Introducing Tamara Thomas, National Director of UnitingCare Australia

In February 2026, UnitingCare Australia welcomed a leader whose career has spanned continents, causes and communities — from Noosa Heads to Geneva, and from grassroots advocacy to the corridors of the United Nations.

Tamara Thomas steps into the role of National Director bringing more than two decades of experience in international development, humanitarian advocacy and institutional leadership. Most recently, she served with the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as Director of Resource Mobilisation, championing health equity and forging strategic partnerships at the highest levels of global diplomacy.

Now, she has returned to Australian shores.

From Geneva back to home

“I’ve only been back since December,” Tamara says, reflecting on her family’s move from Switzerland to Melbourne.

For the past three years, she lived just outside Geneva next door to a dairy farm, commuting via Switzerland’s famously efficient trains into one of the world’s most international cities. The contrast with life in Australia has been striking.

“You travel 20 kilometres in Melbourne and you’re still in Melbourne,” she laughs, noting the differences in scale, transport and urban design.

But the return is more than geographical. It is grounded in values.

A lifelong commitment to justice

Originally from Noosa Heads in Queensland, Tamara grew up in a family deeply connected to the Uniting Church. Her grandparents were members of the Taringa congregation for more than 50 years, and her grandmother, she recalls, was a passionate social justice advocate.

That legacy, combined with Tamara’s own lifelong commitment to justice, made the opportunity at UnitingCare Australia feel like a natural fit.

“What drew me was definitely the social justice component and the opportunity to influence national policy that impacts marginalised Australians,” Tamara says. “Everyone, at some point in their life, needs care. Making sure they receive the best care, and live with dignity, is something I’m very passionate about.”

This commitment has guided her work across a range of international organisations, including Oxfam International, Australian Volunteers International, World Vision Australia and UNAIDS. In each role, she navigated complex systems to advocate for marginalised communities — from securing funding for gender justice programs to promoting evidence‑based policy and human rights protections on the global stage.

Strengthening services and amplifying advocacy

The ability to hold conviction and complexity together will serve Tamara well at UnitingCare Australia, as she fulfils the organisation’s mandate to give voice to the Uniting Church’s commitment to social justice through advocacy, while strengthening community service provision.

Already, she is witnessing the impact of UnitingCare providers across the country.

“One part is strengthening the network,” Tamara explains. “What I’ve observed already is the incredible passion of staff — their commitment to the dignity and centrality of the person they’re serving. There’s so much experience and innovation across the network.”

“The second part is advocacy,” she adds. “It’s about taking that lived experience and evidence to government and politicians. What policy settings need to be in place so that services can do their job well? So that people experience the dignity they’re owed?”

For Tamara, advocacy is inseparable from the deeper question of inequality. While the issues in Australia may differ from those she has addressed globally, the underlying themes remain the same: access to aged care, the rising cost of living, housing affordability, and ensuring people on low incomes can access essential services.

She is also deeply committed to reconciliation with First Nations peoples, seeing it as central to achieving true equality.

“Until reconciliation happens, there’s no true equality,” Tamara says.

Leading by listening, and looking ahead

For now, Tamara’s priority is simple: listening.

“It’s a very powerful tool,” she says. “If you listen closely and well, then you can be a voice for change.”

She is meeting with staff, engaging with Church leaders and stakeholders, and beginning conversations that will shape UnitingCare Australia’s next five‑year strategy. She approaches the role with humility, recognising that national advocacy must be grounded in the lived realities of those providing and receiving care.

“I come into this role wanting to hear what people want their voice in Canberra to say,” she explains. “How do they want it said? What are the things they want to see moved?”

For Tamara, the path forward is clear and deliberate.

“First, I’m here to listen and learn,” she says. “And then together, we’re going to be creating change in Australia for the people to whom it matters most.”

With her global experience, personal conviction and deep commitment to equity, Tamara Thomas is ready to guide UnitingCare Australia into its next chapter — one grounded in listening, evidence and advocacy, and focused on ensuring care and dignity for every Australian.