Joan has been working in the education development sector for over 30 years, with women, children and families from poor communities. Her focus has been on children and women’s empowerment through small micro medium enterprises (SMME) and advocating for gender equality though capacity building and change management. This has led to designing innovative peace projects, working with a diverse range of communities locally and globally.

Joan continues to develop International partnerships in the tertiary sector in peace studies, and has been a guest lecturer in community development and peace studies in Japan and Nepal.

The Earth Charter principles and the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, underpin the foundation for Joan’s ongoing work in education.

Integrating the concept of sustainability and more particularly socio-ecological sustainability has been a feature of Cathy’s work in the schooling and university sectors and now more generally in the community sector. She is of the belief that the social dimension of sustainability needs to inform peace initiatives and be recognised by us as a way of being.

I am married to Joan with three adult children and have lived in the Port Adelaide area for almost 40 years. I have had a life long interest in promoting affordable housing and was a founding member of Habitat for Humanity South Australia. I have a particular connection with Habitat’s global village work in Asian countries.

I have finished a long career in both the state and Commonwealth governments as a research and policy officer across a range of social justice arenas. In 2012 I completed a PhD on Indigenous enterprise development in remote Anangu communities. I am a member of the Friends of Torrens Island and also enjoy attending sessions of the Port of Adelaide University of the Third Age.

Gavin comes from the land on the West Coast of South Australia, the youngest of seven children he started shearing at the age of seventeen which took him to various parts of the state including Ceduna where he met his wife, Tanya. He successfully applied for a position of wharf and jetty builders’ assistant with the Department of Marine and Harbours in Port Thevenard. Gavin and Tanya have two adult children who study and work in the Port Adelaide area.

He has remained with the Department of Marine and Harbours which transitioned to Ports Corp and then to Flinders Ports for over 30 years where he is now a Team Leader in the Marine Services branch of Flinders Ports based at Outer Harbour.

Over this time he has sought qualifications in the Bookkeeping and Management areas as he managed the financial side of his wife Tanya’s Hair and Beauty Salons. Gavin has taken the chance to “give back’ to the community by volunteering his time to help with GCP.

Kerrie has over 25 years’ experience in learning and development, with significant industry experience in the IT and Government sectors in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. In her most recent corporate role, Kerrie was the Director of Electronic Data Systems’ (EDS’) learning and development function for the Asia Pacific region.

She is a member of the board for The Community Living Project, a person-centred, values based disability service provider.

I am a passionate, considerate and motivated person and experience a deep spiritual connectedness which propels my need to serve humanity and the natural environment.

I have 28 years of experience working across schools, preschools and community settings. I have specialized in family support, program implementation and creating links with community services to hopefully increase and sustain positive outcomes for children and families.

I have a personal and professional interest in healing generational cycles of trauma and disadvantage, experienced by children, families and communities and prioritize individual physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.

 I am excited to be a part of the Global Communities for Peace Board, as I have visited programs and personally experienced their dedication, passion, commitment and achievements in peace building, locally and globally.

Mandi is a local Artist who has lived and worked in the Semaphore area for over 30 years. She has coordinated and facilitated numerous community based art workshops and curated exhibitions for Council and Community Art Centres.

Connections and relationships between youth, communities, cultures and the environment, are recurring themes in both her workshops and personal practise.  She coordinates the annual Youth Arts Festival – an event now in its 8^thyear, which gives students from 9 local High Schools the opportunity to exhibit, sell and share their artworks.

She continues to work as an artist in residence in Kindergartens, Primary and High schools, recently completing a 6 x 3 metre WW1 commemorative Mural at Mount Carmel and a Kindergarten ‘sense of place and belonging’ Mural at Glanville train station.

As an artist, her distinct style is recognisable and portrait commission work is ongoing.

Katrina Hope is a Registered Nurse employed in small public hospital in the culturally and socio-economically diverse Western suburbs of Adelaide.  Her lifelong interest in health resulted in her attending university as a mature age student to pursue her chosen career following a family tragedy 11 years ago.

Katrina has two young adult daughters and is herself one of three children who received her primary and secondary education at Waikerie, South Australia.

Katrina joined the 2018 Nepal tour with GCP Shanti tours. In Nepal she gathered group support for health improvements, resulting in the installation of a sustainable locally sourced water quality improvement system for the Dang CPH. This also reduces the burden of plastic purchase and disposal; another of Katrina’s passions.

Over this time he has sought qualifications in the Bookkeeping and Management areas as he managed the financial side of his wife Tanya’s Hair and Beauty Salons. Gavin has taken the chance to “give back’ to the community by volunteering his time to help with GCP.

Beth has lived in the Port Adelaide area for 25 years with her two now adult daughters. She strives to live in a compassionate, ethical and sustainable manner.

She has worked in the social services area for the past 18 years in administration and caring roles with children’s emergency care, disability care and general psychological services.

Beth travelled extensively in her twenties including Nepal and is keen to contribute to communities both home and abroad.

Kath has extensive experience in leading major operations, developing services and benefits for customers as an Executive in the financial services industry, information technology industry and in the not for profit sector, both internationally and in Australia.

She has an excellent reputation in the disability sector as an active member of two National Disability Sector Committees – Workforce and Sector Development Committee and the Community Sector Sustainability and Innovation Working Group. She holds a number of Fellowships being a Fellow of Australian Institute of Management, Fellow of Financial Services Institute of Australasia and Fellow of Governors Leadership Foundation.

Susan Martin has been working in early childhood education and management  for over 30yrs as a consultant and advisor. She has extensive experience in working with educators in remote Indigenous communities and is now working as a preschool teacher in a diverse multicultural community .

Susan believes in sustainable living and is conscious of delivering a peaceful education program for the children and families in her community.

Niki is the Principal of Niki Wallace Design, founder of Net Zero Lab and Course Leader of MA Global Collaborative Design Practice at University of the Arts London and has been working closely with GCP since inauguration. Niki's work is underpinned by critical and creative thinking, and focuses on sustainability transitions, working closely with communities to help them transition towards more just and sustainable futures.