Australian Committee Members
Bruce York
President
Bruce joined the Australian Committee in November 2013. He is a Commerce Graduate, CPA and Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and JP with a commercial management accounting and corporate secretarial background in major corporates completing his career with Woolworths Limited as National Property Lease Administration Manager in July 2007. He also has an extensive background in not for profit corporates. Bruce was a member of the Mission Team which visited the Zambia’s Child projects in Zambia in July 2014. He is married with three adult children and six grandchildren and is a member of St Peter’s East Lindfield where he has been Missions Committee Chairman.
Peter Hutchison
Vice President Administration
Peter joined the Zambia’s Child Committee in May 2014 and serves as Secretary. Peter made his first trip to the projects in Zambia in July 2016. Peter has qualifications in various aspects of management & business and has worked professionally in management consulting and information technology organisations across Asia Pacific in leadership roles for over 20 years. He has extensive experience in Board level governance, risk management & technology. Peter is married to Heather and are raising their three children in East Lindfield and is a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church East Lindfield.
Kim Mukuka
Vice President Operations/Founding Member
Kim is a founding member of Zambia’s Child (formerly Blessed to Bless). She graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Primary Education in 1998 and has spent 15 years in education, including over 8 years teaching in Christian, public and independent schools in various parts of NSW and over seven years establishing and growing Ipalo Christian Community School in Zambia. She married Zambian man Ralph Mukuka in 2005, and took a break from teaching at the end of 2007 to become a full-time mother (going on to have three children). In August 2012 Kim moved to Zambia with her family to become the Project Manager of Ipalo Christian Community School in Chingola, which was the fulfilment of her vision to see impoverished Zambian children educated. While the school continues to grow, Kim has now returned to Australia where she helps to oversee the work of Zambia’s Child through assisting with fundraising and awareness and also by mentoring and liaising with staff in Zambia.
Ros Philips
Office Administrator/Sponsorship Program Co-ordinator and Founding Member
Ros is a founding member of the Zambia’s Childs (formally Blessed to Bless) Committee. She is a humanities graduate in the area of ancient and Middle Eastern history, and early Christian studies. Ros spent the first five years of her marriage in Luxor with her Egyptian husband. Raising their four children was Ros’s first priority, and after moving back to Australia worked in banking and clerical roles doing shift work so as to be home for their children, as well as assisting her husband in their family business. Ros attends St Peter’s East Lindfield. She is the Public Officer and full time volunteer for Zambia’s Child and travels to Zambia each year to visit the projects.
David Vernon
Public Officer
David is an Associate of the Governance Institute of Australia, Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, and JP with a banking and corporate secretarial background. He worked in Westpac for 25 years from 1970 to 1995. David also worked for twenty years as Assistant Bursar / Administration Manager at Newington College, Stanmore from 1996 to 2015. He is married to Helen with three adult children and five grandchildren and am a member of St Andrew’s Roseville. He hopes to be able to help with the great work that Zambia’s Child is doing to assist the young people and their families in Zambia.
Trudy Lawton
Secretary
Trudy joined the Zambia’s Child Committee in December 2019 having had a growing interest and heart for the organisation as a result of meeting Kim Mukuka a few years previously. She is originally from the UK where she has a background in corporate media operations. Trudy moved to Australia 10 years ago and has since been raising 3 boys alongside her husband Derek. Trudy and her family are members of St David’s Anglican Church in Forestville.
Rod Berry
Committee Member
Rod joined the Zambia’s Child Committee in December 2018, after being a keen supporter of the organisation for many years. Rod is a qualified Actuary who has worked for several multi-national reinsurance companies over the last 20 years, specialising in areas such as product development, marketing, strategy and business development. Rod has also been actively involved in the Uniting Church as an Elder and member of Church Council and running various youth programmes. Rod is married to Marion and they have two adult children in Cherrybrook, where Rod attends the Cherrybrook Uniting Church.
Gabe Vider
Committee Member
Gabe joined the Zambia Child Committee in May 2021 taking on the role of Accountant. He is CPA qualified with a commercial accounting background in large agri-business organisations in Australia and some years in the USA. Gabe has extensive experience in financial reporting, risk management and process improvement. Gabe is married to Wendy and they have 3 children in East Lindfield. Recently retired from corporate life Gabe is aiming to support Zambia’s Child in its goal of alleviating poverty by providing hope through quality education and community development.
David Abbey
Committee Member
David joined the Australian Committee in November 2022. He has a Diploma in Teaching, Batchelor of Education, a Masters in Educational Leadership specialising in Teacher Professional Development (all from Western Sydney University) and holds a Preliminary Theological Certificate from Moore College. David works as an Early Career Teacher Mentor and Assistant Principal in Western Sydney having previously been a Teaching Principal, Deputy Principal, Consultant as well as 2 years as Headteacher in a one teacher international school in PNG. David and his with Heather attend St Pauls Carlingford and have had extensive involvement as leaders and class members in several Bible study fellowships in Sydney. They have 3 adult sons and 3 grandchildren and are looking forward to visiting Zambia having previously served in 2 mini missions with churches and schools in Uganda.
Edwina Baily
Committee Member
Edwina Baily joined the Australian Committee in January 2023. With a degree in Economics and Diploma of Youth and Community Work (Christian), she has been working with Christian youth and community development organisation, Fusion Australia Ltd for 25 years. In that time, Edwina has worked in a range of youth and community programs, in Christian radio, with local churches and schools through the Awakening movement, in leadership and management, and more recently in the National Communications Team. Edwina has governance experience, having served as a Director on the Fusion Board of Trustees. Edwina is passionate about seeing lives transformed through education, the alleviation of poverty and the love of Jesus. This passion motivated her to bring her skills and experience to Zambia’s Child. Along with her family, Edwina worships at Turramurra Uniting Church, leading a playgroup ministry and Kids’ Church there.