Board of directors
Leone Crayden, Chair
Elected November 2021
Leone Crayden is the Chief Executive Officer of The Buttery, a not-for-profit, charitable AOD rehabilitation, addiction and mental health services organisation. With a background in nursing, social science, leadership and governance, Leone has a long and distinguished career in executive and frontline positions in mental health, community housing and homelessness, social welfare and disability.
Mark Buckingham, Deputy Chair
Elected November 2021
Mark Buckingham is the Chief Executive Officer of Kedesh Rehabilitation Service and has worked in the AOD sector for over 20 years, both in specialist treatment and managerial levels. Mark is a graduate of the University of Wollongong’s Faculty of Commerce, where he focused his studies on health management. He has served on the NADA board as an executive for close to a decade.
Andy Biddle, Board Member
Elected November 2022
Andy is the State Manager, Alcohol, and other Drug services NSW/ACT at The Salvation Army. He has 20 years’ of experience in the AOD sector, in both the UK and Australia, across a wide range of roles and service types. While in the UK, he worked with CGL, the largest provider of AOD services in Europe, for 15 years across London and the South. He has worked in commissioning with a PHN, developing new service models and changing treatment systems.
Carmel Tebbutt, Board Member
Elected November 2023
Carmel Tebbutt is CEO of Odyssey House NSW, a not-for-profit provider of residential and community AOD services. Prior to this, Carmel was CEO of the Mental Health Coordinating Council and she has over 30 years’ experience in government and the not for profit sector. Carmel has a deep understanding of advocacy, campaigning, policy development and government decision making. She has an economics degree, is a graduate of the AICD and a former board member of Mental Health Australia.
Gerard Byrne, Board Member
Elected November 2021
Gerard Byrne has over 30 years’ experience in the AOD field, working in counselling to senior management roles. Now the operations manager for WHOS Treatment Services. Gerard holds qualifications in social sciences, AOD work, psychotherapy, clinical supervision, business management, human resource management and workplace training and assessment. He currently holds board positions in AOD peak bodies and services.
Lea-Anne Miller, Board Member
Appointed June 2023
Lea-Anne Miller is a Wonnarua woman from the Hunter Valley, working on Darkinjung country. A strong advocate for Aboriginal people, she has worked with the community most of her life. She has wide ranging experience in a number of professional fields. She currently works at the Yerin – Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Centre, enhancing the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people seeking support for their use of alcohol and other drugs.
Latha Nithyanandam, Board Member
Re-elected November 2022
Latha Nithyanandam is the chief executive officer of ADF NSW—Kathleen York House. Latha brings over 36 years’ experience working in mental health services and AOD treatment, both in Australia and overseas. Her qualifications are in psychology at undergraduate, post-graduate and doctorate levels. She also currently holds two service positions for the Australian Psychological Society as treasurer and committee member for both the APS Sydney branch and the ‘Psychology and substance use interest group’.
Monique Cardon, Board Member
Elected November 2023
Monique Cardon is the Chief Executive Officer of Kamira Alcohol and Other Treatment Services Inc. located on the Central Coast / Darkinjung Country. She has over 30 years’ experience in the not for profit sector and has worked in children’s services, community aged care, volunteering, disability services, homelessness, domestic and family violence and most recently in the AOD sector. An MBA qualified executive, Monique has sound goverance experience across a range of local community organisations.
