OUR BOARD

Chris d'Aquino

Board Chair

Chris comes from one of the traditional Portuguese families of Macau. Her father was born and raised in Shanghai before immigrating to Australia following the rejection of foreigners under the Communist regime.

She commenced her career in Women’s Refuges in 1983 and played an instrumental role in establishing one of Queensland’s first Domestic Violence Services. Over the years, she transitioned into various roles within the Queensland Government, including positions with Legal Aid Queensland, the Office for Women, and my current role with the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety.

Chris has dedicated her life to advancing social justice causes, with a particular focus on advocating for women’s rights and addressing the unique challenges faced by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women. Chris served on the board of the Immigrant Women’s Support Service (IWSS) as a director previously and now holds the role of Chair of the Board, as of 2025.

Her vision for IWSS is to ensure that CALD women experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault receive a professional, culturally appropriate service tailored to their specific needs. Chris is committed to amplifying their voices at all levels of government, ensuring that IWSS is a leader in influencing reforms to improve the lives of women, particularly CALD women, across Queensland and beyond.

Annabelle Allimant

Board Vice Chair

Annabelle is mother to a son, part of a multicultural extended family, a Social Worker (SW) experienced in work with individuals, families, managed three NGOs including IWSS, governance roles in multicultural services and held Snr SW positions in three hospitals.  Annabelle is originally from Chile, arriving in Australia in the 70’s.  

Trauma informed understandings that include impact of migration on individuals / families, settlement experience, surviving oppression, power imbalance, multilayers of loss and undeniable resilience underpin what Annabelle brings to being part of the Board of IWSS.  She identifies her work practice and worldviews to be informed by lived experiences, exposures, and formal education.

Annabelle is aware of the difference timely support makes to how a person from CALD can adjust, survive, and thrive whilst their humanity, dignity, self-respect, and self-efficacy remain. Barriers in language, understanding of Australian systems, culture and religion, lack of options and access to timely information render women and their children from CALD backgrounds further isolated leading to unacceptable risks and vulnerable when braking patterns of DFV and sexual abuse.

Women from CALD backgrounds, like many others across the world demonstrate unwavering resilience, hope, and determination.  Annabelle’s determination to engage with IWSS never dimmed; a close link forged continues in her personal journey as a woman from CALD background.  IWSS exposed her to a journey that sadly remains prevalent in the private, the silence of family secrets and capacity to reach in systems advocacy that remain, as it should, a community responsibility to call it out.  Diversity at its broadest definition, an important factor for consideration.  Annabelle candidly and proactively engages on processes and forums about injustice, inequity, racism, individual / systems barriers and discrimination. 

Dr Nora Amath

Board Director

Dr Nora Amath is a sociologist, community leader, and long-time advocate for the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of migrant and refugee women. With more than two decades of experience in domestic and family violence prevention, multicultural community development, and interfaith and intercultural engagement, she has dedicated her career to creating culturally safe, trauma-informed pathways to support and healing.

Nora’s commitment to this work is deeply personal. As a woman from a refugee background, she understands the complexities that CALD women navigate: multiple identities, cultural expectations, systemic barriers, and the profound courage required to seek safety. This lived experience shapes her leadership and fuels her lifelong dedication to gender equity, social justice, and community-led solutions.

She brings extensive professional expertise to the IWSS Board. Nora co-founded Sakina Refuge, Queensland's first and only culturally responsive domestic violence refuges for Muslim and CALD women, and later managed DFV, settlement, and community education programs, including refuge operations. Across these roles, she has led governance, risk management, child-safe practice, crisis response, and the design of culturally-attuned prevention and early intervention programs. Her work has consistently centred on meeting women where they are- emotionally, culturally, and spiritually.

Nora also contributes significant governance and policy experience. She has served on numerous state and national advisory bodies, including the Multicultural Advisory Council to the Australian Government, the Queensland Government’s Women’s Safety Taskforce, and the Faith as a Strength: Preventing Violence Against Women project with the University of Melbourne and Our Watch. She is the former Chair of Islamic Relief Australia and has held leadership roles across multiple community organisations, including her executive director's role at the Islamophobia Register Australia and her board role at QPASTT.

Nora is motivated by values of compassion, justice, and community responsibility. She hopes to contribute strategic insight, community perspective, and strong governance to support IWSS in continuing to lead in culturally responsive services and prevention. Her vision is for a future where migrant and refugee women live free from violence and where services are shaped by the voices, strengths, and leadership of the communities they serve.

Sue Tamatimu

Board Director

Sue joined IWSS because she believes in collective care, cultural safety and standing with women and families when they need it most. The organisation’s purpose aligns closely with her own values; compassion, accountability, and the belief that meaningful change happens when people feel seen and supported. IWSS’s commitment to culturally informed, trauma‑aware support is exactly the kind of work Sue wants to give her time to.

Her decision to join the Board is shaped by years of working in roles focused on equity, community wellbeing, empowerment and system and service improvement. Sue has supported families navigating complex services, advocated for better access and inclusion, and seen firsthand how important it is for culturally and linguistically diverse communities to have a safe place to turn to. Those experiences stay with you and are why she wants to give her time to an organisation that is making a real difference.

Sue brings a perspective grounded in health equity, community advocacy and nearly two decades working across government, health and service innovation for social impact. Her focus is always on strengthening relationships, elevating diverse voices, and keeping governance and strategy connected to the realities of the women we serve.

Sue’s hope for IWSS is that every woman who comes to us feels seen, believed and supported, and that our work helps shift systems so fewer women ever need crisis services. If her contribution helps move us closer to that future, then it’s a privilege to serve.

Claudia Diaz Amayo

Board Secretary

Claudia holds a Law degree from Universidad de Lima, a Graduate Diploma in International Human Rights from the University of Nottingham (UK), and a Master’s degree in Governance and Public Policy from The University of Queensland. Claudia’s academic background has deepened her understanding of human rights frameworks, legal systems, and public policy, which She apply in support of organisations advocating for immigrant and refugee women.

Having arrived in Australia without family in 2008, Claudia understands firsthand the importance of safe, trusted communities, particularly for women experiencing vulnerability, transition, or crisis. This lived experience shapes her values and approach, which is grounded in compassion, inclusion, and an intersectional understanding of how gender, migration status, culture, and other identities shape access to rights and opportunities.

In Claudia’s professional role over the past year as Manager of Engagement at the Queensland Human Rights Commission, she works to ensure that diverse and lived‑experience perspectives are meaningfully considered in policy discussions. Through her role with Immigrant Women’s Support Services, Claudia is committed to supporting the organisation’s mission, strengthening sustainable governance, and working collectively to protect and advance the human rights, safety, and empowerment of immigrant women.

 Through her work in Anti- Discrimination Act review, she gained deeper understanding of the issues faced by victim- survivors, which led to the recent legislative changes that broaden their protections against discrimination in Queensland. 

Claudia is known for her effective communication skills, strong consultation abilities, and a deep understanding of the needs of multicultural communities. She has a proven track record in developing partnerships, delivering tailored workshops, and advocating for the rights and needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Her passion for fostering inclusive and equitable environments drives her professional efforts. 

Marica Ristic

Board Director

Marica Ristic was born in the country once known as Yugoslavia, which later disintegrated during the war in the early 1990s. In 1998, she and her husband arrived in Australia with their two young children on a humanitarian refugee visa. Together, they built a new life on the Gold Coast, embracing the opportunities their new home country offered.Arriving without English and needing to gain new qualifications, Marica understands firsthand the challenges and strengths involved in starting over in a new country. These lived experiences, combined with her education and professional background, have shaped Marica’s long-standing commitment to supporting migrant and refugee communities.

Marica commenced her career with the Multicultural Families Organisation, where for ten years she supported migrant and refugee settlement on the Gold Coast. In 2017, alongside the late Cornelia Babbage, she played an instrumental role in establishing the SARA Program, the first domestic and family violence support service specifically for migrant and refugee women on the Gold Coast. Her professional experience spans domestic and family violence prevention, including roles within a local women’s refuge and the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre, where Marica currently serve as Practice Lead. Through this work, she has developed strong skills in leadership, service development, and culturally informed practice.

Marica is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and the safety of women and children. Working alongside migrant and refugee women over many years has continually reinforced for her the importance of services that are culturally informed, accessible, and grounded in respect and dignity, services that not only respond to individual needs, but actively and fiercely advocate for systemic changes.

Marica believe that IWSS, after 40 years of service to the migrant and refugee women and their communities, has strongly established itself as a critical leader in this space. Her vision is for IWSS to continue as a leading voice and fearless advocate for migrant and refugee women and children, strengthening communities, influencing policy, and ensuring that the voices of those most affected are heard at all levels of decision-making.

Deborah Tien

Board Treasurer

Deborah Tien currently serves as Treasurer of Immigrant Women’s Support Service (IWSS), where she provides financial leadership and oversight to support the organisation’s governance, accountability and long-term sustainability. In this role, she works closely with the board and management team to ensure sound financial management, transparency and responsible stewardship of organisational resources.

Deborah comes from a background spanning the banking and fashion industries, with a key focus on business administration, management, and entrepreneurship, and extensive experience in financial management, customer engagement, and organisational administration. She has also managed her own retail business, providing practical expertise in entrepreneurship, financial planning, and strategic decision-making.

Currently undertaking a Bachelor with honours of Laws at Griffith University alongside postgraduate business studies, Deborah has a strong interest in governance, financial sustainability within the not-for-profit sector, and community capacity building.

Originally born in Taiwan and migrated to Australia in 2007, Deborah has a deep cultural understanding and connections within culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. She has also continued to contribute her time and resources through legal and language volunteering support, assisting individuals to better understand available services and resources.

Through her role as Treasurer, Deborah is committed to strengthening IWSS’s financial governance while supporting the organisation’s mission to empower immigrant and refugee women.