Alexandra Hamilton
Chief Executive Officer
Alex brings personal experience and professional expertise to her role as CEO of The Compassionate Friends Victoria. After the sudden loss of her baby son River to SIDS, Alex’s life was forever changed.
With over 12 years’ experience in not-for-profit leadership, fundraising, project management, events, communications and business development, Alex combines her lived experience with a strong background in strategic growth and community engagement. She has led national fundraising campaigns, built strong corporate partnerships, delivered major events and worked closely with families navigating the unimaginable loss of a child.
Alongside her leadership role, Alex regularly speaks to community groups, businesses and professionals about grief, resilience and the power of peer support.
Andrew McNess
Operations Manager
Andrew commenced as a staff member with TCFV in January 2010, in the role of volunteer coordinator (support groups). His association with TCFV, however, commenced in 2004, when Andrew was recruiting interview participants for a PhD thesis investigating sibling grief and social isolation through the lens of gender.
Andrew has a special interest in safe and supportive workplace cultures. His roles with TCFV spans management, outreach, program development, policy, risk, research and website coordination. He facilitates a highly-regarded group leader training program annually and has adapted those materials for training of phone and chat responder personnel.
For that essential work-life balance, Andrew enjoys travelling with his family, reading and writing. A cinema enthusiast, he has published highly-regarded film analyses and hosts a website on the work of the late filmmaker Alan J. Pakula.
Andrew is the bereaved brother of Jeremy, 26.
Jane Moschetti
Community Education and Communications Coordinator
Jane Moschetti has been a staff member at TCFV since August 2021. Before that, she volunteered from 2017, assisting with general office administration. In 2019, she took over managing the TCFV Facebook page and has served as the magazine editor since September 2020. Jane is deeply passionate about Community Education and raising awareness of the long-term impact of child loss.
Jane’s eldest son, Joseph, passed away suddenly in his sleep in July 2016 at the age of 18. His death remains unexplained. At the time, her two other children were 15 and 12.
In her spare time, Jane enjoys walking her two rescue Greyhounds, General and Clive, going to the gym, sewing, upcycling old furniture, reading, gardening, planning holidays, watching her son’s soccer team, and browsing vintage and op shops with her daughter.
Natasha Ballingall
Volunteer Support and Engagement Coordinator
After earning her Bachelor of Arts Psychotherapy in 2021, Natasha (Nat) reached out to TCFV to volunteer her skills and life experience, hoping to help support those who are grieving by helping them find hope, identity and belonging. A bereaved parent herself (Eva, 2009), Nat deeply understands the life-altering and profound nature of losing a child. She felt compelled to help others as part of my own healing journey.
Nat has been with TCFV since 2021 and has developed a strong connection and passion for the community. Each month, she facilitates Art Therapy at TCFV Centre – a role she is particularly passionate about. She also co-leads the Canterbury Evening Group, providing support to members as they navigate their grief. Additionally, on rotation, she takes grief calls as one of the peer support providers, an experience that she continues to find incredibly rewarding.
In this new role, Nat aims to strengthen connections and relationships within the TCFV community and beyond, and is thrilled to be working alongside such a dedicated team. Away from TCFV, she is a qualified art therapist and counsellor, providing professional support to individuals and families by combining traditional talk therapy with expressive arts therapy.
Hope Sneddon
Services and Operations Support Coordinator
Hope is a bereaved sibling and has over eight years of experience as a researcher, tutor, and communications specialist at universities and companies in Australia and overseas.
She also has a wealth of knowledge and experience in research management, communications, public speaking, and writing. Hope completed her PhD in 2023 at RMIT and is a published author and poet.
She loves being outdoors, nature, reading, and running.
Jude Chrisan
Sibling Support Coordinator
Jude is an avid writer, a rusty juggler, and a passionate connector who brings warmth, authenticity, and creativity to the TCFV community.
Having previously been on the Youth Advisory Committee for Very Special Kids, Jude plays a vital role in shaping our support services for bereaved siblings, using his lived experience of grieving his brother Joel, who passed away in 2017.
Jude believes in the power of shared stories and strives to create safe spaces where others can express their grief without judgement. Through his deep empathy, poetic nature, and ability to make people feel truly heard, Jude nurtures hope and connection, demonstrating that even in life’s uncertain moments, joy can be found.
Our Sibling Support Coordinator role is proudly financed by the Jared Dunscombe Foundation.
Nicole Mercandel
Events Assistant
Nicole is a dedicated Reiki Master and a bereaved sibling, bringing a personal and deeply empathetic perspective to her work, with a heartfelt understanding of the complex emotions of grief and healing.
With a deep commitment to holistic healing, Nicole combines her expertise in Reiki with her passion for creative expression to foster emotional and spiritual well-being. A lover of music, creative writing, art, and acting, Nicole believes in the transformative power of the arts as tools for self-discovery, healing, and connection. Whether through the calming flow of Reiki energy or the expressive release of creativity, she aims to help others find peace, meaning, and hope in difficult times.
Nicole is excited for her role as Events Assistant at The Compassionate Friends Victoria (TCFV), where she is eager to create meaningful and supportive experiences that bring people together, inspire hope, and foster connection among those who have experienced profound loss.
In addition to her work with TCFV, Nicole continues to explore various creative outlets, believing that both the arts and holistic practices are essential for nurturing the soul and healing from loss.
Dagmar O’Brien
Strategic Partnership Events and Fundraising Consultant
Dagmar spent over three decades with the Spotless Group as Group General Manager Corporate Relations, where she led corporate hospitality, sponsorships for major events, and the company’s philanthropy program.
Dagmar has held board positions with several leading charities, including Kids Helpline, and has chaired numerous high-profile fundraising committees—one of which raised over $5 million for Epworth Hospital.
Now semi-retired, Dagmar focuses on supporting meaningful causes. At the Bali Children Foundation, she helps raise funds to provide education and skills training to disadvantaged children across Bali, equipping them for a brighter, more independent future.
Dagma is a bereaved sibling having sadly lost two sisters.
Jesse Bendel
IT Officer
Jesse is a bereaved sibling who is passionate about art, learning, and helping others. He has broad experience in management, systems and has a bachelor of science. He takes pride in providing the best technical support possible for TCFV.
Jesse currently fills the role of IT Officer and helps turn things off and on until they work.