Our Commitee

Diana Burrell,
President
Diana has been a member of Zonta Club of North Sydney since 2011, and has been Club Secretary twice. Diana has spent most of her working life in the field of education as a classroom teacher, specialist teacher of gifted education, university tutor, and practicum supervisor, as well as a Museum educator. She marks academic tests. In addition, she has owned and managed a bookshop. Diana also volunteers as a Court Support Officer and as a coach with the Migrant Skills workshop. Among her various interests are social golf and choral singing. “I joined to do something with a purpose and give back to society. I enjoy the camaraderie when working with others, discussing and selecting projects to work on as well as hearing interesting speakers… I am committed to improving the status and conditions of women wherever they may be”.

Marie Dayton,
Vice President
Marie is the Founding President of the Club and has been Area 1 Director and International Ambassador for Zonta District 24. “As an individual, I had limited scope to achieve my goal to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged women. I joined Zonta International because it gave me an opportunity to work to advance the status of women through service and advocacy in local and international communities, securing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide. Zontians span every sector of the economy and society in private and public life around the globe; they also share a defined purpose and special camaraderie that is the essence of Zonta.”
Marie has an eclectic combination of national and global strategic alliances and experiences in the NSW public and private sectors. She was nominated for NSW Woman of the Year 2008 and Australian of the Year 2012 for her service to the community through organizations and advisory bodies that promote the interests of women. Marie has worked with Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela, and her favorite project is to actively promote Birthing Kits in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Linda Bisnette,
Secretary
Linda joined Zonta Club of North Sydney as a founding member over 10 years ago and is a past President. “I joined Zonta as it is a way to keep up to date with issues and services for women in the local community and internationally. It has provided a way for me to contribute to areas I feel are important and most of all to make friends who have similar values.”
Linda has been a social worker in schools; a training and development consultant; and an Equal Employment Opportunity Officer with the public sector. Most recently, she held the position of Leadership and Management Consultant, working across several industries and companies in the areas of leadership, performance management, talent planning, recruitment, and change management. She spends much of her volunteer time in Zonta Club of North Sydney activities, as well as delivering an Employability Skills Workshop for Migrants and acting as Secretary for her strata organization. Linda likes to travel, learn about other cultures, and explore the outdoors.

Pam Davis,
Treasurer/Public Officer
Originally trained as a librarian, Pam has been a member of ZCNSB since 2014. “I really enjoy working with such a talented and enthusiastic group of women and it’s great to have the opportunity to get involved with meaningful projects that help women both locally and worldwide.”
Pam is also a management consultant, specializing in corporate governance for the not-for-profit sector; health consumer advocate; volunteer at North Shore Private Hospital; and an avid choir participant in community choirs. In addition, she is Secretary of the Folk Federation of NSW; Volunteer Coordinator of St. Albans Folk Festival. A passionate reader, Pam has founded a book club.

Cassie Thornley,
Board Member
After retiring from nursing, Cassie volunteered for some years at the Lucy Osburn-Florence Nightingale Museum in Macquarie St. as a guide, archivist and assistant researcher. She also served on the local Reconciliation Committee and has cooperated in other community work. I joined Zonta six years ago and have found it a wonderful way to contribute to the welfare of women, both here and overseas, in a practical ‘hands on’ manner. Working on its various projects has also increased my knowledge of the many interlocking issues which counteract, frustrate, delay and oppose the development of women worldwide.”

Veronica Bondarew
Board Member
Recovering from breast cancer can be somewhat difficult, but to receive a beautifully made gift of a cushion to assist with the recovery process was a pleasant surprise. The cushion came with a note stating that it was from Zonta, which I had no idea existed. Veronica is pleased to have been introduced to Zonta Club of North Sydney and the amazing sisterhood that is just as passionate about social justice issues as she is, especially impacting on the rights of women. Veronica acknowledges that it has been a privilege to be a part of the organization and its advocacy.
After many years teaching economics and organizational behavior, Veronica joined the commercial world and worked in various roles that culminated in the position of CEO of Consulting Surveyors National. Her Doctoral thesis was on small firm growth in the Australian biotech industry and she currently has her own company that provides research and a consultancy service to various organizations.