Board

The FCA board, which meets at least six times per year, is made up of seven directors: four are elected from the financial counselling sector, while three external, skills-based directors are appointed by the board. All directors serve a three-year term, with a maximum of two continuous terms.

Directors from the financial counselling sector need to be accredited financial counsellors and are elected by the Representative Council. Any accredited financial counsellor can apply for a position on the board in an election. However, if a state or territory president is elected, they need to resign from that role.

Tim Barnett

Chair & Appointed Director

Tim has worked in five countries through his career (Barbados, UK, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia), serving and leading NGOs in the social change space and being elected as a local councillor (London) and Member of Parliament (NZ). Between 2017 and 2020 he led FinCap, a comparable entity to FCA, based in Wellington.

Between 2020 and 2024 Tim worked as Chief of Staff to Hon Selena Uibo in the Northern Territory Government, covering fourteen portfolios in that period. He is now Interim CEO of Injalak Arts Aboriginal Corporation, in the remote NT community of Gunbalanya.

He brings to the Board a love of strategy, risk and mitigation, and agencies making an impact. Plus all sorts of insights living in the heart of an Aboriginal community of 1,200 people.

Carol Eapen

Deputy Chair & Financial Counselling Director

ACA (ICAEW), CA (CA ANZ), BSc (Hons), Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling)

Carol has volunteered or worked as a Financial Counsellor since 2008 and currently works for the Salvation Army on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She has completed the Problem Gambling and the Small Business units of the Diploma.

Carol has volunteered for various roles on the Management Committee of FCQ including Secretary, Treasurer and, most recently, Vice Chair.

Prior to her work in the community sector, Carol worked for 24 years as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG. Carol worked in various roles at KPMG, starting as a new graduate in the London firm and ultimately as partner for 13 years in the Singapore firm.

Vicki Penner

Financial Counsellor Director

B. Applied Business (Management), Diploma in Community Services (Financial Counselling), Specialist Problem Gambling Skill Set, Certificate in Professional Supervision.

Vicki Penner is the Queensland Manager for The Salvation Army’s Moneycare Financial Counselling Program.

She has held various executive roles in the Financial Counsellors’ Association of Queensland, including Chair and National Representative for Financial Counselling Australia. With over 18 years experience in the community services sector, Vicki has spent nine years with the Gambling Help Service in Queensland, contributing to initiatives aimed at reducing gambling harm across Australia.

Prior to her career in community services, she worked as a recruitment consultant and managed the financial operations of a commercial construction business for 15 years.

Geoff Cornwall

Financial Counselling Director

Geoff has been a Financial Counsellor since 2013, working for Lifeline Macarthur, Wesley Mission, Uniting, Illawarra Legal Centre and currently with South Coast & Country Community Law. He is an accredited Trainer and Assessor for the Diploma of Financial Counselling and in 2020 he facilitated the FCA Intern Program in NSW and ACT.

He was previously a Director of FCAN including Treasurer, and Chair from 2022 to 2025. He has tertiary and post graduate qualifications in Surveying, Economics and Management; and has completed the Company Directors Diploma with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also served as a Director on a State Owned Corporation Board for 8 years and on numerous management Committees in a volunteer capacity.

Carly Baker

Financial Counsellor Director