Our Executive Team

Famey Williams

Chief Executive 

Famey is a proud Githabul woman (Mother’s country); with connections to Gomeroi country (Father’s country), has more than 18 years’ experience working with Aboriginal communities across NSW in senior government and non-for-profit organisations. Her roles at the AHO include Acting Chief Executive and Deputy Secretary, Director of Housing and Client Services among other roles.

Raised on Gumbaynggirr Country of the mid-North Coast of NSW, Famey’s childhood and family have influenced her career and she takes those lessons into all her professional interactions with a broad range of stakeholders.

   Famey Williams

Mick Higgins

Director Housing and Client Services 

Mick is a Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri man from the south west slopes and plains of southern NSW and currently lives in western Sydney.

His experiences ranges from 15 years in the NSW public service across areas of Aboriginal public health, child protection, project management, community development, event management, policy and service development and design.

Prior to joining AHO in 2020, for almost ten years he worked in national and state-based Aboriginal peak bodies incorporating advocacy, policy and service delivery in the areas of out-of-home care, prevention and early intervention, human rights and legal services.

Taking a human rights approach, Mick possesses a strong passion for reducing the gap around critical areas of health, early education, housing and legal supports and, particularly around ensuring Aboriginal children are receiving the best possible start to their life and that they have positive connections to their culture/s and kinship networks/communities.

 

Mick Higgins

Loshana Karthikeya

Director Performance and Finance 

Loshana Karthikeya is a long serving staff member of the AHO (11 years) and brings expertise across the finance and accounting industries with many years of experience in both the private (banking) and public sector.  

Loshana holds qualifications in chartered accounting, business and project management as well as a graduate diploma in applied finance and investments. Loshana has also worked for DPE Finance which gives her a broad depth of experience over the entire division of planning and environment. 

Loshana has led the Finance team for over six years and has delivered exceptional results. Her team is highly regarded in the public service and has assisted in gaining significant extra funding for the AHO. This has resulted in increased housing, maintenance and solar/air conditioning for Aboriginal tenants. 

Loshana is a passion advocate for improving the lives of our tenants at the Aboriginal Housing Office. Loshana feels she is greatly privileged to work for an organisation whose aim is to change people’s lives for the better. 

Loshana Karthikeya

Deslin Foster

Director Policy and Evidence

Deslin Foster is an experienced senior manager, bringing over 20 years of expertise in workforce development, strategic planning and human services.  Deslin has qualifications in business, mental health and project management, and has worked across corporate, not for profit and government sectors. 

Deslin started her career at ANZ Bank, working in project and risk management, before delivering ANZ’s nationally successful Aboriginal Employment program.   Since being seconded to Reconciliation Australia in 2004 Deslin has continued to work alongside Aboriginal people and communities leading initiatives to address social injustice and supporting communities to achieve their goals. 

Deslin stated her ambition for the AHO Policy and Evidence Division is to provide a clear evidence base to underpin AHO’s work and inform future investment, and to lead strategic policy discussions with AHO stakeholders, collaboratively designing policies and ensuring their application delivers positive outcomes for Aboriginal people, communities and organisations.   
 

Deslin Foster

Tony Lloyd

Director Strategic Support 

 

 

 

Tony Lloyd

Ashley Livingston

Director Property 

Ash Livingston is a long serving staff member of the AHO (11 years) and brings expertise across the construction, maintenance and Asset Management industries.   

Ash holds qualifications in building and construction, project management as well as a graduate certificate in Asset Management. 

Ash previously led the Property Maintenance team and during this time, he bought about great change through the delivery of maintenance programs which ensured significant improvement in the condition of AHO homes. His team also delivered innovative programs to reduce cost of living pressures for our tenants.

Ash says he has been privileged to have the opportunity to build connections to community over the past 11 years and is extremely passionate about delivering positive outcomes for Aboriginal Communities.

Ashley Livingston
  • acknowledge

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and pay our respects to the Elders, both past and present.

Apology to the Stolen Generations