Meet the Team

Financial Service Centre Managers Premium Banking Network Leadership Team Board of Directors

Financial Service Centre Managers

Jess Lippiatt Tweed Financial Service Centre Manager

Jess leads our Tweed Financial Service Centre with a focus on building a capable, supportive team and delivering exceptional customer service at every stage of life. Her journey with SCCU began in the Customer Service Centre, giving Jess deep knowledge and appreciation of our customers’ needs to create a...

Jess leads our Tweed Financial Service Centre with a focus on building a capable, supportive team and delivering exceptional...

Jasmine Wark Customer Service Centre Manager

Jasmine Wark brings local knowledge and a passion for exceptional customer service to her role as Customer Service Centre Manager. As a leader in customer service, Jasmine oversees the daily operations of SCCU's Customer Service Centre, ensuring seamless banking experiences for customers. She empowers her team to deliver unparallel customer...

Jasmine Wark brings local knowledge and a passion for exceptional customer service to her role as Customer Service Centre...

Azaleia Bradley Murwillumbah and Cabarita Financial Service Centre Manager

Azaleia brings her zest for community-focused banking to her role as the Murwillumbah and Cabarita Financial Service Centre Manager to create meaningful connections that support the financial wellbeing of our customers. With over a decade of experience spanning leadership, finance, compliance, and project management, Azaleia’s career journey has strengthened her...

Azaleia brings her zest for community-focused banking to her role as the Murwillumbah and Cabarita Financial Service Centre Manager...

Helen Wenzel FSC Manager - Ballina

Helen Wenzel joins our FSC management team with over 16 years of banking experience in various financial institutions, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge across the financial service industry. Relocating from the hustle and bustle of Sydney life two and a half years ago, Helen now calls the...

Helen Wenzel joins our FSC management team with over 16 years of banking experience in various financial institutions, bringing...

Steven Quirke FSC Manager - Mullumbimby

Like many of our Financial Service Centre Managers (FSCM), Steve Quirke is both friendly and experienced with over 15 years in financial services. As well as a strong foundation in banking and home lending solutions, Steve has also had first-hand experience running his own small regional business. Beginning his career...

Like many of our Financial Service Centre Managers (FSCM), Steve Quirke is both friendly and experienced with over 15...

Kelly Lawn Premium Banker

Kelly brings 30 years of experience in banking and lending to the SCCU team, making her an asset to our business and customers. Known for a warm, customer-first approach, she excels at uncovering opportunities through thoughtful conversations and tailored solutions. With a passion for helping people achieve their financial goals,...

Kelly brings 30 years of experience in banking and lending to the SCCU team, making her an asset to...

Steve Distant Premium Banker

0401 036 535

Steve has been a valued part of the SCCU team for almost twenty years. With unrivalled industry experience across the entire spectrum of personal and business banking services, Steve works with customers on everything from home loans, to business banking and helps dreams come true for so many –...

Steve has been a valued part of the SCCU team for almost twenty years. With unrivalled industry experience across...

Linda O’Sullivan Broker Relationships & Development Manager

Joining the Southern Cross Credit Union (SCCU) team in 2021, Linda provides support to our Broker Network to help them provide tailored solutions to meet their customers lending needs. As 24 year veteran of banking, her experience and passion is second to none. Known for being firm but fair,...

Joining the Southern Cross Credit Union (SCCU) team in 2021, Linda provides support to our Broker Network to help...

Tara Armbruster Head of Customer Relationships

With over 18 years of banking experience, including seven years at SCCU, most recently successfully leading our Customer Service Centre, Tara has a wealth of knowledge and passion for enhancing our customer’s experience and the engagement of our frontline teams. Dedicated to coaching and developing our people to deliver exceptional...

With over 18 years of banking experience, including seven years at SCCU, most recently successfully leading our Customer Service...

Patricia Smith Head of Lending

With more than 25 years’ experience across the banking industry, Patricia brings a wealth of knowledge and a forward-thinking approach to her role as Head of Lending at Southern Cross Credit Union. A strategic and innovative leader, Patricia is passionate about creating meaningful impact, not just through the products and...

With more than 25 years’ experience across the banking industry, Patricia brings a wealth of knowledge and a forward-thinking...

Luciana Pinciara Head of Marketing and Projects

As part of our Executive team, Luciana helps leverage our business intelligence by facilitating the merge between marketing, analytics and projects that are mostly focused on product performance, implementation and delivery. With a Bachelor in Journalism, an MBA in Project Management, a Diploma in Digital Marketing and a certificate in...

As part of our Executive team, Luciana helps leverage our business intelligence by facilitating the merge between marketing, analytics...

Jessica Jackson Chief Customer Officer

As part of the Executive team, Jessica is our Chief Customer Officer (CCO) with over 12 years of human resources experience. Jessica was appointed to the role in December 2024, coming from our Chief People Officer prior, and is accountable for supporting, inspiring and enabling the SCCU’s team to...

As part of the Executive team, Jessica is our Chief Customer Officer (CCO) with over 12 years of human...

Simon Lehmann Chief Risk Officer

Simon is our Chief Risk Officer and as part of our Executive team, is responsible for risk, compliance and regulatory governance for Southern Cross Credit Union (SCCU). After over 30 years in the banking and finance industry, Simon is recognised as a well rounded executive with a deep experience...

Simon is our Chief Risk Officer and as part of our Executive team, is responsible for risk, compliance and...

Brett Myles Chief Financial Officer

Brett is responsible for the financial management of the Credit Union, as well as strategy and implementation of SCCU’s information and communication technology objectives. Brett worked in the Audit and Assurance section of a big 4 accounting firm for nine years, before joining the banking and finance industry in...

Brett is responsible for the financial management of the Credit Union, as well as strategy and implementation of SCCU’s...

Stuart Edwards Chief Executive Officer

An experienced Chief Executive Officer and a highly successful strategic business leader within the Financial Services industry across listed banks and the customer owned, mutual sector. Since joining Southern Cross Credit Union in 2015, Stuart has led the complete transformation of the business delivering positive results in the key strategic...

An experienced Chief Executive Officer and a highly successful strategic business leader within the Financial Services industry across listed...

Alvaro Lozano Chairperson

Alvaro was first appointed to the Board as a Director in February 2017 and was subsequently appointed the position of Chairperson in November 2021. Alvaro is also a member of both the Risk and Audit Committees. Having been a resident of the Far North Coast for over 16 years, Alvaro...

Alvaro was first appointed to the Board as a Director in February 2017 and was subsequently appointed the position...

Pat McIntosh: AM, CSC Director | Chair, Audit Committee

Pat McIntosh was born and raised in the Lockyer Valley in Queensland and was educated at Downlands College, Toowoomba. Pat served in the Australian regular Army for 27 years. He enjoyed extensive command experience included an infantry battalion, the Australian Medical Support Force Rwanda, the Land Warfare Centre and the...

Pat McIntosh was born and raised in the Lockyer Valley in Queensland and was educated at Downlands College, Toowoomba. Pat...

Suzie Slingsby Director | Chair, Risk Committee

Suzie’s background is as a payments specialist with over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry having held Regional Director, General Manager and Senior Executive roles with industry leaders such as Thomas Cook, Travelex and MasterCard. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and...

Suzie’s background is as a payments specialist with over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry having held...

Jeremy Rutledge Director

Jeremy is a Director of Southern Cross Credit Union since November 2021. Jeremy is also a property & business valuation specialist (Certified Practicing Valuer, registered in NSW & QLD) and has been advising Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions for over 25 years holding a Bachelor of Business (Property) and a Graduate Diploma...

Jeremy is a Director of Southern Cross Credit Union since November 2021. Jeremy is also a property & business valuation...

Belinda Henry Director

Belinda has been on the Board since June 2011 and is a member of the Risk and Audit Committees. Having lived in the Tweed her entire life, Belinda is dedicated to ensure that we, as a local, community based and owned banking institution, continue to support our community organisations, our...

Belinda has been on the Board since June 2011 and is a member of the Risk and Audit Committees. Having...

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As COVID hit some 3 years ago, I approached SCCU to re-align our financial position at both a personal and professional level with our business. Not only were your team receptive but with the assistance of SCCU not only did we make our way through COVID closures, but due to the support of SCCU we have evolved into an extremely sound business, and I would suggest a success story of the community banking that SCCU continues to deliver. Thank you for the support you offer to us as a local business and us as a local family of the area. Thank you, the entire team, at SCCU for being such an awesome part of the community whilst also being a great business to align with.

Jason

Working with Steve has been an absolute pleasure! He is very professional yet is able to bring a personal touch to the banking and loan process. We always feel like we are kept up to date with requirements and processes and Steve is always willing to explain everything in a user-friendly yet professional manner. He has been amazing to work with for our financial needs and would highly recommend his services to friends, family, and colleagues.

Kylie Taylor

We are writing to compliment SCCU for the excellent care, efficiency and exceptional customer service which we have received over the past many months of our build from Emma Northcott. Emma has combined professionalism, attention to details, accuracy, excellent communication and helpful consideration in managing our loan and the periodic payments requested by the builder. In our opinion she has gone above and beyond what we would have expected from a Lending Operations Specialist, and her handling of our account will highly contribute to our recommendations of SCCU to friends and family. Thanking you sincerely

Stan and Zetta Michaels

Meet the Team

Financial Service Centre Managers

Jess Lippiatt Tweed Financial Service Centre Manager

Jasmine Wark Customer Service Centre Manager

Azaleia Bradley Murwillumbah and Cabarita Financial Service Centre Manager

Helen Wenzel FSC Manager - Ballina

Steven Quirke FSC Manager - Mullumbimby

Premium Banking

Kelly Lawn Premium Banker

Steve Distant Premium Banker

Network

Linda O’Sullivan Broker Relationships & Development Manager

Tara Armbruster Head of Customer Relationships

Leadership Team

Patricia Smith Head of Lending

Luciana Pinciara Head of Marketing and Projects

Jessica Jackson Chief Customer Officer

Simon Lehmann Chief Risk Officer

Brett Myles Chief Financial Officer

Stuart Edwards Chief Executive Officer

Board of Directors

Alvaro Lozano Chairperson

Pat McIntosh: AM, CSC Director | Chair, Audit Committee

Suzie Slingsby Director | Chair, Risk Committee

Jeremy Rutledge Director

Belinda Henry Director

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