Committee
Members of Árpád Aged Care committee 2024/2025
Members of Árpád Aged Care committee
2024/2025
Éva Kövesdy
Éva was appointed on to the Árpád Committee in 2019 and was elected as President in 2023. She has been a member the Committee since 1998 with taking leave at various times. Éva is a member of the Governance sub-committee and the Public Relations and IT working group. Éva has a Masters Degree in Applied Science – Nutrition and Public Health. Éva has been an active member of the Melbourne Hungarian community for many years.
Jennifer Cole
Jenny was appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2019 and was elected Vice President in 2024. She is a member of the Quality and Clinical Governance sub-committee. Jenny is a pharmacist with more than 20 years’ experience working in residential aged care. She has worked at Árpád and various other facilities for over 10 years as an independent accredited pharmacist conducting medication reviews in conjunction with the doctors and helping Árpád to meet accreditation standards.
Mary-Anne Carmody
Mary-Anne was first appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2016, and was elected Secretary in 2019. Mary-Anne is also a member of the Governance, and Finance, Risk and Audit sub-committees. She has a background in law, with Arts and Laws (Honours) degrees, a Master’s degree in Management (Corporate Governance and Risk), and a post-graduate Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia.
Erika Marsh
Erika was appointed to the Árpád Committee as a treasurer in 2022. She is a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit sub-committee. Erika gained her accounting qualification in the United Kingdom (FCCA) and is CPA qualified. She brings significant commercial and management experience to the board. Erika is working full-time as a management accountant in the manufacturing industry and serving as a treasurer on the board. She was born and grew up in Budapest where she completed a Bachelor in Education degree. After 27 years in the UK Erika emigrated to Australia in 2022 to join her Melbournian husband.
Dr Diana Bossio
Diana was appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2023. She is a member of the Public Relations and IT working group. Diana Bossio is Associate Professor of Digital Communication at RMIT University and Program Director of Professional Communication. Dr Bossio's research focusses on journalism, social media, and older people's digital participation and inclusion and has many publications.
Zoltán Borbély
Zoltán was appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2024. He is a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit sub-committee. Zoltán is an experienced senior executive with a career in managing customers; risk, quality management and overseeing complex projects. In the last 15 years he has held several volunteer positions as board director of various Hungarian associations. He has qualifications in BSc from Eszterházy Károly University, an MBA from BME and also from Torrens University with a Master of Global Project Management. Zoltán is a member of the GIA, the AICD, a Chartered Manager by CMI, Certified Practising Manager by IML ANZ. He is on the Governance TOP 100 list in 2024.
Christina Janka
Christina was appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2019. She is a member of the Quality and Clinical Governance sub-committee. Christina’s professional training was in secondary school teaching and translation and has a strong Hungarian background. In the last 10 years, Christina worked as a diversional therapist at Villa Maria, Mercy Health and Tabulam and Templar.
Erika Martonhelyi
Erika was appointed to the Árpád Committee in 2021. Erika is a member of the Quality and Clinical Governance sub-committee. Erika is a Post Graduated qualified Emergency trained nurse with 20 years nursing experience. She is currently employed full time with Monash Health as a Nurse Manager in Community Health. Alongside her professional capabilities, she has strong affiliations with the Hungarian Community, having remained an active volunteer throughout her life in many groups and clubs that support the conservation of Hungarian culture.
Rita Stannard
Rita was appointed to the Árpád committee at the 2022 AGM and she is a member of the Quality and Clinical Governance sub-committee. Rita comes to the Árpád with over 20 years’ experience in aged care. Her experience ranges from nursing, to clinical to Facility Management.
Catheryn O’Brien
Cathy joined the Árpád committee at the end of 2024. She is a member of the Quality and Clinical Governance sub-committee. She originally qualified as a veterinarian, working both in the UK and country practice in Victoria. She then worked for many years at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research before moving to the University of Melbourne to take up the position of Director of Bioresources. Cathy has served on the ethics committees of the RACS and the NHMRC. She is currently studying for a Diploma in Dementia Care at the University of Tasmania.
Richard Horváth
Richard joined the Árpád committee in 2025. He is a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit sub-committee. Richard is a Partner of Lowe Lippmann Chartered Accountants, practising in the areas of Taxation Consultancy and Advisory, and Business Advisory. Richard is a graduate of Monash University, with double Bachelor business degrees in Accounting and Computing, he is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and a Registered Tax Agent.
Árpád is seeking new committee members
Arpad is seeking expressions of interest from qualified people who would like to join the committee from November 2021.
Committee members are required to have professional skills in governance and leadership, preferably in the Not for Profit health or community sectors. In particular, we have a preference for applicants with demonstrated skills and experience in one or more of the following:
- Finance/commerce
- Information technology / data governance
- Human resources / Change management
- Health care
A connection, understanding and knowledge of the community that Árpád serves is an advantage; for example a connection to or understanding of the Hungarian community and diaspora.
The Árpád Elderly Welfare Society
The Árpád Elderly Welfare Society Incorporated (Árpád) strives to provide high quality aged care at its Aged Care Facility (Facility). We work to provide all residents with a culturally diverse and meaningful environment and especially for those with a Hungarian heritage. Professional care and support services are provided within a framework of continuous improvement and we regularly consult and collaborate with our members to establish and maintain a future which meets the needs of our community, our philosophy and our resources.
The Facility was established in 1994 to meet the needs of an ageing Hungarian population. Árpád is an incorporated body with its own Committee of management and constitution. It is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation. Unlike many other operators of aged care facilities, no profits are paid out to members. Our commitment is to ensure that maximum resources are applied to resident care and amenities. The Facility is a community based, residential aged care facility. While language and culture are at our core, we are committed to providing quality aged care to the community and to providing quality care and accommodation for all.
Committee member
All Committee members are responsible for the governance of the organisation and are accountable to the Árpád membership as outlined by statutory requirements and the organisation’s Constitution. A good working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of a Committee member is required. In order to be eligible to join the Committee the candidate must be a paid up financial member of Árpád.
The role involves attending approximately 11 Committee meetings a year (monthly except for January), with participation on at least one of the three sub-committees, which meet monthly, quarterly or six monthly.
The Committee meetings are held out of hours, whereas sub committee meetings are organised at the sub committee members’ convenience. Committee meetings are generally held in person at the Facility in Wantirna but virtual meetings may also take place.
In accordance with legal and statutory requirements, Committee members must act in accordance with the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012, the Constitution and other relevant legal and statutory requirements, including aged care legislation, in discharging their duties. The Committee members are also ultimately accountable to ensure Árpád is compliant with the Aged Care Quality Standards.
Competencies
- Strategic thinking and analysis: the ability to look beyond operational issues and develop a vision for the future
- Analytical and critical reasoning: the ability to get beneath the surface of issues and the capacity to focus on and resolve complex issues
- Financial literacy: ability to analyse and interpret financial data
- Interpersonal communication skills: listening skills, able to present and analyse ideas, questioning, ability to influence
- Understanding and appreciation of operating within an organisation approved Risk Management Framework