LGBTIQA+ Community Board
Drummond Street Services & Queerspace LGBTIQA+ Community Board will ensure that the diverse perspectives of the LGBTIQA+ community is central to the development, implementation and review of Drummond Street (DS) and Queerspace services and programs, and that our values, mission, social justice framework and whole of organisation approach to intersectionality are embedded with integrity and respect.
Our Board has three main objectives. Firstly, they aim to improve awareness and understanding of the LGBTIQA+ community’s needs by creating innovative programs and services and collaborating with various groups and partners. Secondly, they support the implementation of inclusive policies and practices within Drummond Street to ensure fairness and social justice. Lastly, they work with the DS Board and Management to create a governance structure that shares power and responsibility with the LGBTIQA+ community, while also providing leadership development opportunities.
The membership of the LGBTIQA+ Community Board is designed to be inclusive and representative. It includes at least one, but no more than two DS Board directors, and a minimum of three, but no more than eight members from the LGBTIQA+ community. The aim is to reflect the diverse identities and experiences within the LGBTIQA+ community, such as sexual orientation, age, culture, disability, education, ethnicity, geography, gender, immigration status, income, indigeneity, language, marital status, race, religion, and sex. Each year, members will review their composition and actively consider strategies to enhance representation and diversity. Individual members are recommended by the Community Board and appointed by the DSS Board for a two-year term, with background checks conducted in accordance with the DS Governance Charter. Members have the opportunity to express their interest in reappointment at the end of their term.
Who is currently on the board?
- Georgie Yovanovic (She/her)
Georgie is a Trans Intersex femme, non-binary advocate, public speaker, and educator. With a strong focus on human rights, she is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting understanding of Trans and Intersex issues.
As a board member of the Zoe Belle gender collective and a consultant for Trans Femme, Georgie empowers transgender individuals and provides valuable insights. She actively contributes to intersex human rights associations and the Darlington statement, advocating for the rights of intersex people.
Georgie’s involvement in aged care projects with ACON and PCA demonstrates her commitment to improving support for elderly individuals within the LGBTIQ+ community. Additionally, her work with HAAG addresses homelessness issues specifically affecting this community.
- Margherita Coppolino (She/Her)
Margherita Coppolino is a multi-award-winning, highly influential disability and inclusion consultant and activist. With a strong focus on inclusion and intersectionality, she brings extensive expertise to her work. Margherita holds various qualifications and industry accreditations as a Trainer, Mediator, Auditor, and Company Director.
Throughout her consultancy career, Margherita has developed specialised skills in project management, mediation, facilitation, recruitment, case management, auditing, and keynote speaking. She has held several prominent positions as Chair and Company Director in not-for-profit organisations since 2013.
Driven by her belief in the power of inclusion, Margherita lives by the business philosophy that “Inclusion is the Key.” Through her collaborations with government entities, commercial businesses, and social justice organisations, she strives to empower individuals to act and improve their quality of life, as well as that of others.
Margherita’s expertise extends to providing guidance and support specifically relating to people with disabilities who identify as LGBTIQ+. Her unique perspective and experience contribute to her ability to address the intersectional challenges faced by this community.
- Nerida Nettelbeck (She/her)
Nerida is an accomplished executive with over 30 years’ management and leadership experience in the non-profit and social enterprise sectors. Nerida’s experience spans consulting to Non-profit Management and Governance, Remote Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations, delivering International Community Development, management & development of Psychiatric Employment and Social Enterprises. Nerida is a qualified deep democracy facilitator and uses her extensive experience in her consulting practice.
Nerida has a Graduate Diploma of Business (Organisational Change and Development) from RMIT, a Graduate Diploma of Business from Deakin University, and a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University.
- Tiffany Overall (She/her)
Tiffany has worked in policy & advocacy in different community sector settings (including migrant/ refugee/asylum seeker, community legal centres & youth) over the last 30 years.
Most recently, Tiffany worked at Youthlaw, a community legal centre for young people, for 17 years as the Human Rights and Advocacy Officer and Coordinator of Youthlaw’s Family Violence program. In this role, she worked collaboratively with some key Drummond Street staff.
In 2022, Tiffany was honoured to be nominated and awarded the 30th Annual Tim McCoy Award for Outstanding Achievement in advocacy of human rights and justice for socially and economically disadvantaged people and communities in Victoria.
Tiffany is a proud lesbian and member of the queer community. She’s a Eurovision tragic and a huge fan of the Matildas.
- Parker McRitchie
Parker is a 16-year-old transmasc and neurodivergent young person living in regional Victoria. Deeply committed to youth advocacy and inclusive education, he brings lived experience, insight, and heart to his work on the Queerspace Community Board.
From a young age, Parker has been actively engaged in community leadership. He served on the Headspace Youth Reference Group from ages 13 to 15, where he also represented Headspace in Tiaal Mi Goa—a project supporting the mental health of culturally diverse youth in collaboration with Ballarat CMY. He later joined Speak Australia’s Circle Project, a peer-led support group for LGBTQIA+ youth that was nominated for a Ballarat Youth Award.
Parker is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and equity. In 2024, he joined his school’s Inclusivity Lounge, earned academic awards in Philosophy and Psychology, and became an Advisory Committee member for QHub, supporting LGBTQIA+ students. He is currently part of his school’s Leadership initiative, where he continues to push for equity and belonging in school environments.
In 2025, Parker spoke publicly at the Trans Justice Project’s National Day of Action, sharing his personal experiences navigating a polarised political climate as a young trans person. Through public speaking, peer support, and community organising, he hopes to amplify the voices of trans and neurodivergent youth and promote mental health awareness across regional communities.
Parker is currently studying VCE and plans to pursue psychology at university. He is driven by a vision of a more just, compassionate world—and is proud to be part of the Queerspace Community Board helping to make that vision real.
- Matthew Bowden (He/they)
Matthew Bowden is a human rights consultant with over two decades of leadership in disability rights and advocacy, inclusive LGBTIQA+ rights, and public policy. He brings expertise in not-for-profit governance, strategic planning, and systems reform. As Co-CEO of People with Disability Australia (PWDA) for 14 years, Matthew played a pivotal role in national initiatives, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and led national disability inclusion work for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Matthew has represented the Australian disabled community in global forums, including the United Nations. He has served on numerous government advisory groups at both state and federal levels, contributing to critical reforms including the closure of disability institutions, the development of Australia’s National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, and the regulation and reform of supported accommodation and licensed boarding houses. His work has been recognised with the IAP2 Core Values Award for a participatory project evaluating the NDIS rollout from the perspective of people with disability.
In addition to his policy and advocacy work, Matthew brings valuable governance insight from multiple board roles. He is passionate about rights-based approaches to social change and continues to support organisations that promote justice, liberation, and community-led leadership.
Matthew is a proud queer parent and dresses exclusively in the colours of the Cornish flag!
- Jessica Bouyamourn (She/Her)
Jessica is a proud pansexual lesbian Pisces living on Gadigal land, with English and Amazigh (North African) heritage. She brings over a decade of experience in the finance and insurance sectors, where she has led complex projects and championed LGBTQ+ inclusion across corporate and community spaces.
Jessica is a passionate self-educator, activist and advocate, drawing from grassroots movements, NGOs, and global networks to inform her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She believes DEI is only truly possible when we show up as strong allies for all marginalised and minority identities—and she actively seeks to understand and uplift the experiences of diverse communities.
Career highlights have been serving as CEO of BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, where she led strategic initiatives supporting LGBTQ+SB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across NSW and being co-chair of the “Pride” Employee Network Group at Asia-Pacific’s largest insurance company for three years. She went on to represented BlaQ at the ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) World Conference 2024 in Cape Town, where she contributed to the bid to host ILGA World in Narrm (Melbourne), is the founder of ‘LGBTQ+ Vegans’ Mardi Gras float 2024 and volunteers with Pride Business Association (NSW). Her background also includes roles in regulatory delivery, learning and development, leadership coaching and events.
Jessica is a proud trivia nerd (and The Chase contestant!), a public speaker, and an active volunteer across refugee support, animal rights, gender equity and environmental initiatives. She is deeply committed to building inclusive systems that centre lived experience and community voice.