Meet Our Team

Stacy Jane

Founder & CEO

Stacy Jane, originally from the U.K, is the Founder and CEO of Escabags Ltd.

Emigrating to Australia in August 2019 under a ‘protection visa’, Stacy quickly identified the urgent need for a practical solution to assist and support those fleeing abusive and dangerous situations. As a result, Escabags was launched in February 2020.

Stacy’s passion and drive in life is always to display kindness, empathy and love towards others, a great example of this is highlighted in her voluntary work in the Ruhunu Children’s Orphanage, Sri Lanka where she cared for babies and young children who had lost their families and homes due to the Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.

Stacy’s professional expertise includes marketing and events; however, her managerial roles within aged care respite facilities are where Stacy reflects most fondly. It gave her a sense of purpose, drive and determination to support those in society who are most vulnerable.

Outside of her professional life, Stacy enjoys travelling, which has enabled her to broaden her cultural awareness and incorporate other interests, such as writing and photography. However, her biggest passion is for her beloved Aston Villa Football Club, and she doesn’t hesitate to discuss this passion with anyone who is happy to listen!

Andriana Nikopoulous

Board Director

Andriana is an Associate at KERRS, a law firm that specialises in Commercial Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Insolvency and Financial Services.

Andriana has worked in the legal industry since 2016 and was admitted as a Lawyer in New South Wales in 2018. She has a diverse range of legal experience, previously having worked as a Family Lawyer and as a volunteer at the Redfern Legal Centre.

Andriana is passionate about advocating for her clients in order to achieve the best possible outcome and values the importance of approaching each legal matter with compassion and understanding.

David Gearin

Board Director

An educator with over 30 years experience, here and abroad, in Science, Language and Social Justice. 

Education Officer – Social Justice (Secondary) in the Catholic Life, Education and Mission team in Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW). 

His role supports school communities and leads school improvement through the quality pedagogy that embeds Catholic Social Teaching into the missionary mandate of the schools. 

 A deep conviction that the clear mission of a Catholic education provides our community with an alternative formation for our youth, integrating learning, wellbeing and faith as a framework to develop thriving young people equipped to love and serve in their communities.

Andrew Webb

Board Director

Andrew is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience from small firms to Big 4 Accounting Firms (Deloitte). He is also the founder of Webb Financial, a Wollongong based business which provides integrated accounting, financial planning and lending services to personal and business clients.

Beyond business, Andrew is very active in his local community and holds various positions within volunteer sporting and Autism related organisations. He also loves a good physical challenge from lifting 100 tonnes in one day, jumping in the boxing ring or attempting world weightlifting records, all in the name of charity.

La Chang

Board Director

La Chang is the founder and CEO of TGL (Think Global Logistics), a Sydney-based freight forwarding company with offices in China, New Zealand and Vietnam. La has worked within the Logistics and Transport Industry since in 1998, gaining significant experience and knowledge across companies both large and small, from Australian owned and operated to fortune 500 multinationals.

He is passionate about simplifying logistics and the application of tech to deliver a seamless logistics experience, making him a progressive, seasoned freight forwarder who is driven to improve service standards across the global shipping industry.

Dave Hillen

Board Director

Please meet Dave Hillen, a dynamic business leader and professional, Mental Health advocate, with formal qualifications including a Master’s in Business (MBA), Advanced Diplomas in both Business and Leadership as well as an accredited Mental Health Instructor.

With a proven track record in executive roles, Dave seamlessly integrates his business acumen and understanding of People and Mental Health.

As the General Manager and Director of a large publicly listed organization, Dave brings a compassionate and holistic approach to leadership, prioritizing employee wellbeing.
Dave’s unique skill set enables him to navigate between both the corporate and human aspects of the professional world, fostering a positive work environment.

Committed to destigmatizing Mental Health in the workplace, he actively advocates for inclusivity, gender equality and employee support programs.

Carlene Cardona

Vice Chair

Carlene is a mum of 2 and Professional Administration Assistant and running a successful Virtual Assistant Business for the last 8 years and has lived in South West Sydney (Campbelltown) for 41 years.

Carlene has previously worked with companies such as Toll Group, Sunbeam Corporation, BASF and Fuji Xerox and studied through TAFE, Australian Institute of Management, University of Ballarat and MAP Institute.

Along with running her business, Carlene has been on the board of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce for the past 6 years and is the current President. Carlene has also been on the Fundraising Committee for Escabags for the last 2 years.

Carlene is passionate about Escabags and supporting those that have survived domestic violence.