Our Team - Courage to Care

Mike Zervos | CEO

Chief Executive Officer since 2018, Mike brings a wealth of not-for-profit experience to Courage to Care. From leadership roles at Make a Wish Foundation, Alannah and Madeline Foundation and Guide Dogs Victoria, he has also had an extensive corporate career. He leads a small, enthusiastic team who can only achieve all that they do with the outstanding support of a larger group of dedicated volunteers.

Mike and his wife Ros are keen long-distance runners and Mike has recently completed his 15th Melbourne Marathon.
ceo@couragetocare.org.au

Lisa Lewis | Volunteer Relationships Manager

Lisa’s role is integral in cultivating and nurturing relationships with our volunteers. She handles volunteer communications, arranges events and consistently supports our volunteers.

Lisa can often be found behind the camera, and together with her husband and two daughters, she loves to explore different foods and cultures through local and overseas travel.

volunteer.coordinator@couragetocare.org.au

Zoi Juvris | Training Manager

Starting in 2011 as Program Manager and jack-of-all-trades, Zoi continues to contribute to a range of activities across the organisation, drawing on skills from her design, writing and communications experience. As Training Manager, she is now responsible for the development of our comprehensive volunteer training syllabus.

Zoi is a keen hiker – particularly in wilderness areas – and an avid reader, combining her interests by reading while walking. When at home, Zoi creates textile and craft pieces using recycled materials.
training.manager@couragetocare.org.au

Karen Maclean | Education Manager

Karen joined us in 2025 as Education Manager, leading the educational strategic direction through the development and review of the programs and resources offered. Karen will be supporting Zoi with the volunteer training activities drawing on her classroom experience as a secondary Science and PE teacher. More recently, Karen has experience in road safety education for the Victorian Government, delivering programs in schools with a focus on safe active transport and learner drivers.

Karen enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two teenage children, swimming, boating or walking their two dogs. Equally she enjoys a Sunday at home cooking and trying new recipes.

education.manager@couragetocare.org.au

Deb van der Zee | Operations Manager

Deb is our inaugural Operations Manager, joining us in 2023, and her extensive operational management expertise is pivotal in ensuring the smooth delivery of our program with all the logistical requirements involved.

Deb has had a diverse career across the private and public sector, having worked as an educator, run her own business, and through to larger area management roles. Deb is drawn to the Courage to Care cause and how she can use her organisational and operational expertise to support our educational program. Deb loves to travel and experience other cultures and food, and spend time with her two rescue dogs.
operations.manager@couragetocare.org.au

Karen Lutchner | Schools Program Coordinator

Karen, together with Donna, is responsible for direct communications with schools – overseeing bookings, logistical details and program resources. Karen’s attention to detail is vital to ensuring the programs are delivered smoothly.

Karen loves to bake and decorate cakes and all kinds of sweet treats. She derives much joy from creating beautiful, delicious desserts and special occasion cakes and sharing them with family and friends.
karenl@couragetocare.org.au

Donna Bryfman | Schools Program Coordinator

Donna, together with Karen, is responsible for direct communications with schools – overseeing bookings, logistical details and program resources.

Donna is a former primary school teacher. She is passionate about catering for individual needs of students in a safe, nurturing environment so they reach their potential. She learnt early on from her grandmother that “education is power no one can take away from you”. Donna enjoys travelling to experience different cultures, the beach, and catching up with family and friends.

program.coordinator@couragetocare.org.au

It doesn’t stop here!

Our extended team includes more than 150 volunteers all under the oversight of our Committee of Management (COM).

It is only with the unwavering commitment of our multi-talented and dedicated team that we can transform bystanders into Upstanders across Victoria and work towards a truly cohesive society.

Alexis Pollard | Roster and Operations Support

Alexis joined us in February 2024 and, as a member of the Operations Team, she is specifically responsible for the coordination of the logistics of rostering volunteers and drivers for program delivery and helps to coordinate school bookings.

Alexis has a long & varied background in volunteer coordination, social support, community health & case management and is passionate about equality and social justice. She loves working with volunteers and like-minded people. She is also passionate about cooking and sharing meals with friends and enjoys curling up on the couch with her cats and a good book.
support@couragetocare.org.au

Our Patrons and Ambassador

We are proud to have the following Patrons and Ambassador representing us. Each of them in their unique way support the work and key messages of Courage to Care.

Patrons

Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE was born in Austria with Jewish ancestry and immigrated to Australia with his family in 1939. After studying medicine at the University of Sydney, his influential research helped lay the foundations of modern immunology. A tireless campaigner for scientific research, Sir Gustav was President of the Australian Academy of Science and a long-term adviser to the World Health Organisation and Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council for the Bill and Melinda Gates Children’s Vaccine Program. He was Deputy Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation from 1997 to 2000.

Uncle Alf Turner or Uncle Boydie to most – is a true gentleman and believed to be the oldest living Yorta Yorta Elder in Victoria. In addition to making his own substantial contribution to his community, he is custodian of the legacy of his grandfather, the Aboriginal leader William Cooper, an activist whose compassion extended beyond the suffering of his own people. In 1938, William Cooper lodged a personal protest against the treatment of European Jews in Nazi Germany, walking from his home in Footscray to the German consulate. It was one of the first protests in the world against the actions of the Nazis.

Ambassador

Alpha Cheng is a true humanitarian. After suffering the profound loss of his father at the hands of an extremist, Alpha Cheng has turned his tragedy into a call for Australians to unite rather than be divided by hate.

“Real life education activity which helps engage students in understanding the Holocaust and the “Upstanding” message. A great experience, especially for our rural students who cannot travel to Melbourne.”

Teacher, Horsham Secondary College

“As a child of Holocaust survivors I feel strongly that through educating children about the consequences of discrimination we will be able to create a better and more embracing community.”

Volunteer

“It’s eye-opening and teaches us much more than history and the Holocaust. It inspires you to be an individual and stand up for your beliefs. It made me realise that I can make a difference.”

Year 11 Student, Sale

“It engaged the student with real details, then took it further to make it matter. Excellent presenters, great materials, effective program. “

Teacher, Xavier High School

“Volunteering for Courage to Care is a worthy use of my time as it contributes to a better society.”

Volunteer

“Enjoyed the session. Got a lot out of it. It wasn’t what I expected.”

Participant, Workplace Upstander Program

“Thank you so much for telling your story. You’ve made me realise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel as I have been going through a hard time.”

Year 9 Student, Cire Community School Yarra Junction

“The program links the past with current day perfectly. The students clearly made connections with Upstanders in WWII to current students/Upstanders and saw that they have the ability to be an Upstander.”

Teacher, Ballarat High School

“The biggest reward is when I see students understanding the message to to be Upstanders.”

Volunteer

“It’s eye-opening and teaches us much more than history and the Holocaust. It inspires you to be an individual and stand up for your beliefs. It made me realise that I can make a difference.”

Year 11 Student, Loyola College

“Very powerful, informative & brilliant in structure & organisation of content, and clearly got across the message of being an Upstander. Having the Holocaust Survivors share their stories made the session even more powerful in its message.”

Participant, Workplace Upstander Program

Our educational resources are available for download at no cost, but we ask you please to provide us with the information we need for our internal evaluation processes.

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Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony

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Upstander Activity Pack

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Upstander Toolkit

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.

Entrants must be permanent residents of Victoria with a valid residential address, email address, and phone number.

There is no cost to enter.

There are two categories of Entries:

Victorian School Students Competition – which is open to any currently enrolled student in a Victorian Primary or Secondary School (including VCAL or equivalent); and
Open Competition – which is open to all Victorian residents of any age.

Each Entrant may enter only one photograph.

By entering this Competition, you confirm that:

you are the creator and owner of the entered photograph;
you grant Courage to Care (Vic) (“C2C”) at no charge, a perpetual, non-exclusive licence to use, sell and reproduce your photograph in print and digital media, for use in and promotion:
- of C2C’s 30^th Birthday Exhibition; and
- by C2C for any purpose.
the exhibition and promotion of your photograph does not infringe copyright or moral rights; and
you have obtained all relevant permissions of persons shown in photograph.

Your entry for this Competition must include:
A digital image file in jpeg format with a file size of at least 4 MB and no greater than 10 MB
A title for your photograph; and
A written explanation in no more than 50 words that explains why your photograph is relevant to the theme of “Being an Upstander.” For Further information on this theme, refer to couragetocare.org.au
Digital manipulation and alternative post-capture image processing methods of photographs are permitted.

No entries will be accepted after 11:59 pm on 31 March 2022
C2C will acknowledge receipt of all entries. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within fourteen days, please contact C2C competition@couragetocare.org.au.
Entries will not be accepted or judged if:

under normally accepted standards, the photograph could be considered offensive in terms of pornographic content, character denigration, racial or religious prejudice. The Judge’s decision and discretion will be final; or

The Judges will decide and notify the finalists and also the Competition winners. The Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence concerning the Judges’ decision will be considered.

All finalist photographs will be exhibited at the C2C 30^th Birthday Exhibition and will remain for the duration of this period.
C2C reserves the right to curate the exhibition as it sees fit. C2C will determine whether the photograph will be displayed digitally or as a printed photograph. The costs of printing and display of the photographs will be paid by C2C.
The Competition winners will be announced during the C2C 30^th Anniversary Exhibition.
For the duration of the Exhibition, all Photographs must be available for sale. All proceeds of sales will go to C2C as a fundraising initiative to support their charitable purpose.

Photographs will be sold via a “silent auction”. All photographs will be delivered to the purchaser as a printed photograph at C2C’s expense.
The Prizes for the winning Entrants in the Competition are …TBD

C2C will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the submitted digital image files or printed photographs, however caused.
Please note that this Exhibition is separate from the annual Art Show run by B’nai B’rith Victoria.

Meet the people who make it happen

It doesn’t stop here!

Our Patrons and Ambassador

Patrons

Ambassador