Empowering Youth in the Inner West and Surrounds to Realise Their Full Potential
(02) 9564 3222
Edwina Deakin
Chair Person
Edwina Deakin is the Senior Manager, Advisory and Research at the UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance, where she project manages strategic planning, policy development, program evaluations, and governance projects for government, industry, and not-for-profit clients. Edwina specialises in public policy and human service projects, local government reviews, stakeholder consultations and facilitation. She also delivers professional learning and development in these areas, including for the Institute for Public Administration Australia.
Edwina has lived in the Inner West of Sydney for over 25 years. She has a strong personal and professional commitment to improving the lives of local young people, understanding that services such as the MYRC can and do make a profound and positive impact on the life of the local community. Edwina holds a Master of Social Science degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree from the University of Sydney. She also has a Graduate Diploma of Education, Certificate IV in Teaching and Assessment and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sally Dumbrell
Deputy Chair
Sally is a Marrickville local who grew up in the inner city of Sydney. She is a proud mother and grandmother.
Sally has worked in housing and homelessness, but most recently in vocational education. She worked as a Head Teacher of Community Services at Ultimo TAFE for over 20 years and as the Manager of Learning and Development at Mental Health Coordinating Council.
Sally’s passion is for social justice and second chances. She has been a board member of MYRC since early 2022.
Edward McMahon
Secretary
Edward McMahon is a Sydney-based barrister. He maintains a busy and diverse practice, including in criminal law, family law, children's law and more. As a solicitor, Edward worked for an Aboriginal Legal Aid organisation at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and later for New South Wales Legal Aid.
Edward holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees in law from the University of Sydney.
Edward has lived in the Inner West for most of his adult life, embracing our diverse, accepting, and supportive community. He currently lives in Newtown with his partner and their dalmatian. He frequently travels around the country for his cases, exposing him to Australia's cultural, social, and economic diversity more broadly. Edward has a passion for social justice and understands the importance of the community sector. He hopes to contribute some of his experience and expertise to help MYRC maintain and expand its vital work.
Miguel D’Souza
Board Member
Miguel D’Souza is a journalist, consultant and trainer and was Google’s News Teaching Fellow for 2020-22. Miguel’s career in online news spans more than two decades, working at AAP, SBS, 7News and news.com.au after a decade in community radio. He is a university tutor, designs training curricula, and advises newsrooms in data and social media applications for news monitoring and stories.
Niko Plaskasovitis
Board Member
Niko Plaskasovitis is an artist and creative producer who lives and works on Gadigal Land. He is a UNSW Art & Design graduate, and through digital media, sound and food, Niko is interested in exploring collective values, solidarity and the ways we conduct relationships & share knowledge with each other. His work is interdisciplinary and often collaborative, informed by his experiences growing up in Greece, the ongoing refugee and financial crises and the anti-austerity movement in Athens.
Tanya Ali
Board Member
Tanya Ali is a broadcaster, DJ and Managing Director of the local youth community radio station FBi Radio. FBi plays a central role in amplifying so-called Sydney's music, arts and culture, championing local creative communities with a particular focus on their 18-24 target demographic.
Tanya brings a decade of experience in media and the arts to the Midjuburi Youth Resource Centre. She hopes to translate this into strong creative programs and better online reach and engagement with the incredible youth communities the Centre serves.