Lisa Tomney

Manager, Positive Services.

Cipri Martinez

HIV+ve Peer Educator/Support/Treatments.

I have been living with HIV since 1993. In January 2001 I started working at WAAC providing one to one peer support and education.

In my work role I also facilitate workshops, retreats and an online support group. As many people with HIV now continue work after diagnosis, my working hours are reasonably flexible.

Amanda

Support Officer

I started at WAAC in 1999 as a Support Services Volunteer but had a break from 2001 until August 2003 where I started back as a volunteer on the Needle and Syringe Exchange Van. June 2004 I became a staff member in the Needle and Syringe Exchange Program and then at the end of 2006 I became a Support Officer. My role is varied and challenging and involves providing practical and financial support to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Grace

Support Officer

I joined Support Services as a Support Officer in 2007, and also maintain a role as an Outreach Officer in NSEP. I began volunteering with WAAC in 1999 and strongly uphold and support WAAC’s values and mission, believing strongly in sexual health education, reducing transmission and harm reduction. My background in Youth/Social Services, Drug and Alcohol and Education has given me valuable experience to bring to this role.

I have the wonderfully, diverse, enriching and challenging role of working with people living with HIV. I work to provide psychosocial emotional and practical support, reduce stigma and be a strong advocate for PLWHA. I also aim to engage and link clients into peer networks, mainstream activities and services. I have a strong commitment to ensuring PLWHA are living strong, living well and living now.

Counsellor

I have only recently started to work for WAAC as a part-time Counsellor. I previously volunteered for the Freedom Centre which was my first foray into working within the field of sexuality, gender, and sexual health. In addition to this I have experience and interest in facilitating group therapy and individual therapy with complex clients.

I have an honours degree in Psychology, and I am currently working towards my Masters and PhD in clinical psychology.

Ben Bradstreet

Counsellor

I started working at the WA AIDS Council in 2006. During my time here I have co-ordinated HIV/STI testing clinics, and from 2009 worked as a counsellor for Positive Services. I am passionate about  prevention of HIV transmission, and working to better the lives of those affected by HIV.

Claire Lawrie

Support Officer

I studied film and television, and creative writing at Curtin University as part of my B.A in English which didn’t feel like the most useful degree in the world until I went back to Scotland for 8 years.
I became an adult literacy tutor and volunteered at Waverley Care a not for profit organisation supporting PLWHIV in Edinburgh. I developed and delivered a creative writing course, exploring ways to use writing therapeutically, and it was through this work that I was employed as a support worker.  After a while in the support worker role I began to manage the buddy service.  The Buddy service recruited, trained and matched volunteers with clients in order to provide companionship and ease loneliness and feelings of isolation.  I then went on to set up and manage a befriending project for Ecas, a charity supporting people with physical disabilities.

I returned to live in Perth in May 2010 and I am excited to be on board and look forward to working with the team at WAAC and everyone involved.

Judy Walls

Community Development Officer

I started work with WAAC in April 2010, after returning to Australia from Mozambique, where for 12 years I worked for Oxfam. My passion is community development, working with community groups to achieve their aims and better serve their constituencies.

I hold a Masters degree in Ecologically Sustainable Development.