Our Team

Meet our team

2020 marked the transition from a long-standing management committee to a board governance model. This step was taken to ensure the organisation is able to respond to changing needs and expectations of older people within a challenging economic environment.

Meredith Wyles

Non-Executive Director & Board Chair

Member of Governance Committee; Member of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee; Member of Visitor Committee.

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Meredith Wyles

Non-Executive Director & Board Chair

Meredith’s significant experience includes working as a staff training officer in the Commonwealth Public Service, as well as executive officer of the Northern Territory Playgroup Association, and the Sponsor Family Association of the N.T. She has been president of the Playgroup Council of Australia Inc, as well as serving on the N.T. Chief Minister’s Women’s Advisory Council, where the focus was on women’s participation in the workplace, leadership opportunities, and workplace flexibility. More recently, she has been a board director and President of the Legacy Club of S.A. and Broken Hill Inc.

Meredith is a director of the inaugural Board of The Cottage Homes Inc and previously served on the Management Committee for 10 years.

Dr Angela Littleford

Non-Executive Director & Deputy Chair

Member Governance Committee; BAppSc (Speech Pathology), MSpecEd, GradDipMgt, PhD, GAICD, CPSP, MSPA.

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Dr Angela Littleford

Non-Executive Director & Deputy Chair

Angela is the Group Practice and Clinical Governance Lead for APM and brings to the Board a wealth of experience and knowledge working in Health, Aged Care, Disability and Human Services organisation in Australia, developing and implementing strategy, re-orientating services to deliver client choice and improving financial returns in health and aged care organisations.

Previous roles include as the General Manager at Helping Hand where she was responsible for Residential Aged Care and supporting clients through bespoke mental health programs, accommodation and promoting the health, well-being and independence of older people with disabilities.

In 2012 Angela was a recipient of the Telstra Business Women’s Awards SA in the category of Innovation, and in 2019-20 was a judge of this highly regarded awards program. She is a member of the SA State Committee for Professional Development of Speech Pathology Australia, and was previously a Board Director of the North Eastern Community Hospital and Scosa.

Angela joined the board of The Cottage Homes in 2021.

Greg Adams

Non-Executive Director & Secretary

Member of Property, Projects & Maintenance Committee; Member of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee; Member, Visitor Committee; BEng, MBA, DipProp.

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Greg Adams

Non-Executive Director & Secretary

Greg’s career encompassed a number of senior management roles in the manufacturing industry in South Australia and he brings to the Board a demonstrated ability to guide and connect with a large cross-section of people.

Greg was a member of the previous Management Committee for 3 years and is a member of the inaugural board of The Cottage Homes Inc.

In retirement, his aim has been to support a not-for-profit organisation as a volunteer.

Dr Marie Wood

Non-Executive Director

Member of Marketing & Communications Committee; Member of Governance Committee; AdvDip T, GradDip RE, MEd (HRM), PhD, MAICD.

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Dr Marie Wood

Non-Executive Director

Marie is an experienced marketing and communications consultant and business owner. Her career roles include School Principal, Coordinator of Marketing and Communications for Catholic Education SA, and director of a family-owned, building-related business. She is currently involved in supporting two start-up companies and mentoring PhD students.

Marie has worked as a non-executive director on boards in education, aged care, social housing, employment, and Indigenous education and boarding. She is currently on the Boards of Clayton Church Homes, Rembrandt Living and is also a member of St Vincent de Paul Society, Refugee & Asylum Seeker Management Committee.

She has significant experience in not-for-profit organisations, in developing and leading programs to support potentially marginalised individuals and communities. Marie was appointed to the inaugural Board of The Cottage Homes in 2020.

Kim Bigg

Non-Executive Director

Member of Finance, Risk & Audit Committee; Member of Governance Committee; BComm, DipFinPlanning.

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Kim Bigg

Non-Executive Director

Kim is currently a Director of Perks Accountants & Wealth Advisers and has considerable experience in the accounting industry supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprise clients to manage and grow their businesses. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ).

Kim became a Board member 2021. He is determined to support people of all ages, particularly those who are older and in need of assistance, to ensure they can live with freedom and independence

Phil Hough

Non-Executive Director

Member of Finance; Audit & Risk Committee; Member of Visitor Committee; MIPA, FINSIA (Senior Associate).

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Phil Hough

Non-Executive Director

Phil’s professional career spanned more than 40-years in the banking and finance industry, which developed his excellent people and communication skills.

In his retirement, Phil is keen to volunteer where he can make a difference. In addition to becoming an Adelaide Oval Ambassador, Phil commenced volunteering with The Cottage Homes in 2021, as a Visitor to Parkside. Phil feels it is a privilege to work with The Cottage Homes’ residents at Parkside, to ensure they enjoy safe and secure housing and live their later years with dignity.

Phil was appointed to the Board in July 2022.

David O’Loughlin

Non-Executive Director

Member of Property, Projects and Maintenance Committee; GAICD, GradDip (ProjMan).

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David O’Loughlin

Non-Executive Director

David’s extensive experience in private and public sector construction spans more than 30 years in Port Pirie, Whyalla and Adelaide. David also has nearly 20 years’ experience in Local Government. Elected in 2003 as a Councillor then Mayor in 2006, David has served as State LGA President and National ALGA President and is currently chair of the metropolitan region of councils.

David’s breadth of governance experience extends beyond local government and includes the Renewal SA Board, Jaytex Constructions Advisory Board, Blackfriars Priory School Board (Chair), Prospect Kiwanis, the Adelaide Chapter of the Art Deco and Modernism Society SA (President), and the UniSA Architecture Museum Advisory Board.

David was appointed to the Board in July 2022.

Ben Sarre

Executive Officer

BA (Hons), GradDip (ProjMan), GAICD.

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Ben Sarre

Executive Officer

Ben commenced as The Cottage Homes’ inaugural Executive Officer in October 2021. An experienced executive and non-executive director, Ben is excited to lead The Cottage Homes into the next phase of its journey.

His extensive housing experience includes nine years leading the South Australian arm of international not-for-profit housing provider ‘Habitat for Humanity’. Ben served on the Board of aged care provider ‘Resthaven’ for 11 years, and during that time served as Deputy President and Chair, Property Committee.

He strongly believes that access to housing is a fundamental human right, and that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that senior members of our community are safely accommodated.