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Our Team
Hannah Watts
Chief Executive Officer
Hannah’s youth work career began in the Northern Territory where she spent eleven years in frontline youth work and program management, strategically building her experience in a variety of roles and program types. She moved to Canberra while completing further studies, graduating from Murdoch University with a double major in Community Development and International Aid & Development, and a minor in Sociology. Hannah began working at the Youth Coalition in 2013, and for over nine years she played a valuable role in the Youth Coaliiton’s growth and success.
Hannah managed a number of projects and coordinated the organisation’s sector development work in this time. She founded the Youth Worker Practice Network in 2016, the first community of practice of its kind in the ACT. In recent years Hannah led a number of signature projects, including the development of the new ACT Youth Work Code of Ethical Practice launched in March 2023, providing consultancy services to over 30 youth and family programs through the Service Improvement Project, and delivering training to the youth sector through workshop delivery and the development of formal training packages.
Hannah left the organisation in 2023, spending 18 months as the Youth Work Lead in the ACT Education Directorate, informing the strategic direction of youth work in schools. Returning to the Youth Coalition in August 2024 as CEO, Hannah’s deep understanding of the organisation’s culture and youth sector dynamics have uniquely positioned her to lead the organisation in its next chapter.
Hannah is passionate about strategic work that improves outcomes for young people and their families. She draws on evidenced based youth work, theoretical knowledge and practice experience, and her personal values of integrity, accountability, and collaboration to drive service reform. She is equally passionate about good youth work practice, and ensuring youth workers are supported in their professional growth. With over two decades experience in the youth sector, Hannah has developed a reputation as a strategic, pragmatic leader who is dedicated to investing her skills and experience to bring about positive change for young Canberrans, their families, and the youth sector.
Erin Barry
Director, Policy and Evaluation
Erin has worked in the ACT child, youth and family sector since 2007, with qualifications in community development, public health and evaluation. Erin commenced working at the Youth Coalition in 2018, and cares deeply about improving service system responses and outcomes for young people and families, through working collaboratively with others.
Since 2018, Erin has conducted several research and evaluation projects in a range of areas and sectors. She worked with the ACT Government and Capital Health Network to conduct the ‘Missing Middle’ project, which examined why children and young people with moderate to severe mental health issues in the ACT experience difficulties accessing support. This led to the establishment of the ACT Child and Youth Mental Health Sector Alliance. The Alliance is leading cross-sector initiatives to strategically identify and respond to system problems and constraints, to improve outcomes for children and young people. Erin also leads the Youth Coalition’s policy work, particularly in relation to the ACT Budget.
Thomas Stevens
Director. Sector Development, Workforce Capability & Communications
Thomas is a communications and sector development professional with extensive experience assisting organisations to drive positive change on social issues. With qualifications in Digital Communications and Evaluation, he ensures all his work is grounded in evidence and guided by values-based communications. Thomas has led a number of initiatives to prevent gambling harm among young people — including awareness campaigns, capacity-building projects, and sector resources. His work sits at the intersection of advocacy, education, and systems change, supporting services, government, and communities to engage more effectively on key issues.
Kylie Denny
Office Manager and Executive Assistant to CEO
Our Board
Cindy Young
Chair
Hassan Riaz
Treasurer
Sonali Varma
Secretary
Jalene Teo
Member
Sunday Roach
Member
Joshuah Yeend
Member
Kat Reed
Member
Harrison Oates
Member
