{"id":3535,"date":"2025-04-17T16:29:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T06:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.melbasupport.com.au\/?p=3535"},"modified":"2026-06-14T18:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T08:24:44","slug":"welcome-dr-sonia-sharp-melbas-new-chair-of-the-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.melbasupport.com.au\/latest-news\/welcome-dr-sonia-sharp-melbas-new-chair-of-the-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome Dr Sonia Sharp: Melba\u2019s New Chair of the Board\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3535\" class=\"elementor elementor-3535\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-347d7fa e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"347d7fa\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6521edab e-con-full home-banner e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6521edab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a4a0677 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-laptop__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet_extra__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2a4a0677\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Welcome Dr Sonia Sharp: Melba\u2019s New Chair of the Board\u00a0<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ec35bf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"4ec35bf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-f88c87c elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time> 17 April 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f317dfa e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4f317dfa\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30ab69c4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"30ab69c4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78437099 link elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"78437099\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We\u2019re excited to share some important news about Melba\u2019s leadership. Dr Sonia Sharp has officially stepped into the role of Chair of the Board, following the recent departure of Andrew Cairns, who has relocated to Papua New Guinea. We thank Andrew for his incredible contribution and steady leadership, and we wish him all the very best in his next chapter.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sonia joins Melba with a wealth of experience and a deep passion for inclusion and human rights.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sonia brings more than 25 years of experience in executive leadership across education and child and family services and has served on various boards in Australia and the UK. Former roles have included Deputy Secretary for Early Childhood and Schools in Victoria, Chair of the Early Childhood National Policy Group and Chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychologists, British Psychological Society.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sonia has a background in educational psychology, working closely with children, young people and their families and championing their rights in the education system.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sonia has worked with Melba for the past three years and brings a deep understanding of Melba\u2019s journey to date and its ambitions for the future. She is passionate about the work that Melba does and is fully committed to Melba\u2019s values.\u202f\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Please join us in warmly welcoming Sonia to the Melba community!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3186b7f4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3186b7f4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b5bb1a2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4b5bb1a2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67583d62 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"67583d62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Share<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b8a2cd elementor-share-buttons--view-icon elementor-share-buttons--skin-flat elementor-share-buttons--shape-circle elementor-share-buttons--color-custom elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"3b8a2cd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fab-facebook\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.78 90.69 226.38 209.25 245V327.69h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.31 482.38 504 379.78 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_linkedin\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on linkedin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fab-linkedin\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-envelope\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M502.3 190.8c3.9-3.1 9.7-.2 9.7 4.7V400c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V195.6c0-5 5.7-7.8 9.7-4.7 22.4 17.4 52.1 39.5 154.1 113.6 21.1 15.4 56.7 47.8 92.2 47.6 35.7.3 72-32.8 92.3-47.6 102-74.1 131.6-96.3 154-113.7zM256 320c23.2.4 56.6-29.2 73.4-41.4 132.7-96.3 142.8-104.7 173.4-128.7 5.8-4.5 9.2-11.5 9.2-18.9v-19c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v19c0 7.4 3.4 14.3 9.2 18.9 30.6 23.9 40.7 32.4 173.4 128.7 16.8 12.2 50.2 41.8 73.4 41.4z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re excited to share some important news about Melba\u2019s leadership. Dr Sonia Sharp has officially stepped into the role of Chair of the Board, following the recent departure of Andrew Cairns. Sonia joins Melba with a wealth of experience and a deep passion for inclusion and human rights.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":6437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Welcome Dr Sonia Sharp: Melba\u2019s New Chair of the Board\u00a0 | Melba Support Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We\u2019re excited to share some important news about Melba\u2019s leadership. Dr Sonia Sharp has officially stepped into the role of Chair of the Board, following the recent departure of Andrew Cairns. Sonia joins Melba with a wealth of experience and a deep passion for inclusion and human rights.\u00a0\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.melbasupport.com.au\/latest-news\/welcome-dr-sonia-sharp-melbas-new-chair-of-the-board\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Welcome Dr Sonia Sharp: Melba\u2019s New Chair of the Board\u00a0 | Melba Support Services\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We\u2019re excited to share some important news about Melba\u2019s leadership. Dr Sonia Sharp has officially stepped into the role of Chair of the Board, following the recent departure of Andrew Cairns. 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