Finance and Risk Management Chairperson & Joint Chairpersons – Mike McFillin
Mike is an accountant by profession. He has founded a number of businesses during the course of his career. He recently retired from and audit only accountancy practice that he has operated since 2009.
He has a wide range of experience in addition to the above, having conducted peer reviews for CPA Australia, establishing and managing a Registered Training Organisation as well as being a tax and business advisor for over 30 years. He was also an authorised representative under the relevant financial advice legislation.
Mike’s key strengths include the ability to work with people to achieve a common goal and bring a sense of perspective to any given situation. He also has a detailed understanding of financial sustainability.
Having been on the Encircle board since early 2013, Mike sees his involvement as an effective and meaningful way to give back to the community. His values of fair play, honesty and integrity align with the values of Encircle.
Current Qualifications: B Bus, member CPA Australia.
Secretary & Joint Chairpersons – Laurelle Muir
Laurelle Muir has 25 years experience in social planning, community development and community engagement.
Her experience in local government in South East Queensland has included working with disadvantaged communities in the Moreton Bay Region and across Brisbane.
During the 2011 flood Laurelle was a Coordinator at a major Council evacuation centre, and managed community development recovery projects across Brisbane following the crisis.
As Manager of Community Engagement for Brisbane City Council, Laurelle was involved in the design and delivery of engagement strategies seeking community input into major projects that have shaped the City.
Laurelle holds a Masters Degree in Social Planning, and a Master of Philosophy researching the role of place-based community organisations in the activation of community disaster resilience.
She has been on the Management Committee and Encircle Board since 2008, holding the role of Board Secretary for five years, as well as sharing the role of Chair of the Board over the past year.
Laurelle has a strong belief in the ability of communities to work collectively to lead action and innovation at the local level to influence both social and environmental outcomes for where we live.
General Directors
Jim Deutschmann
Jim Deutschmann is a retired Minister of Religion / Pastor who has served various communities over the past 50 years.
Having gained experience as a Community Development Officer under the Australian Assistance Plan, he has always looked at way’s churches can meet needs in the community.
While working in the Maryborough Church of Christ Jim headed up the community group who established the Community Youth Support Scheme which helped unemployed youth move into the workforce. He also established the Family Day Care Scheme in Maryborough and Hervey Bay.
In 1985 Jim moved to Brisbane to serve in the state office of Churches of Christ firstly as Youth Activities coordinator and later as Director of Church Development. Jim’s role included the management of three convention centres in the state, running state wide events and the training of upcoming leaders.
Jim served as the Senior pastor of Arana Hills Church of Christ for 10 years prior to his retirement. Having built a house at Warner he joined the Bray Park Community church where he was employed part time with the responsibility of taking the church into the community.
Jim became involved with the Neighbourhood Centre at Lawnton serving of the sub committee who established N.I.L.S. no interest loans scheme, The combined Churches Community support Scheme and the Affordable Food Outlet.
In his second attempt at retirement Jim became involved as coordinator of volunteers working in the garden at Encircle. Four years ago, he was invited to join the Encircle Board.
Jim brings to the committee his administration skills, his knowledge of the Pine Rivers community and his heart for helping people in their time of need.
Dr Noel Tracey
Prior to academia, Dr Noel Tracey lead operations at state and regional level for several well-known retail brands including BP Australia, Overflow and Timezone.
He has held senior executive responsibilities for environmentally focused and sustainable businesses and consulted on a range of projects for small and large organisations.
Noel has lectured for over 18 years at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels for several Queensland Universities in the areas of governance and sustainability, employment relations, management and leadership, innovation and technology management.
Noel is currently a Program Coordinator for the USC School of Business and Creative Industries and is committed to ensuring students from all walks of life can engage with tertiary education as this becomes ever more crucial to long-term success.
He is currently a member of the Innovate Moreton Bay Steering Committee, undertaking research into entrepreneurship and innovation in the Moreton region and drawing on his PhD in corporate reputation and financial performance in an effort to better understand regional identity and how to attract innovators to the region.
Fiona Graham
Fiona Graham is a solicitor who operates her own legal firm and practices, in the main, in South East Queensland.
Fiona has been practicing in child protection, domestic violence, criminal law and mental health law for over thirty years.
She has been a volunteer at the Pine Rivers Community Legal Service for nine years and has previously been a volunteer member of the Queensland Law Society Criminal Law Committee and the Legal Aid Reference Group Committee.
Fiona is well respected by members of the Judiciary and other members of the profession. She has an interest in social justice and helping those most in need. She brings to the Board knowledge in governance and in areas of the law where Encircle has daily dealings.
Cheryl Springer
Cheryl Jane Springer is a retired business owner and has lived in the Pine Rivers area since 1972.
She began her professional life as a primary school teacher and then went into a communications business with her husband in 1987. After the sale of this business in 1999, they opened a solar business in 2002 and this business has recently been sold to their three sons.
As a business owner of more than 30 years’ experience, Cheryl’s core belief is that a business needs to build trust in the business brand through honesty, integrity, and a focus on ethical behaviour and that this should drive all relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers.
Cheryl’s solar business now employs over 50 people and the brand is well recognised, trusted and accepted by a wide range of customers from the smallest residential home to the largest commercial installation.
Cheryl believes that a family business is in a unique position in the business world to build trust – and to build a solid reputation based on these values.