Our Team

Philip Brookes - CEO

Philip comes to BDS with substantial experience gained leading other disability support organisations and serving on the South Australia State Committee of NDS (National Disability Services), the peak body for disability support providers in Australia. He has a great passion for people and supporting everyone to realise their full potential, and is thrilled to join the team at BDS, and learn about the aspirations of our clients and their families.

In addition to sector-specific knowledge, Philip brings a broad array of business experience encompassing Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Information Technology, and more. Philip spent many years consulting to non-profit organisations and is deeply committed to fostering strong and inclusive communities.

Although born in Victoria, Philip grew up in Nepal and India, has worked in Cambodia and Philippines, and has a multi-cultural family. In Brisbane he enjoyed greatly being able to support refugees and newly-arrived migrants through a number of his organisation’s initiatives, including a community farm, multicultural arts program, and other support services. He is looking forward to continue the work BDS is doing to provide culturally-aware and inclusive services that meet the needs of our diverse community.

Philip is a champion of collaboration, innovation, kindness, and values-driven teams, and is excited to work with the BDS team to ensure we provide the best possible opportunities for all our current and future participants. Although the disability support sector is facing considerable change and uncertainty, Philip believes that a positive, innovative mindset that anticipates and leads the way in creating the future we hope to see is the surest path to success. While it certainly isn’t easy, and he will continue to advocate and fight for legislative and procedural improvements to the NDIS, we should look forward to BDS making an ever-increasing contribution to people with disabilities in the City of Hume and beyond.

Geraldine Long - Client Services Manager

With more than 35 years’ industry experience across the disability sector, Geraldine brings a wealth of operational management and human resource management experience to BDS. She worked with DHHS for more than 20 years in strategic and senior management roles across disability accommodation services, community care and state-wide forensic services. Geraldine has been at BDS for the past 17 years and heads up our Client Services team.

Shanez De Silva - General Manager

Details coming soon

Michael Bzdel - Business Development Manager

Michael joined the BDS team as Business Development Manager in June 2023. He has 24 years’ local government experience in leadership and management positions with Hume City Council Leisure Centres. Michael is purpose driven and has a passion for implementing programs to the local community that improve their overall quality of life. He has successfully led his teams through 3 challenging facility redevelopments at Broadmeadows Aquatic and Leisure Centre during his time at Hume.

Kelly Zarb - Client Services Coordinator

With over 30 years of experience in the disability services sector, I have dedicated my career to supporting individuals with disabilities and improving their quality of life. My journey began with nearly 20 years at DHHS Accommodation Services, where I worked as both a support worker and front-line manager.

Qualified with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Intellectual Disability) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, I joined BDS in 2014, where I’ve progressed from support worker to team leader, and now Client Services Coordinator.

Throughout my career, I’ve remained passionate about delivering high-quality support, emphasising inclusion, community and a person-centred approach. My diverse experience in both direct support and front-line management roles has given me a comprehensive understanding of the sector, allowing me to effectively advocate for and implement best practices in client care.

Stephanie Maundrell - Team Leader

Melina Kritikos - Team Leader

Mary Skopelianos - Team Leader