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Janet Cousens
Programs & Policy Director
In December 2010 Janet was appointed to the position of Programs and Policy Director. With a long history in management, Janet joined Act for Peace in May 2008, where she was responsible as International Program Coordinator for our Burma, Zimbabwe, Cambodia and Syria programs. Previously working on policy and program initiatives for a range of agencies including STARTTS, the NSW Refugee Health Service and NSW Health, the focus of Janet's work prior to joining Act for Peace has been on refugee resettlement, with a specific focus on health. During this time, Janet travelled as a volunteer to Indonesia and the Thai Burma border on several occasions to participate in health based training for refugees and IDPs. Janet’s entry into the humanitarian sector followed a vocation change from the world of international television, where she specialised in documentaries, working for a number of international organisations. Janet holds a Bachelor of Social Work, completing her Honours thesis on resettlement issues for Tamil Sri Lankan women, and a BA (Mass Comm).
“I firmly believe that we have a positive role to play in partnering with communities where we can fill the gap in the opportunities they have available to them to address the mechanisms that lead to injustices impacting on their lives. I’m constantly encouraged by the work of our partners and their belief that change is possible.”
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James Thomson
Policy & Advocacy Associate Director
James has served as the Act for Peace National Advocacy Officer for the Program on Refugees and Displaced People, and is currently Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy. James was the Rapporteur for UNHCR’s Annual Consultations with NGOs in 2007 and 2008, and he has attended the Ministerial Consultations and the DIAC-NGO Dialogue on Humanitarian Issues for the past seven years. James co-chairs the ACFID Protection Working Group, is the founding member and chair of the ACT International Protection Advisory Group, and is heavily involved in refugee rights work.
Prior to his current position he spent five years in Ethiopia and Eritrea working as a journalist and in the development field.
“I find my work to be a continuous challenge, but am motivated and inspired by the work of our project partners. I've worked for Act for Peace for eight years, but I continue to be amazed by our collaborative partnerships and what can be achieved when sharing common goals.”
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John Ball
International Programs Coordinator
John has a long history in policy and advocacy work. He is truly dedicated to ecumenism and has been heavily involved on Australian Indigenous issues, Sri Lankan peace advocacy and has played an integral role in the refugee and displaced peoples programs of Act for Peace. John was awarded the Sir Ron Wilson Human Rights Award in 2009. This award is presented to an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to advancing human rights in the international development sector. John is currently an International Program Coordinator working with project partners in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, India and with the Christian Conference of Asia. John has completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours Psychology) at the Australian National University, a Graduate Diploma in Management, RMIT and a Diploma in Education at La Trobe University.
“Serving and challenging the churches, as individuals and institutions, to advance ecumenical efforts for God’s shalom and salvation, is an inspiring but also often difficult mission.”
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Ben Fraser
International Programs Coordinator
Ben brings a wealth of international experience to the agency. He has undertaken a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Literature and has completed a Masters of Social Sciences in International Development. Ben has worked for Oxfam, Christian Aid, International Rescue Committee, International Lifeline Fund and has worked on the ground in many countries, managing the operations of programs in Sudan-Darfur, Uganda, Kenya, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia. He is now working with our partners in the conflict weary Gaza Strip, the Philippines, West Papua and Zimbabwe.
“I find the inner strength of those facing adversity and their determination to make a better life absolutely inspiring.”
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Luke Johnson
Vanuatu Church Program Coordinator
Luke has worked in humanitarian assistance and community development for 16 years serving in Bosnia/ Croatia, Afghanistan/Pakistan, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. He has recently joined Act for Peace as coordinator of the Vanuatu Church Partnership Program, and brings strong experience in the Melanesian region, having grown up in Papua New Guinea and worked in the region for the last 10 years. Luke has previously worked with NCCA–CWS as manager of the Pacific program from 2000 to 2003. He has a background in finance and qualifications in natural resource and environmental management. Areas of special interest are appropriate technology; community media and creative industries in development; environmentally sustainable development; indigenous cultures; and intercultural communication.
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Karen Rasmussen
International Programs Coordinator
Karen joined Act for Peace in February 2011. She grew up in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, and has an MA in International Studies from the University of Oregon.
Karen worked in international development for over 10 years in Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Cambodia, mainly in the fields of child rights and child protection. From 2006, she worked with a human rights-based approach to development, particularly advocating for children’s rights to protection from violence, through media campaigns, developing organisational policies, community research with children and adults, and training parents and caregivers in positive (non-violent) discipline.
“It’s been a big shift going from community development to humanitarian work, and taking a broader community protection focus, but I’m excited to be part of an organisation that is taking an active approach to advocating for peace by holding governments and other stakeholders accountable and empowering communities to take control of their lives.”
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Visier Sanyu
Refugee Coordinator
Visier joined NCCA in January 2004 and is currently the Refugee Coordinator for Act for Peace. He first worked in a Bangladesh refugee camp as a student volunteer when he was 19, studying at St Joseph College in Darjeeling, India.
He has been in involved in Indigenous Peoples movement for the last 30 years and was a speaker at United Nations on behalf of the Asian delegation at the Working Group for Indigenous People in Geneva. Visier holds a PhD in History from Nagaland University and a Bachelor of Theology from Whitley College, Melbourne University. He is a Research Fellow at Asia Monash Institute in Monash University and working on Naga Peace Process.
He is part of Initiatives of Change (www.iofc.org) and believes in the Philosophy of Frank Buchman, its founder,
“If everyone cares enough and everyone shares enough, everyone will have enough.”
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Fifi Rashando
Organisational Development Officer
Fifi joined Act for Peace in November 2010. She leads the development of information architecture, organisational knowledge management systems, and institutional infrastructure strengthening as part of a substantial and ongoing change management process. Her position was introduced to help Act for Peace and our partners assess how well we are achieving our strategic goals and to strengthen our capacity to do so. This has included developing technical tools and processes for improving the quality of institutional capacity and project evaluations as well as how we learn from them; coordinating reviews of our funding evaluation process and risk management; and leading the internal capacity assessment to ensure Act for Peace compliance with ACFID Code of Conduct, AusAID Accreditation Requirements, ACT Alliance Standards, and Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) Standards.
Fifi holds an MBA and has rich experience in successfully designing/refining business processes, setting up microfinance institutions, sustainable livelihood programs as well as social enterprises in post disaster environments. She previously worked for Habitat for Humanity, leading the operational expansion and integrating housing microfinance into its programs in Indonesia, and for Opportunity International Australia, providing technical consultancy and managing high level development programs in Indonesia, the Philippines, East Timor and India.
“I’m passionate to apply my skills and experience in providing strategic solutions to assist Act for Peace and councils of churches to enhance their capacity in developing sustainable development programs that will benefit their affected communities.”
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