Wombat's Wish
Victoria's leading grief support service for children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent

Meet our Board


Casey Kaminskyj, Chair

Casey is a GM within the utilities sector and has key leadership & transformation experience across a range of private and government enterprises. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Diploma of Business & Diploma of Management. Casey joined the Wombats Wish Board 2019 after first becoming involved with the organisation through a community grants program in 2017 and connecting with our Vision. An avid traveller and sports fan, if she’s not working, wombating or with loved ones (and in the country) – you’ll find her at the footy or in the water.

David Trott

David Trott is a commercial sales and marketing leader with more than twenty years of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Business, Master of Business Administration and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. David is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Companion Member of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute.
David joined Wombat’s Wish as a board member in 2014. He is passionate about the cause and dedicated to its aim of being the leading service for parentally bereaved children across the state of Victoria.

Shari Liby

Shari is a medical negligence lawyer at Slater & Gordon and joined the Wombat’s Wish Board because of her personal and professional experiences with parental bereavement. In 2009 her family suffered such a loss, when her husband died unexpectedly from an undiagnosed heart condition. Shari knows, first hand, how difficult it is for a young mother to pick up the pieces and move forward, while coping with her own grief and that of her children; and is very proud to be part of an organisation who helps make that difficult journey a bit easier.

Peter Burke

Hi, my name is Peter. After 16 years as a secondary teacher I moved into Financial Planning in 1996 and am one of the 2 Directors of our business, BURKE BRITTON Financial Partners in Geelong West.

I am delighted and privileged to have recently been approached to join the Wombat’s Wish Board. We as a family and a business have had a strong commitment to the great work of Wombats Wish for some time now.  This very personal commitment is due to the fact that sadly two of my sons have been taken from us way too early, leaving young children without Dads.

I sincerely look forward to being able to assist the growth and capability of Wombats Wish in order to be able to provide invaluable guidance and support, for many more young people who have/are suffering through the horrible loss of a parent.

Jo Betz

Jo Betz is the author of Grief – a guided journal and a passionate advocate for giving grief a voice within our community, having experienced the sudden death of her own husband in 2017. Jo is also a marriage celebrant and the co-founder of Ivory Tribe, a digital wedding publication and a mother to her gorgeous 8 year-old daughter.

Rutti Loh

Rutti is a senior administrator with a wealth of experience working in the tertiary sector. She has engaged within the areas of accounting, psychology, startups, not-for-profits, fundraising and student success and advancement. Operationally, her roles have included talent management, industry accreditation management, academic governance, and operational and strategic planning.  Personally, she enjoys art, music, wine, (food orientated) travel, greyhounds, and literature.

Tamara Wright

Hi, my name is Tamara. I am a Senior Accountant at Davidsons Accountants in Geelong. I have been the Treasurer for Wombat’s Wish since May 2019. Unfortunately, I have lived experience of parental bereavement, from losing my Father when I was two years old. I love being a part of the growth of this amazing organisation and helping out the young people who are going through what I have been through.

Hannah Dawes

Update coming soon

marnie holden psychologist

Marnie Holden

Marnie is a Clinical Psychologist with a background in Social Welfare. Marnie specialises in the assessment and treatment of children, young people and their families, and has been practising throughout Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula for over a decade. Before joining our Board in in 2018, Marnie served as a Team Leader at our Wombat’s Wish Weekend Camp program.


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Wombat’s Wish acknowledges the Wadawarrung, Taungurung and Bunurong peoples as Traditional Custodians of the lands from which we live and work,
and we pay our deep respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.