founder of Creating Change. With over 30 years in facilitation and leadership development, she specialises in mental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being, helping individuals and leaders navigate grief, trauma, and transformation.
Christy is the bereaved mother of Aaron (18), who died in a car accident in 2020. She is dedicated to supporting others in their grief journey and fostering healing and connection.
Christy brings her expertise in coaching, healing, and leadership to strengthen the organisation’s mission. She is a six-time Australian Small Business Champion Awards finalist and winner of the Alternative Therapy category.
Christy enjoys gardening, swimming, and personal development and is passionate about resilience, connection, and growth.
Amanda Bond
Vice President
Amanda Bond is an executive leader with more than 25 years of experience in health, aged care, disability services, out of home care and health insurance. She is currently the CEO of CareChoice a specialist disability, youth and private aged care service provider supporting people with multiple and complex needs with around the clock care, support coordination and behaviour support services. Amanda has also held many executive roles within healthcare at Peninsula Health and private health insurance sectors with Australian Unity and Medibank Private.
As a values-driven leader, Amanda is motivated by social equality and strives to ensure people have access to quality support services in line with their specific needs, at their time of need. Amanda has volunteered as a peer support phone worker with TCFV since 2021 and is passionate about helping others in their grief journey.  Amanda holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) and completed an EMBA and the AICD Company Directors Course. Amanda is the bereaved mother of Matthew (2), who died in a driveway accident in 2011. She also has two daughters and enjoys travelling, sailing and spending time with her family and friends.
Gaurav Gulati
Treasurer
Gaurav is a finance and risk professional with over 15 years of international experience across the banking, finance and education industry. He is a qualified public accountant and a proud member of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA). Gaurav brings a wealth of expertise in treasury management, financial governance, regulatory compliance, and business operations to his role as Treasurer of The Compassionate Friends Victoria (TCFV).
His career includes senior roles at global financial institutions and banks, where he led complex projects in strategic transformation, internal audit, risk management and KYC/AML remediation. He has also worked in the education sector, where he applied his analytical and operational skills to improve efficiency and support student-centred services.
As Treasurer of TCFV, Gaurav is responsible for ensuring the financial integrity and sustainability of the organisation, while supporting TCFV’s mission. Gaurav believes that strong financial stewardship is not just about numbers—but about empowering organisations to fulfil their purpose with integrity and impact.
Beyond his technical skillset, Gaurav is deeply passionate about mental health advocacy and the healing power of connection. In his personal time, Gaurav enjoys travelling, photography, and exploring topics related to self-development.
Claire Kuhnell
Secretary
Claire Kuhnell has completed a Bachelor of Counselling and working in the mental health and disability field with EACH. Claire is a bereaved sibling of Benoît (d. 1985) and François (d. 2019) who both died by suicide. Born in France, she migrated to Australia, and has been a member of the Compassionate Friends Victoria since 1995.
Claire completed the TCFV telephone counselling and group leader training and was a support person for the Glen Waverley bereaved by suicide support group. After a break from TCF due to moving back to France for a couple of years and raising a young family, Claire rejoined TCF and has been co-facilitating the siblings support group since June 2010.
Claire has participated in various projects including an art exhibition on the aftermath of suicide and an outreach peer to peer suicide support program led by TCFV and Life Is… Foundation.
She has recently co-facilitated an early bereavement 4 week program for parents and siblings. She is looking forward to being involved as a board member of TCFV.
Christian Numa
Member
Biography to come.
Sonia Aberl
Member
Sonia Aberl is a Sibling Board Representative at The Compassionate Friends Victoria and has completed a degree in Psychology and a Graduate Diploma in Grief and Loss Counselling. Sonia also has experience working in the areas of information, communication and technology within the disability and aged care sectors, working primarily in IT business management and product/project management roles.
Volunteering since 2013, Sonia was on the TCFV Board from 2014 – 2017 and then became involved in co-ordinating special projects, including a number of grant applications and the implementation of TCFV’s IT Strategy. Sonia re-joined the Board in 2023 and is also a member of the Bereavement Advisory Committee and volunteer supervisor for the Sibling Chat Service.
Sonia is the bereaved sister of David (29). She also has two children and enjoys reading, basketball and spending time with family and friends.
Ann Smith
Member
Ann Smith is an experienced board member and former long serving senior executive with the Australian Public Service who is now delivering executive coaching, leadership development and facilitation of complex strategic and organisational people issues.
Ann has led teams managing the $5 billion Health and Hospital Infrastructure Program and the $4.5 billion Elective Surgery and Emergency Departments National Partnership Agreements with States and Territories. Ann’s most recent role in the public service was leading the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC). Ann was recognised for her work leading VACRC with her induction into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her Leadership through Disaster. Ann draws on a career in health delivery including Intensive Care Nursing and CEO of private hospitals.
Ann is the bereaved mother of Danni (26) who took her own life in 2015. Ann lives with her husband and Danni’s brother enjoying beachside Altona.
Debbie Siviour
Board Regional Representative
Biography to come.
Patrons of The Compassionate Friends Victoria
Rhonda Galbally AC
Patron of TCFV since 2004
Dr Rhonda Galbally has spent more than 25 years as a CEO in non-profit, educational and community organisations including the founding CEO of ‘Our Community’, a gateway of tools, information, advice and training to improve governance and to help Australia’s 700,000 community groups find funds, grants, insurance, business partners and board members.
Rhonda Galbally has received a number of awards in recognition of her work in social and disability advocacy. She was recognised with an Order of Australia in 1991. In 2005, she was inducted on to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and in 2012, she received the Prime Minister’s Outstanding Achievement Award at the National Disability Awards. In 2019, she was appointed a Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia.
Past Patrons of The Compassionate Friends Victoria
Margaret Harmer OAM
26th July 1933 – 15th February 2022
Margaret Harmer was born in Perth in 1933. She came to Melbourne when she was sixteen and soon after met her husband, Lindsay Harmer. She became a private secretary and married Lindsay when she was twenty.
Lindsay had the first pharmacy in the rural City of Waverley and they lived in Glen Waverley. They had three children and Margaret’s life was mostly involved with them, the pharmacy, Lifeline, Save the Children, and other community projects in the emerging new suburb. Tragically in 1973, their son Rhys, aged 11, was killed in a road accident and Margaret severely injured.
In 1978, Lindsay and Margaret commenced TCF throughout Australia. After three years, Lindsay sold the pharmacy and they both worked continually full time for TCF for 13 years. They attended four TCF International Conferences.
They have seven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Sadly their elder daughter, Rosalind Nixon (59), died from cancer in 2014 and Lindsay (90), died in 2019 from Parkinson’s Disease.