Our Board

Acting chair - 8 Months - 27 November 2025 - 18 July 2026

Member - 5 years - 18 December 2024 - 17 December 2029

Damien brings over 30 years’ experience across the property industry with expertise spanning housing, planning, valuation, infrastructure and policy. He has held leadership roles in the private, public and community housing sectors, including acting as Chair of the Victorian Planning Authority and Haven Home Safe.

As the founder of Birchgrove, a regional Victorian business which has grown residential communities for over 20 years, Damien has contributed to the planning and delivery for several thousand homes. He holds a strategic understanding of the policy environment, regulatory frameworks and market dynamics that shape planning outcomes, housing delivery and affordability.

Damien is a life member and former President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (Victoria) and holds a Bachelor of Business (Property) from the RMIT University. He is an Associate of the Australian Property Institute and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Member - 5 years 26 October 2023 - 26 October 2028

Cathie was appointed to the Housing Australia Board in October 2023. She brings executive experience across investment banking, law and regulation in both the public and private sectors.  

Cathie currently serves as a Non-Executive Director for each of Cboe Australia Pty Ltd, Australian Payments Network Limited and Suicide Prevention Australia Limited, a Member of the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority and a Member of the PwC Audit Quality Advisory Board.

Her previous roles include Commissioner of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), General Counsel at Macquarie Capital, Executive Director of Macquarie Group, and Corporate Legal Counsel at JP Morgan. Cathie also practiced law in Sydney and New York.

She holds a Master of Laws from University of Sydney and Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University. Cathie is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Cathie is Chair of the Housing Australia Audit and Risk Committee (ARC).

Member - 5 years - 18 December 2025 - 17 December 2030

Haleh Homaei is a senior executive and non-executive director with over 30 years’ experience across housing, government, governance and stakeholder engagement. She brings deep expertise in community and affordable housing, organisational transformation, and navigating complex regulatory and policy environments.

Prior to joining the Housing Australia Board, Haleh was Head of Housing Programs at Assemble and previously served as Chief Executive Officer of HousingFirst Ltd, where she led significant organisational reform, growth and portfolio expansion. Her executive career spans senior leadership roles across the community housing sector and government, with a strong focus on balancing financial sustainability with social impact.

Haleh has held numerous board and chair roles, including Chair of PowerHousing Australia, where she played a key role in the recent merger with the Community Housing Industry Association to create a unified national peak body. She has also served on the boards of Aboriginal Housing Victoria, Haven Home Safe, Community Housing Canberra and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Haleh is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and brings a strong governance lens informed by extensive sector and public policy experience, including international advisory work.

Member - 5 years - 30 November 2023 - 29 November 2028

Matina was appointed to the Housing Australia Board in November 2023. She worked as a leading investor and adviser in unlisted infrastructure and brings deep knowledge in governance, investment, asset management, institutional funds management, infrastructure and investment banking.

Her executive career includes over 17 years as co-founder of the QIC infrastructure investment business, which manages over $39 billion in unlisted equity investments globally. Matina has made key contributions to a number of boards and committees with 20 years of board experience, including directorships with Port of Melbourne, Hobart Airport, Brisbane Airport, Northwest/M7 roads group, TransGrid, Epic Energy, Pacific Solar and India Infrastructure holdings and as a Member of the Investment Advisory Board of the UNDRR.

Her prior executive roles include positions at AMP Capital, Bankers Trust, Macquarie Bank and Arthur Andersen.  

Matina holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW.  She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Matina is Chair of the Housing Australia Board Investment Committee and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Tilt Renewables.

Member - 5 years - 30 November 2023 - 29 November 2028

Mary brings 30 years of leadership experience across financial services, capital markets, securitisation, mergers and acquisitions, governance and risk management. Her career spans roles with financial institutions, infrastructure and not-for-profit boards in Australia and New Zealand.  

Mary is an experienced CEO and Board member, with a background in both ASX-listed and publicly unlisted companies.  She currently serves as Chair of Plenti Group, Non-Executive Director of Qualitas, Chair of Pitcher Partners and Homesafe Solutions and advisor to Indigenous Business Australia and Gresham Partners.  

Mary holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney, is an Associate of the Securities Institute of Australia, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Member - 5 years - 1 June 2023 - 31 May 2028

Nigel has over 35 years' experience in public policy and economic analysis. In addition to serving as a Housing Australia Board member, he undertakes advisory work. He retired from the Australian Public Service in January 2023.

From November 2020 until November 2022, Nigel was an Executive Director on the World Bank Group Boards, representing Australia and 14 other countries. He Chaired the Board’s Committee on Corporate Governance and Executive Directors’ Administrative Matters. From 2018 to 2020, he served as Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, representing a constituency of 15 countries, including Australia.

Nigel joined the Commonwealth Treasury in December 1988 following a role at the Office of National Assessments. From the mid-1990s, he held several senior executive positions, including as Deputy Secretary (Fiscal) from 2008-2015 and Deputy Secretary (Macroeconomic) from 2015-2018. During this time, he also served as Australia’s G20 Finance Deputy and was a member of the Australian Statistics Advisory Council.  

In 2013, Nigel was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service. He holds a Master of Economics and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney.

Member - 5 years - 18 December 2025 - 17 December 2030

Ken is the Chair of The Benevolent Society, a charity founded in 1813 providing support services for aged care, Australians living with a disability, families and children. He also chairs the ACT Public School System Resourcing Review Expert Panel, is a Professor of Practice at Qld University of Technology's Graduate School of Business and works with governments across Asia Pacific. He has previously been Dean and CEO of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.

He has held senior public service positions since the early 1990s, having previously been the Director-General of the Queensland Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning, Co-ordinator General as well as heading the Queensland Public Service as Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet between 2007 and 2011.

In 2021 he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration and to public leadership and education.

Ken is Chair of the Housing Australia People and Culture Committee.

Member - 5 years - 18 December 2025 - 17 December 2030

Richard joined the Housing Australia Board in June 2023. He was appointed to the Board of Mind Australia in May 2024 and is Chair of the Haven Foundation, a subsidiary of Mind Australia, which provides housing and wrap-around services for people with mental health issues.

Richard served as Victoria’s Minister for Planning and Housing for over 12 years, leading major reforms to the housing sector, including the Big Housing Build. He previously held ministerial portfolios covering Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs and Multicultural Affairs. A former Lord Mayor of Melbourne and City Council member, Richard also served as Cabinet Secretary and Parliamentary Secretary for Justice. Richard retired from state politics in 2022 as Victoria’s longest serving Planning Minister.

Richard began his career as a social worker at the Flemington Community Health Centre, supporting residents in public housing.