Our People

Chief Executive Officer

Sheree James is the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer at Family Spirit.

With 30 years’ experience within the Community Services Sector, Sheree is qualified and registered as a Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Educator. She holds a Bachelor Arts (Psy), Grad Dip Applied Science, Grad Dip Family Therapy, Master Medical Science, and Grad Cert Behaviour Support.

Prior to her role at Family Spirit, Sheree has previously provided leadership to several multidisciplinary therapeutic teams and has had extensive experience in Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance. With a passion and interest for Child Protection, Out-of-Home Care and Adoptions, she is also an experienced assessor and trainer within the sector having taught at TAFE NSW, ACAP and Bidura College.

Chief Practice Officer

Lisa Wicks brings over 25 years of dedicated experience in the out-of-home care sector to her professional journey. Having immersed herself in the dynamic landscape of child protection, out-of-home care and disabilities, Lisa is deeply committed to enhancing the well-being of children, young people, and families under her care.

Drawing from her extensive professional experience, Lisa possesses an innate ability to offer relatable depth to her work. As an experienced practitioner in the ARC framework and training in the CALM methodology, Lisa brings an extensive understanding and experience of trauma-informed care to Family Spirit.

Lisa’s lived experiences of being a foster carer have enriched her understanding and compassion for other carers. It is through personal and professional experience that drives her to be a catalyst for change.

General Manager

Carley is the General Manager of Family Spirit and brings over 15 years of experience in the Human Services sector. She holds a Bachelor of Policing and Criminology and is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Law.

Throughout her career, Carley has led teams across Child Protection, Out of Home Care, the Joint Child Protection Response Program, Youth Justice, and funded service providers in Permanency and Adoptions. Her leadership is grounded in a deep respect for the dignity and inherent worth of every child, family, and carer, and a strong commitment to walking alongside those who are most vulnerable.

Carley is passionate about delivering compassionate, high-quality services that strengthen families, promote safety and belonging for children, and uphold the principles of justice, solidarity, and the common good. She is committed to ensuring best practice through reflective, ethical casework that empowers families and values their voice and capacity.

In her role as General Manager, Carley is dedicated to strengthening Family Spirit’s capability to deliver high-quality Permanency Support Program services, Intensive Family Preservation, Adoption, and post-Adoption services, in a way that honours Family Spirit’s Catholic mission and commitment to service, compassion, and social justice.

Senior Office Manager

Debbie Gallagher, senior office manager at Family Spirit has an extensive career in leading and supporting teams in community-based settings from an organisational and operational perspective.  Her experience includes supporting pivotal mental health research at University of Sydney, coordinating mental health services across Sydney through the ATAPS program, and several years in Women’s health. 

As a mother and grandmother, Debbie shares a warmth of understanding around the needs of parenting.  Debbie is also very familiar, understanding the complexities of foster caring, having supported her parents who were foster carers for over thirty years in the Bankstown area.