The Board

  • Stephanie Dowden Chair

    Stephanie is a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner. She has postgraduate studies in child health and education and a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner). Stephanie has over 25 years of experience in children’s healthcare, working in specialist children’s hospitals in Melbourne, Perth and London. ​Stephanie’s interests include baby, child and teen health, parent well-being, eczema, weight concerns, child development, childhood trauma and disability. She especially enjoys teaching children and families how to manage their health at home.
    Stephanie set up NursePrac Australia in 2016 and the clinic opened in March 2017.

  • Samantha Williams Deputy Chair

    Sam Williams has been the Manager of Yangebup Family Centre (YFC) since 2013 and is a founding member of the CCK Joint Leadership Team. Her passion and dedication to community engagement and creating strong, safe communities have elevated YFC to one of the premier Neighbourhood and Community Centres in Western Australia. Under her leadership, YFC has been frequently invited to collaborate with other centres and has received recognition from prominent organizations such as Linkwest, the City of Cockburn, and the Community Service Excellence Awards (CSEA).

    Sam holds a Bachelor of Education and before YFC was the Services and Development Manager at Gymnastics WA.

    Through our partnership, Sam and YFC have significantly contributed to CCK’s journey. We have collaborated on numerous programs and events, including Kids Go Wild, Long Table Lunches, NAIDOC Celebrations, and Silver Linings

  • Jette Oksis Secretary

    Jette Oksis has been an educator since 1997 spending most of her teaching time in regional contexts. Jette has held various consulting and leadership roles throughout her career, predominantly in the public system and has recently moved into her role as a Consultant for Catholic Education WA. She is actively engaged in the educational research community. Jette has a deep interest in early years development in her professional capacity and also as a single parent raising four children. In spare hours she relishes her role as mum of now teenagers and being President of Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club.

  • Kim Hamilton Member

    Kim Hamilton is Social Inclusion Coordinator for Goodstart Early Learning in WA. Kim is a qualified social worker who has specialised in child development, mental health, parenting and family support in the early years. She is passionate about working to improve opportunities and outcomes for children and families – particularly for those facing social disadvantage – and brings this knowledge and experience to her work in Early Childhood Education and Care.

    Kim is a strong advocate for innovative approaches, collaboration and systems change to reduce barriers and improve outcomes for children, families and communities.

  • Nicole Hunt Member

    Nicole manages the Port Early Learning Centre. With over 20 years of experience in early childhood, business management, executive leadership, and strategic planning, she has developed a strong sense of community and a deep passion for programs and change management initiatives that positively impact childhood outcomes and families in the community.

    A key driver of her work is building relationships, as they are the foundation of everything we do. She believes that to create change, inspire others, and continuously enrich our work with children, families, educators, and the community, relationships are essential.

    CCK aligns perfectly with her commitment to the wellbeing, health, and development of children and families. Recognizing the critical nature of the early years, Nicole takes a holistic approach to better support the education and wellbeing of children. She is a passionate advocate for early intervention and prevention programs related to childhood development, education, and care for children facing adversity and their families. This involves creating an environment where children and families feel valued, respected, and have a strong sense of self and belonging.

  • Fran Windon Member

    Fran Windon is a proud Noongar Yuet Yorga who has a strong interest in sharing her heritage and culture. She has over 15 years of experience in the education and care sector and has been working as an Aboriginal Playleader at Moordijt Kulungar Playgroup for over 10 years. She is also the Director of Ngalla Yorga Waangkan Aboriginal Corporation.

    With support from CCK Fran has recently started her own business Kulungar Waabingy where she delivers training packages in Early Learning Centres to embed Aboriginal Culture.

  • Lisa Hart Member