Leadership moves at UnitingCare Australia and Clayton Church Homes
The Uniting Church’s national body, which operates the largest Not For Profit aged care provider in Australia, has appointed Tamara Thomas as its National Director.
An international development expert and Government relations advisor, Tamara stepped into the role on 16 February 2026 after the departure last year of Claerwen Little, who held the role for nine years. Claerwen was a member of the Aged Care Transition Taskforce.
Tamara has worked in senior global leadership roles, including as a Director at the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), where she championed health equity and strategic partnerships.
Returning to Australia after more than three years in Geneva, Tamara said: “I am excited to join UnitingCare Australia and work alongside the network to create real change for communities.
“My vision is for a fairer, more just Australia, and I look forward to leveraging my global experience to strengthen advocacy and collaboration.”
UnitingCare Australia Chair, Heather Watson, said Tamara’s expertise in resource mobilisation, partnership development, and advocacy will be invaluable.
UnitingCare Australia’s UnitingCare Aged Care Network is the largest Not For Profit aged care provider in Australia, supporting 97,000 older people with 8.5% of Australia’s residential aged care beds and 10% of Support at Home packages.
Clayton Church Homes appoints new Chair
The South Australian Not For Profit residential aged care, home care and retirement living provider Clayton Church Homes has also appointed long-standing board member Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds as Chair.
Formerly South Australian Public Trustee, Nicolle is also chair of Thoroughbred Racing NT and holds board positions with the Lutheran Laypeople’s League, Foresters Financial Services, the Local Government Finance Authority, the South Australian Jockey Club, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ SA/NT Division. She is also President of the Grange Golf Club and a Council Member of Adelaide University.
In our latest edition of SATURDAY, we examined the Chair’s increasingly consequential role in aged care. With her impressive CV, Nicolle exemplifies the high calibre Chair now demanded in aged care boardrooms today.
