Our Board

Karen Rhodes
President

Karen has been involved with the Home since August 2006 when she adopted one of the Home’s long-termers, Homer. Karen’s background is marketing and advertising and she has led the Home in increasing awareness, fundraising and developing valuable corporate partnerships. Karen has adopted three beloved dogs from the home, Homer (adopted 2006), Bronson (adopted 2009) and senior Harley (adopted 2017). Sadly they have now crossed the rainbow bridge, but Karen's house remains full of foster dogs. Karen devotes a huge volume of time to the Home and our dogs and is a regular weekend walker. She is always meeting her new “favourite” dog.

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Lynne Milligan
Vice President

Prior to Lynne joining our Board, she was (and still is) a long-term volunteer dog walker and has assisted us with events and fundraising. Lynne spends more time at the Dogs' Refuge Home than she does at home and whilst she doesn't have a dog at home, Lynne treats all of our homeless hounds as if they are her own.

Chris Osborn
Secretary

Chris is a lawyer in Perth specialising in commercial law. Chris has previously adopted two rescue dogs, one from the Hong Kong SPCA and the other from our Home. Chris worked on the Home's successful application for Designated Gift Recipient Status (by which donors obtain a tax deduction). He has worked in Australia and Hong Kong and was previously Secretary of the Hong Kong SPCA. Having made a significant and ongoing contribution to the Home, Chris is recognised as a Life Member.

Phillip Golding
Treasurer

Phillip is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and has extensive experience advising a wide range of businesses on financial and taxation issues. He has been involved with not-for-profit organisations in medical research, health care and sport. Phillip and his wife are devoted humans for two golden retrievers.

Lynda Hancy
Board Member
Lynda became a volunteer in 2003. Her contribution to our Home has been considerable and includes being our ‘volunteer’ Volunteer Coordinator for three years where she, together with her husband John, developed our computer login system to enable us to track volunteer hours.
Marsha Sullivan
Board Member
Marsha is an avid animal lover and advocate and have been a volunteer at Perth Zoo since 1999. She is a Docent volunteer guide and has been training new Docent recruits for 12 years as well as participating in behaviour enrichment programs for the animals. Marsha joined the Dogs' Refuge Home team in 2012 and has been an avid dog walker and is now regular Friday office team member.
Leanne Copping
Board Member
Leanne is a communications, marketing and stakeholder engagement professional with extensive experience in urban planning and development, major infrastructure projects and the resources industry in Western Australia and New South Wales. She has been a volunteer dog walker since 2020, has two much loved rescue dogs and also adopted a dog from the Home in 2000.
Denise Cheir
Board Member
Originally from Guernsey, in the British Channel Islands, Denise has held significant leadership roles working with high profile organisations, with extensive general management experience in dynamic branding environments. Denise is highly networked in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors and has proven experience in working and engaging with local communities including the Aboriginal cultural sector. She is a Board Member of Ronald McDonald House Charities WA and Police & Community Youth Centres (PCYC) WA and she has chaired the Fundraising and Brand Advisory Committee for Ronald McDonald House Charities, been a member of the Capital Fundraising Committee for St Vincent de Paul Society and held Advisory Board memberships for Crown Resorts Foundation and Brightwater Care Group.
Alex Gillespie
Board Member
Alex began volunteering for the Home in 2019 as a dog walker and foster carer. He is the Chair of the Home's Risk Committee and has extensive experience as a Risk, Compliance and Audit professional across the banking, energy and not-for-profit sectors in both Australia and the UK. Although Alex does not have a dog at home as yet, he loves to foster and help dogs prepare for their forever home, and is always on the lookout for his next squishy faced best friend.
Simon Herbert
Board Member
Simon is a registered builder with qualifications in estimation and business management. Simon is the director of a residential building company that operates in the Western Suburbs. Simon has extensive experience in both contract and project management and is helping the home facilitate their ongoing building and maintenance works. Simon is an avid animal lover with 1 chocolate Labrador and 1 x Burmese Cat at home and continues to support many animal welfare charities.