Meet the Management Committee
NQWLS is a not-for-profit organisation incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (Qld). It is managed by a Management Committee that is responsible for its functions, with legal and financial obligations under the Act. The Management Committee is comprised of community members from both Townsville and Cairns who volunteer for these positions. The Management Committee members contribute their knowledge, experience and commitment to social justice and women’s rights.
Alana Cole-Munro
President
With a career spanning more than three decades across state and federal government, Alana brings extensive leadership experience in child protection, youth justice, refugee services, immigration, detention services, out-of-home care, and advocacy for vulnerable children and adults.
Originally from South Australia, she holds a Bachelor of Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Management and Certificate III in Government. Her diverse career has included roles in child protection, youth offender programs, refugee and humanitarian settlement services, detention case management, policy development, and executive leadership across South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.
Throughout her career, she has championed the rights and wellbeing of children, young people, refugees, and vulnerable communities. Highlights include leading innovative programs supporting unaccompanied humanitarian minors, developing cultural care models for young refugees arriving in Australia, and overseeing complex care and placement services for children and young people with high support needs.
Today, she works with the Office of the Public Guardian as a Community Visitor, advocating for children and adults living in care arrangements and ensuring their voices are heard.
She joined the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service Management Committee driven by a lifelong commitment to supporting vulnerable people and a belief that every woman and child should have access to safety, justice and opportunity. As President, she is focused on strengthening and expanding the organisation’s capacity to support women and children from all cultural backgrounds, particularly those living in rural and remote communities.
She greatly admires the dedication, integrity and expertise of the NQWLS team, particularly their commitment to service delivery, law reform and continuous learning. Her vision is for NQWLS to continue growing as a leading organisation providing ethical, innovative and culturally responsive services for women across North Queensland.
Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, sewing, resin art, making earrings, travelling and spending time by the pool. She is inspired by journalist and broadcaster Sally Sara, whose courage, integrity and storytelling have helped shine a light on complex global issues.
Her guiding principle is simple: treat people as you would wish to be treated.
Favourite quote: "What you sow, so shall you reap."
Jewel Diehm
Vice President
Jewel Diehm is a recently retired social worker with a diverse career spanning the mining, aviation and human services sectors. After 24 years with Qantas, she spent 18 years as a social worker with Centrelink, supporting people experiencing homelessness, financial hardship, family and domestic violence, child support issues, mental illness, substance dependency, grief and loss, and adverse childhood experiences.
Throughout her career, Jewel worked across a range of specialist teams, including Families, Unreasonable to Live at Home, Rural Social Work and frontline service delivery. She has also supervised James Cook University social work students and mentored emerging social workers through the Australian Association of Social Workers.
A passionate advocate for social justice, Jewel has successfully championed policy and systemic change, including contributing to a landmark Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision that improved access to Parenting Payment for vulnerable women. She has also advocated for greater inclusion of young people with disabilities in community sport.
Having referred women to North Queensland Women’s Legal Service for many years, Jewel witnessed firsthand the life-changing impact of accessible legal support. She joined the Management Committee in 2023, became Vice President in 2024 and Acting President in 2025. Her commitment to NQWLS is driven by a deep belief in the organisation’s vision of social justice, equality and meaningful support for women and children.
Now enjoying retirement, Jewel spends her time with her growing family, including her grandson, two beloved Old English Sheepdogs, and her passions for travel and gardening. She hopes to help guide NQWLS through continued growth and sustainability so it can support vulnerable women and children for generations to come.
Favourite quote:
"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded." — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Kym Musumeci
Secretary
Kym Musumeci is a Service Integration Facilitator with QShelter and brings extensive experience across the human services sector to her role as Secretary of the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service Management Committee. Originally from Mount Isa, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) and a Diploma of Leadership and Management.
Throughout her career, Kym has worked in youth justice, housing and homelessness services, supporting individuals and families facing complex challenges. Beginning as a Case Manager, she worked directly with at-risk individuals before progressing into leadership and coordination roles across youth justice and supported housing programs. Most recently, her work has focused on service integration, cross-sector collaboration and systems advocacy aimed at addressing the root causes of housing instability and social disadvantage.
Grounded in a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach, Kym is passionate about social justice, community wellbeing and creating pathways for people to thrive. She joined the NQWLS Management Committee because of her commitment to supporting women, particularly those experiencing housing insecurity, justice system involvement and other complex barriers.
As a committee member, Kym hopes to help build safer pathways for women, improve access to services and advocate for systems that genuinely listen and respond to the needs of those they serve. She is proud to have built strong partnerships across her community, creating opportunities for collaboration, connection and meaningful change.
What Kym admires most about NQWLS is the passion and dedication of the women who continue to advocate, support and stand alongside others, even when the work is challenging. She believes the organisation plays a critical role in turning compassion into action and creating lasting social change.
Her vision for the future is one where every woman feels safe, seen and supported, with equitable access to housing, justice, healthcare and community. She hopes to see systems that uplift women rather than create barriers, allowing every woman not just to survive, but to thrive.
Outside of work, Kym enjoys cooking, watching cooking shows and experimenting as an amateur candle maker.
She is inspired by Australian advocate Grace Tame, whose courage in challenging stigma and advocating for legal reform continues to inspire survivors and supporters alike.
The advice she lives by is simple: "You don't have to have it all figured out to make a difference—just show up, stay curious, and lead with compassion."
Her favourite mantra is:
"She believed she could, so she did."
Kym Hazelton
Ordinary Member
Kym is an Executive Director with the Queensland Department of Education and brings extensive experience in law, public policy and government administration to the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service Management Committee. Originally from Brisbane, she holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business and has built a diverse career across a range of government and public sector roles.
Throughout her career, Kym has specialised in public policy and governance, developing a strong understanding of the systems, processes and decision-making frameworks that shape communities and services. She joined the NQWLS Management Committee to support an organisation that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities experiencing domestic and family violence and other forms of disadvantage.
As a committee member, Kym hopes to contribute a public policy perspective, governance expertise and knowledge of government processes to help guide the organisation's strategic direction and future growth. She is passionate about ensuring NQWLS continues to expand its reach so that more women and families across North Queensland can access the support they need, when they need it.
What Kym admires most about NQWLS is its unwavering commitment to supporting women and families and the positive impact it has on communities throughout the region.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband Stewart, family and friends, reading, travelling and making the most of the outdoors.
Kym is inspired by Australian advocate and campaigner Rosie Batty AO, whose courage, leadership and commitment to ending domestic and family violence have driven important conversations and lasting change across the country.
Her guiding advice is: "Fortune favours the brave (and you are braver than you think)."
Her favourite quote is:
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." – Aesop
Tania Sharp
Treasurer
Tania Sharp brings more than 15 years of experience in contract management, commercial strategy and governance across the energy, defence, telecommunications and technology sectors. She is currently a Contracts Specialist with InEight, a global project management software company, where she supports the Asia Pacific region while working remotely from Cairns.
Tania holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business and is a member of the World Commerce and Contracting Association APAC Council. Prior to joining InEight, she spent more than five years with BAE Systems in commercial management and procurement roles supporting major government contracts, and over a decade with General Electric across its Digital and Energy business units.
A passionate advocate for equality, diversity and the prevention of domestic and family violence, Tania previously served as Treasurer of Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service and was a board member of Women 4 STEM Victoria. She joined the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service Management Committee to contribute her financial and strategic expertise to an organisation whose values closely align with her own.
As Treasurer, Tania is committed to ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of NQWLS so it can continue delivering vital legal services to women across North Queensland for generations to come. She enjoys strategic planning and helping organisations build strong foundations for future growth and impact.
Outside of work, Tania enjoys hosting and attending women's circles and is an accredited Sound Healing and Womb Awakening Facilitator. She is inspired by pioneering women including Ada Lovelace and author Anne Baring, whose work explores the role of the Divine Feminine in shaping a more equitable future.
Tania's personal mantra is simple but powerful: “I am enough.”
Nichola Corbett-Jarvis
Ordinary Member
Dr Alex Dancyger
Ordinary Member
Dr Alex Dancyger is a Dentist and Senior Lecturer in Clinical Dentistry at James Cook University, bringing a unique combination of clinical expertise, research experience and a strong commitment to community wellbeing. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she holds qualifications in science, education, immunology and infectious diseases, and dental surgery.
Since joining James Cook University in 2015, Dr Dancyger has played an important role in educating and mentoring future dental professionals. She is passionate about evidence-based practice, community engagement and advancing professional standards to ensure all people have access to high-quality healthcare. Her work has increasingly focused on the intersection of health, safety and wellbeing, particularly for women experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.
Dr Dancyger joined the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service Management Committee because of her commitment to supporting women and promoting equitable access to services. She believes her background in healthcare and education offers a valuable perspective in helping to shape initiatives that empower women, strengthen communities and improve outcomes for those most in need.
As a committee member, Alex hopes to advocate for accessible, high-quality services that protect women's rights and address the unique challenges faced by women experiencing domestic and family violence and other forms of disadvantage. She is passionate about building stronger connections between health, legal and community services to create safer and more supportive pathways for women across North Queensland.
She greatly admires NQWLS's unwavering commitment to justice, advocacy and practical support, and its ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of women and their families.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys exploring the natural beauty of North Queensland. She can often be found hiking local trails, walking her dog along the beach, or scuba diving and discovering the underwater world.
Alex is inspired by colleagues Dr Felicity Croker and Dr Ann Carrington, whose leadership, advocacy and commitment to education have driven meaningful change for women and communities.
Her guiding philosophy is simple: "Feel the fear and do it anyway."
She also draws inspiration from the lyrics of Mama Cass:
"Make your own kind of music. Sing your own special song."
A reminder to stay authentic, courageous and true to your values.
Sarah Meyer
Ordinary Member
Jess Shuttleworth
Ordinary Member