Secretary and Public Officer - Lachy

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts Informatics

Why I joined the Firstchance Board

I’m passionate about learning, and about giving every child the opportunity to realise their full potential through learning. My mother-in-law worked for Firstchance for many years, my sister-in-law worked for Samaritans and my wife works for Cerebral Palsy Alliance, so I’ve witnessed the passion and impact for helping others second hand for a few years now. We recently moved to Newcastle from Sydney and I was introduced to Firstchance by a friend, who thought I could make a positive impact on the board. After reading more about Firstchance’s mission and reflecting on my own kids’ learning journeys and how much I’ve enjoyed watching them thrive, I decided I needed to get involved!

The skills I bring to the board

I have over 15 years of experience in online, creating digital websites and products. I’m currently the Managing Director and co-founder of Yarno, an online learning platform. I’m responsible for setting and evolving the strategic vision of the business, for hiring and retaining the best people we can find, and for ensuring that we remain financially healthy. Yarno is currently a fully remote business, with no physical office, which has encouraged us, as a team of 13, to level up how we communicate with each other.

Prior to founding Yarno I was the Executive Producer at webqem for 5 years, a full-service digital agency based in Sydney. I was responsible for managing the webqem Project Management team and the webqem Production House process, designer and developer utilisation and output. Prior to this, I was a Senior Digital Project Manager at webqem for 5 years.

I was also on the board of the Accelerator Program for the Entrepreneurs Organisation. They help entrepreneurs and business owners learn from like-minded people and grow their knowledge and skills.

I describe myself as a lifelong learner- always asking lots of questions, reading plenty of books and trying new skills. I try to lead with empathy and curiosity and familiarise myself with different perspectives and cultures.