Our Team
Directors
David Pearson
Chairman
Founding Director and board member since 2002. David has significant Senior Management experience in the corporate arena with a background in risk assessment, compliance, and leading large operational teams. David actively participates in project monitoring audits and has undertaken regular trips each year as Chair for Global Development Group.
Allan Benson
Director
Allan Benson first joined the Board in 2005 and returned in 2013. Allan has vast experience within engineering sections of complex construction, mining and manufacturing companies, specialising in Occupational Health and Safety and Human Relations. He has been associated with the not for profit sector in Australia for many years.
Trevor Robertson (David Robertson)
Director
Trevor (David) Robertson was born in Sri Lanka and currently runs his own IT business. He has been a long time member of GDG. He has also partnered with many not for profit organisations and sees the need to not only reach out to his community through his business, but also to reach out to the global community in the wider scope of humanitarian aid.
Samantha Crestani
Director
Samantha has been a valued member of the Global Development Group team for more than ten years. She has traveled extensively monitoring projects in India, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Africa. Currently overseeing two global regions, Samantha also manages all operations of the projects department.
James Benjamin
Director
James has had an extensive career in marketing and strategic business within both the NFP and commercial sectors. He has served on NFP boards since 2014 and is passionate about overseas aid and development. Since 2017, James has volunteered with the Australian Volunteers Program as a marketing mentor in Timor-Leste (twice) and Vanuatu. He has also assisted with monitoring projects in Cambodia, PNG, Timor-Leste and Thailand
Staff
Management Team
David Pearson
Chief Executive Officer
Brenda Pearson
Chief Operating Officer
Samantha Crestani
Project Department Manager
Jessica Corrie
Administration Manager
Specialists
Greg Cadman
Compliance Specialist
Kelley Chisolm
Strategic Partnerships Specialist
Administration Team
Lisa Low
Administration Officer
Credit Cards
Albert Lai
Administration Officer
Accounts
Jayden Pearson
Lead Administration Officer
Accounts
Samantha Olivier
Administration Officer
Reception
Johanna Longfield
Administration Officer
Receipting
Geoff Armstrong
Administration Officer
Betty Armstrong
Administration Officer
Volunteer
Project Team
Peta Merugumala
Senior Project Officer
Jordan Brayley
Senior Project Officer, South Asia
Promotions
Joel Pearson
Senior Project Officer, South East Asia
Meena Benjamin
Project Officer, Cambodia
Bianca Tuicakau
Senior Project Officer, Pacific
Jenifer Wegner
Project Team Coordinator
Representatives
MV Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Leena Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Tessema Bekele
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Ethiopia
Daniel Watts
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Australia
Makara Kin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - USA
Carey Westwood
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Kenya
Chris Aiton
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Philippines
James Benjamin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Vietnam
Paul Prokic
Representative
Based – Australia
Directors
Brenda Pearson
President
Brenda has worked at Global Development Group Australia and in the “not for profit” sector since 2003 and currently holds the position of COO. Prior to this, she was Office Manager at Cargill Oilseeds Australia as well as consulting to various small businesses in an accounting capacity.
Melody Amato
Treasurer
Melody has been a dedicated volunteer with GDG USA since its inception in 2006, managing taxes, reconciliations, and donation transfers.
Rebecca Pearce
Secretary
Rebecca Pearce graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Management. She has worked as an Office Manager and Bookkeeper.
Sandra Vander Griend
Advisory Board
Sandy VanderGriend attended Kuyper College before moving to Nigeria, West Africa for a period of time. She was a home-maker and home-schooled her children through high school.
John Pearce
Advisory Board
John Pearce has a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Southeastern University. He has been employed at credit unions in Florida and Tennessee for 10 years.
Jessica Corrie
Advisory Board
Jessica Corrie has been on staff with Global Development Group for over 10 years as an Administration Manager.
Howard Vander Griend
Advisory Board
Howard is the Project Coordinator for a company who owns several properties in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
Representatives
MV Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Leena Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Tessema Bekele
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Ethiopia
Daniel Watts
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Australia
Makara Kin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - USA
Carey Westwood
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Kenya
Chris Aiton
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Philippines
Directors
David Pearson
Director; Chairperson
Founding Director and board member of GDG Australia since 2002. David has significant Senior Management experience in the corporate arena with a background in risk assessment, compliance, and leading large operational teams. David actively participates in project monitoring audits and has undertaken regular trips each year as Chair for Global Development Group.
Emily Parsons
Director
Emily co-managers her own coffee roasting and hospitality business. She founded a charity that existed to include local communities and businesses to support development projects in Africa. In the past 6 years this has been specialised in WASH, specifically pioneering a rain harvesting water tank model in Uganda.
Stuart Manners
Director
Stuart was born in England and gained an MA(Hons) and teaching qualification at Oxford University. He married his wife Sarah in 1970 and taught in England for 5 years before coming to New Zealand in early 1975. He taught in Auckland for nearly 20 years at King’s College before moving to the recently established Bethlehem College in 1993.
Staff
Brenda Pearson
Chief Operating Officer
Samantha Crestani
Project Department Manager
Greg Cadman
Compliance Specialist
Jayden Pearson
Lead Administration Officer
Accounts
Nicola Ssekajja
Administration Assistant
Representatives
MV Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Leena Thomas
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - India
Tessema Bekele
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Ethiopia
Daniel Watts
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Australia
Makara Kin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - USA
Carey Westwood
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Kenya
Chris Aiton
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Philippines
James Benjamin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Vietnam
Paul Prokic
Representative
Based – Australia
Board of Trustees
David Pearson
Chairman
Founding Director and board member of GDG Australia since 2002. David has significant Senior Management experience in the corporate arena with a background in risk assessment, compliance, and leading large operational teams. David actively participates in project monitoring audits and has undertaken regular trips each year as Chair for Global Development Group.
Michael Strachan
Secretary
Michael graduated with a BA Hons in Marketing from Stirling University and has a Diploma in Online Marketing. He has previously worked in Marketing & Account Manager roles and now runs Simplicity Marketing as the Managing Director.
Ronald Edwards
Treasurer
Ron came from a business family in Sydney, Australia before moving out west to work in rural NSW. After qualifying as a motor mechanic and owning a small motor repair business, he led a church for 23 years.
Kerry Edwards
Board Member
Kerry is a school teacher with over 25 years’ experience specialising in additional support needs in mainstream high school. Kerry likes a challenge and enjoys playing piano, reading, baking and discovering beautiful places.
Representatives
MV Thomas
Based - India
Leena Thomas
Based - India
Tessema Bekele
Based - Ethiopia
Daniel Watts
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Australia
Chris Aiton
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based - Philippines
James Benjamin
Monitoring and Evaluation
Based – Vietnam
Paul Prokic
Representative
Based – Australia