About us

Women and Mentoring (WAM) offer a unique, early intervention program that supports women and non-binary people in contact with the legal system by matching them individually with a supportive mentor. The volunteer mentors are trained and resourced to provide appropriate support to the program participants, to share their skills and to contribute to the wider community.

WAM began operating in the City of Yarra (in Melbourne) working with the Neighbourhood Justice Centre in 2009, and in 2015 received funding from the Melbourne Women’s Fund to replicate the program in the Sunshine Magistrates Court precinct.

With recurrent philanthropic funding, we have been able to expand our service area to provide support to more criminalised women who experience significant challenges in their life. Since 2022, with state government funding, we can now receive referrals for women across all metropolitan Melbourne areas. In 2023 we began accepting referrals from the Ballarat area. Referrals for women outside metro Melbourne and Ballarat may also be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the location and mentor availability. Remote mentoring may also be offered to women in other regional locations.

Our 2021 Evaluation Report demonstrates that engagement with a mentor has made a significant positive difference to the participants’ confidence, coping mechanisms and capacity to respond to their legal matters and address the issues that underlie their offending. The vast majority of the participants have avoided a prison sentence and have not re-offended.

WAM has been fortunate to rely on strong connections and partnerships to deliver this unique and gender-responsive initiative. We welcome interest and support from the community in mentoring and skilled volunteer roles. We work collaboratively with many partners in the health justice and community services sector for referrals.

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OUR BOARD

  • Susan Short

    Chair

    Susan is an experienced finance, program, and project management professional who spent much of her career in large corporate and financial institutions. In 2023, she transitioned from the corporate sector to focus on creating greater social impact and promoting wellbeing.
    Susan is also a qualified nutritionist and health coach, and she mentors both women re-entering the workforce and those navigating wellness and lifestyle challenges. Combining corporate expertise with a passion for people development and health, Susan brings a balanced, human-centred approach to helping others build confidence, clarity, and direction in both their professional and personal lives.

  • Emily Haddow

    Deputy Chair

    Emily Haddow is a justice policy specialist and career public servant with experience across custodial operations, community corrections and the courts. She combines academic training in criminology, public policy and forensic mental health with expertise in strategic reform and project delivery. Her work across operational settings, health services and social policy — in Australia and abroad — provides strong insight into justice systems and their challenges. Emily is skilled in managing complex change and building partnerships across government, private enterprise and the community sector. She is currently a Community Visitor with the Office of the Public Advocate and is passionate about addressing disadvantage and marginalisation within justice responses.

  • Sabina Ahmed

    Director/ Company Secretary

    Sabina Ahmed is an investment leader, mentor, and advocate for migrant women, with extensive experience across public and private markets. As the first female portfolio manager in Pakistan’s asset management sector, she built her career on resilience, disciplined practice, and ethical leadership.
    In Australia, Sabina has held senior roles in funds management, portfolio construction, and strategic asset allocation, with a strong focus on governance and purpose-driven investing. She also mentors migrant women and young female finance students, supporting their confidence and pathways into leadership. At WAM, Sabina brings expertise in governance, strategic thinking, and community engagement, driven by her belief that diverse leadership creates stronger, more equitable organisations.

  • Amber O'Meara

    Director

    With two decades’ experience in communications, marketing, and innovation, Amber brings strategic insight and a deep commitment to social impact. At MinterEllison, Amber partners with Purpose Leads, Pro Bono, and Social Impact teams to deliver purpose-driven initiatives. Amber is passionate about aligning her corporate skills with community needs to support women meaningfully.

  • Allison Wetzels

    Director

    Allison is a senior finance executive with extensive experience leading financial strategy, governance and organisational performance across complex organisations. She provides high-level financial and strategic advice to boards and executive teams, with a strong focus on building financial capability to support long-term objectives. Allison has held senior leadership roles within government, overseeing financial management, reporting and corporate finance functions. She is a CPA and holds a Master of Commerce (Accounting and Law) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Hons).

  • Yvonne Dickson

    Director

    A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Yvonne brings extensive leadership and governance experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has held numerous non-executive director roles, including with Westernport Water and Biala Peninsula. Passionate about community impact, she volunteers as an Independent Person supporting young people in police custody through Victoria’s Youth Referral Independent Person Program.

  • Caroline Gibson

    Director

    Caroline holds a Bachelor of Education (Monash), a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, and a Certificate in Executive Coaching. She currently works at the University of Melbourne, leading capability and culture initiatives within the Advancement team and co-chairing Diversity and Inclusion.
    With more than 25 years’ experience in business development and fundraising, Caroline has built strong expertise in strategic partnerships across corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors.
    Caroline is deeply committed to human rights and ethical leadership, and has worked with senior leaders across Australia to support values-driven decision-making. She is also a Board Member of Southern Peninsula Community Support.

  • Bonnie Loftgood

    Director

    Bonnie (they/them) is a values-driven leader with deep experience in workplace reform, governance, culture and human rights practice across complex public sector and not-for-profit environments. They are currently a Director at the Australian Human Rights Commission, leading evidence-based culture reform programs grounded in intersectionality, safety and inclusion.
    Bonnie brings strong capability in strategy, risk and accountability frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and program oversight. They are committed to Women and Mentoring’s early-intervention mission, supporting women and non-binary people in contact with the legal system to build positive life skills and pathways away from the criminal justice system.

  • Trevor Irwin

    Director

    Trevor is an experienced accountant with a background in corporate, university and not-for-profit sectors. He is a CPA, has an MBA and is an Australian law graduate (juris doctor).

OUR TEAM