Who are we?
The Network are our volunteers who strive to support our Veterans and their Families. Our volunteers are Advocates, Wellbeing Support Officers and other talented interested and supportive people and are Members of are partner Ex-Service Organisation.
Our Executive Committee
Warren Sowter
President
Warren is a veteran with more than 25 years’ service in the Royal Australian Air Force. He has been involved with not-for-profit organisations for more than 50 years. His experience includes business management and leadership roles in Operational, Corporate, Support and Staff business units.
Warren is an organisational alignment specialist who demonstrates the capacity to integrate professional knowledge and experience with innovative cutting-edge techniques to facilitate learning and growth, both individual and organisational. He has demonstrated performance in realising customer focused outcomes for integrated and strategic needs-based initiatives.
Warren is a Compensation Advocate.
Geoff Harrison
Vice President and Senior Advocate
Geoff served in the Australian Army for 30 years as a Logistician and Training Specialist. His civilian career has included L & D Specialist, Registered Training Organisation Manager and Aviation Security Specialist. Geoff’s passion for Veteran Advocacy began in 1995 and he is now an ATDP qualified and accredited Wellbeing and Compensation Advocate. He is also the ATDP Regional Manager for Region 2 (ACT, NSW, WA) responsible for Advocate and ESO support.
Geoff has a Masters in Instructional Systems Design and a couple of Teaching Degrees. He also represents the Midcoast Veterans’ Wellbeing Centre.
Todd Vercoe
Vice President
Todd graduated from RMC in 1977 for service in the Royal Australian Artillery where he served for 30 years including operational service in East Timor 2003
He left Army in 2004 and spent 6 years in contract and project management for training-related projects before moving to Sydney where he spent 12 months managing a global, 24/7 emergency medical assistance business unit for a third -party administrator company. A DVA Gold Card holder, he has been a volunteer Veteran Compensation Advocate and a part of the Veterans Wellbeing Network Mid North Coast since 2016.
Kerrie McCormick
Secretary
Kerrie has a background in adult education – particularly in the Community Sector. She holds a Master of Education, a Bachelor of Education (Community Adult Education), A Grad Cert in Higher Education and assorted Vocational Training qualifications. Following many years teaching in Community Colleges and Workplace Training situations, Kerrie then coordinated an international post graduate distance education programme at the University of Sydney for 13 years. Since moving to Coffs Harbour in 2009, she has been actively involved in many volunteer roles involving Senior’s education and training. Kerrie is currently the NSW Secretary for the Partners of Veterans Association of Australia Inc, having been a member for about 15 years.
Kellie Harrison
Treasurer and Public Officer
Kellie is the Treasurer and Public Officer for the VWNMNC. Kellie has had many roles in the Nursing profession and in Office Management. Her last role before retiring from paid work was as Manager of the Taree Life Blood Service. She has also held accounting positions, managed a retail outlet, worked for Pharmaceuticals and volunteers for her local church.
Richard Kelloway
Founder
Richard joined the RAAF in 1962. His service included combat operations in Vietnam as a USAF Forward Air Controller, and flying duties in Sabre, Mirage, and the F-111 squadrons as well as basic and advanced flying training. His post-RAAF careers included Public Service in foreign policy and international development, followed by consultancy practice in strategic planning and change management in small business and Aboriginal community development.
Richard began volunteering as a veteran’s advocate in 2007.
Richard is married to Jenny, has three adult children and has four grandchildren. One of the founders of VCMNC (now VWNMNC), he is enormously proud of the progress that is being made by the Committee and advocates.
