NSW/ACT Regional Chaplains
Our Network is supported by a fantastic group of Regional Chaplains located in each of the designated regions in NSW and the ACT. Our Regional Chaplains are all active in Chaplaincy ministry and they are there to provide face to face support and encouragement to each of our Network Members.
If you haven’t been in contact with your Regional Chaplain in recent times, why not send them a quick email and connect!
They would love to hear from you; to join with you in celebrating the joys of chaplaincy ministry as well as providing any support needed.
Barb Carter
Barb is the State Emeritus Pastor looking after our retired chaplains
Kay Waddle
Sydney Nor East Region
kaywaddle50@gmail.com
Kay has had ten years experience working as a Chaplain attached to the Chaplaincy Department at
R.N.S.H. and concurrently 9 years facilitating a team of chaplains while co-ordinating the LifeSource Community FoodCare programme which included Church and Community reach which she is very passionate about.
Kay resides with her daughter, son-in-law and two adorable grand children in Frenchs Forest where she enjoys a variety of activities from keeping fit to reading a variety of genres.
Debbie Gadd
Riverina Region
Debbie has been the Senior Pastor of Tumbarumba Community Church for 10 years. Deb joined Chaplaincy Australia as a disaster recovery & community chaplain following the Black Summer Fires across the Snowy Valleys and surrounds in 2019-20. Deb has experience in diverse leadership roles, and served as joint ACC Riverina Women’s Leader for a number of years.
She has 36 years of teaching experience including 16 years with the Department of Corrective Services, teaching Literacy, Communication and ESL to minimum security offenders at Mannus Correctional Centre..
Deb’s passion for chaplaincy was ignited by the Black Summer Fires, and continues to burn strong with a growing team of community and school chaplains operating out of TCC. Chaplaincy has offered a powerful opportunity to come alongside individuals and families as her fire ravaged community recovers together.
Looking ahead, Deb sees chaplaincy playing an increasing role across the Australian landscape, and she is excited to be part of this growing movement.
Rob McMaster
Sydney North West Region
Rob is a tradesman and former General Manager of a family-owned manufacturing business in Western Sydney. After retiring, he retrained in Pastoral Care (Chaplaincy) and now identifies as a Business Chaplain.
In his early days, Rob was actively involved in the local SES and RFS. He remains engaged in Scouting and attends Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church in North Richmond.
Rob is the welfare officer at the Hawkesbury City Chamber of Commerce and has been providing pastoral care for businesses in Hawkesbury for the past seven years. He has a keen interest in Community Wealth Building and employee-owned cooperatives.
Married for 44 years, Rob has three children and is a grandfather to eight grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Australia.
Sam Collins
Central Coast Region
sam.collinsconnector@gmail.com
Sam has been married to Kylie for 15 years this December.
They have 4 Children, two boys and two girls.
Sam is a high school teacher and has school chaplaincy background, pastoral ministry since 2008.
He is a trainer with AC college and lives in Umina, attending HopeUC Peninsula campus.
Sue Harris
North Coast Region
Sue is an active member in her local church since moving to Coffs Harbour 27 years ago.
She is directly involved in pastoral care and loves connecting with people in this way.
Sue’s passion is being a chaplain, which enables her to engage with the community.
Highlights in this role include assisting in the aftermath of the Black Saturday fires in Victoria, and similarly, after the Lockyer Valley floods in Queensland.
Sue has been married to her husband Geoff for over 40 years and has three children and nine grand children.
Brett Cobby
Hunter Region
Brett is a visiting chaplain at a major Newcastle hospital. He has also served as an NSW Ambulance Chaplain, leading a multifaith team of Chaplains in the Hunter and New England Sectors and was also a Disaster Recovery Network Chaplain for many years. Brett is an ACC Pastor and has served as a community chaplain and board member in several non-for-profit organisations. Brett’s other roles have included administration, pastoral care, and connections pastor.
After working in an operational role in emergency services for almost thirty years, Brett currently works in the child protection area as a foster care trainer and assessor.
Brett believes that Chaplaincy is about inconvenience and preparedness. “You can’t choose where the next crisis will be, but when the need arises you have to be able to recognise it, to be ready for it and to respond appropriately. This means you must be properly trained, qualified and equipped. As Jesus travelled from place to place, he was always being interrupted to help people. I believe Chaplaincy is more about the journey than the destination.”
Brett lives at Raymond Terrace and has been married to Elizabeth for 31 years.
Rachael Riddington
Illawarra Region
rachael.riddington@chaplaincyaustralia.com
Rachael has had over 12 years chaplaincy experience having joined the Chaplaincy Australia network in 2008. Rachael also joined the DRCN in 2017.
Rachael’s chaplaincy experience has been versatile. She has been a chaplain to prisoners in Kerobokan Jail, Bali, as well as providing Chaplaincy support to Iranian refugees in Jakarta.
Rachael became the school Chaplain at William Campbell College in 2010, a special assistance school based in Nowra NSW. In 2011, the doors opened the doors to Rachael’s current full time Chaplaincy position at William Campbell Foundation.
Rachael a pastor in her local church, Increase Church, Albion Park. She is married to John and enjoys good music and long drives
Nancy Groves
ACT Region
Nancy became involved in Chaplaincy after completing her Diploma and taking a position as a School Chaplain. Since then she has gain accreditation as a Sports Chaplain and a DRCN Chaplain
Nancy holds a Provisional Ministers Certificate with ACC and is active in church life at Gilmore Church, ACT.
Previously, Nancy managed her local church Foodcare program which developed her enthusiasm for the need for chaplaincy in the community.
Nancy is passionate about seeing people find and reach their uniquely crafted, God given, full potential. She believes that the Chaplaincy role of actively listening and genuinely caring for people without judgement of their beliefs and background, is a valuable step toward helping others find that potential.
Nancy and her husband Andrew have ten children between them, five of whom are still at home.
Maria Quartiero
Sydney South West Region
maria.quartiero@chaplaincyaustralia.com
Maria has been involved in chaplaincy for over 6 years.
She works with young women who have unplanned pregnancies as well as admin work in the Chaplaincy Australia office.
Maria is a foster carer and is very passionate about supporting and advocacy for families.
She has been married for 28 years and has 3 biological children, one adopted child and one foster child.
KERRY FROST
Western Region
Kerry is every experienced with dedication to supporting others through loss, grief, and trauma, as well as her involvement in the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy network, highlight her commitment to making a positive impact.
Working together in harmony and supporting one another can indeed lead to remarkable outcomes and make a significant impact on the community. By uplifting each other and striving towards shared goals, we can bring glory to God through our chaplaincy roles and teamwork.
Kaye Johnson
Blue Mountains Region
Kaye is an active member in her church. She has been involved with Chaplaincy Australia since 2006. Over many years she has been active in pastoral care and over the past eight years has been employed as a Chaplain in Aged Care, engaged in setting up a chaplaincy ministry with over 450 Residents.
In addition, Kaye is passionate about mentoring professional women and journeys through some of life’s difficult circumstances with them.
Married with four adult children and eight grandchildren, life is full and fun. Hobbies are gardening and reading.
Carol Gore
Mid North Coast Region
Carol brings 45 years’ pastoral experience, 32 years of which have been in Pentecostal churches. She also has a background in corporate and small business, community outreach and disaster response with Red Cross.
Her greatest delight is her four adult children and their spouses, and her 10 beautiful grandchildren
Carol is currently serving in her local ACC church in Port Macquarie, NSW, and is passionate about seeing people reach their full potential in Christ.
Jane Peachey
Sydney Central Region
I started my Chaplaincy after completing CPE in 2005 and was placed in Sutherland Hospital for 8 years.
I then did training with Hammond care and served in that space for 3 years.
Once I retired from my full time role in Bookkeeping/Accounting I became the Pastoral care Director
For Eastcoast Church where I still serve now.
In 2025 I joined back with Chaplaincy Australia and did Disaster Recover training
With my 1st deployment at Bondi after the shooting.
I live with my husband of 33 years and have two married sons and two grandchildren.
I love walking/hiking, tennis and working with textiles. My favourite show is Survivor.