Bridge It’s Crew
“Bridge It is doing things differently: the team is passionate and tenacious, and we believe in them and their cause.”
– IGNITING CHANGE
We’re a diverse crew blending expertise, qualifications, lived experience and neurodiversity. Because of this, we have pioneering programming and ways of working.
The young people we support are part of the team, too; we co-design programs based on regular feedback. They are the experts and they know what they need.
Carla Raynes
Carla’s our founder and CEO (AKA Head of Caring & Eternal Optimism). She’s worked in the homelessness field for over 2 decades. Her experience spans crisis accommodation, drug and alcohol teams, tertiary hospitals and youth residential units.
She’s a trailblazer in trialling creative approaches to homelessness to make the solution lasting. As well as leading Bridge It, she launched a social enterprise speaker agency, Challenge The Label with 50% of profits going to Bridge It.
She’s a mother to Billie and Ted. She’s a fierce change warrior, lover of gingerbread and getting sand between her toes.
Jenna Wilson
Jenna’s our Partnership & Growth Manager. She’s worked in the disability and homelessness field for 15+ years and has a strong passion for mental health and recovery-focused practices.
Before Bridge It, she worked in mental health rehabilitation and inpatient mental health wards.
When not Bridging it, Jenna enjoys being in nature and spending quality time with her daughter Maia. Or she’s immersed in alternative therapies. Wherever she is, there’s a mug of tea in her hand.
Kate Mackenzie
Kate’s is one of our Team Leader’s. Since 2017, she’s worked in the homelessness sector as a social worker. She’s developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness.
Kate’s a ‘northsider’, living in Melbourne’s inner north with her partner. She studied and loves art history, and in her spare time enjoys making music, spending time with friends, reading, and drawing. She’s a zen master!
Sage Leslie
Sage is one of our Team Leader’s at Bridge It. Before this, she worked as a specialist family violence advocate. She approaches her work with an intersectional feminist lens, collaborating with the people she supports to make them the centre of decision-making.
Outside work, Sage enjoys exploring parts of Victoria (whether camping or a lovely little AirBnB), hanging out with her beloved Cat (Theodora – ‘Dora’), reading, listening to spooky podcasts or watching D-Grade horror films.
Sam Jones
Sam’s our Lived Experience Mentor. She has a lived experience of mental ill-health, which is vital in her role. Before becoming unwell, she worked in business development. Her passion is supporting others through similar challenges.
She likes hanging out with friends and loves art and music. Before the pandemic, Sam loved travelling and new adventures. Now, you’ll see her out and about Bayside, enjoying the freedom to explore.
Cass Holeczy
Cass is our Wellbeing Mentor and supports our residents holistically around all areas of their wellness.
She completed her degree in Psychology in 2014 and has been working in mental health ever since- including high schools, youth refuges, family refuges and domestic violence refuges.
Outside of work Cass is geeking out on all things wellness and has qualifications in multiple other modalities such as constellations work, Authentic Relating, kinesiology and shamanic studies.
Philippa Gavin
Pip is our Cocoon Coordinator. She’s a recent social work graduate who has been working with women in the homelessness sector since 2020. She brings a relational practice approach grounded in an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens. She’s passionate about creating spaces where women feel safe, heard, and empowered to define their own path forward.
Outside of work, Pip enjoys hunting for antiques, watching beautifully bleak films, dancing, exploring new nature trails, and attempting to befriend every animal she meets.
Ryan Stevens
Ryan is our Operations Manager at Bridge It, working across all areas of the organisation to make sure things run smoothly and at their best.
Before joining Bridge It, Ryan built and ran his own businesses, giving him first-hand experience in leadership, operations, and creating systems that work in the real world. He brings that entrepreneurial spirit and practical know-how to Bridge It
His role is all about keeping the wheels turning so the team can focus on our residents.
Outside of work, Ryan is Dad to his much-loved furbaby, Lexi. He’s always up for an adventure, with a love for travelling and exploring new places.
Ayesha Turner
Ayesha is currently studying a Diploma of Community Services and chose Bridge It for her placement because of her lived experience in foster and residential care. Her experience has strengthened her commitment to supporting women and children facing family violence.
When not at Bridge It, Ayesha is single mumming to 4 children, which makes her a queen of multitasking! She also loves going to the gym and gets there as often as she can.
Claire Renehan
Claire is our Support Worker her at Bridge It, and also works on intaking new residents. Claire has previously worked with young people in different roles, including in youth justice spaces, education, employment and wellbeing. Since joining Bridge It, Claire’s been drawn to the therapeutic, person-centred approach of engagement and the strong focus on advocacy, which has shaped a lot of her learning.
Outside of work and studies, Claire enjoys music, art, movies, getting into nature and going for meandering walks with her toddler.