Australian leadership
Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
On 1 December 2018, The Salvation Army became a unified movement in Australia, after having operated as two independent territories for 97 years. The objectives to bring the two former territories together were to have an aligned vision, united voice, greater impact, increased innovation, stronger partnerships and better stewardship for the communities that we serve across Australia.
Our Governance model explained
The Australia Territory Board
The Board is responsible for:
- Providing governance oversight to the Territory in accordance with Australian law, governance principles and all requirements under International Headquarters Orders and Regulations
- Strategically positioning the Territory so that it has a sustainable, major influence on Australian society
- Providing advice and assistance to the Trustees
The Salvation Army, in its pursuit of good and godly governance, seeks to ensure accountability, transparency, equity and inclusiveness, participation, responsiveness, effectiveness and efficiency and an adherence to the rule of law of the land. These characteristics can be grouped under six over-arching principles as detailed in A Salvation Army Theology of Governance (pdf)
The Board consists of 12 members - six Salvation Army officers, including Commissioner Miriam Gluyas as Chair, and six independent members, who all share a personal faith in Jesus Christ. The members are:
Commissioner Miriam Gluyas (Chair)
Miriam is the Chair of the Board and the Territorial Commander, responsible for the spiritual leadership of The Salvation Army Australia.
Having served The Salvation Army for almost 40 years in various appointments, from church planting, multicultural ministry, youth and children's ministry, Chief Secretary in Papua New Guinea and Divisional Commander of NSW/ACT Division for the past seven years, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas is committed to seeing lives transformed across our nation.
Major Kevin Lumb (Alternate Chair)
Major Kevin Lumb is a recently retired officer, who commenced service as a Territorial Envoy in 2001 and was commissioned as an officer in 2003. Over his 22 years of service as a Salvation Army Officer, Major Lumb has held appointments in Corps, Employment Plus, Divisional Headquarters and Territorial Headquarters.
Prior to officership, Major Lumb held senior management roles and has worked in the corporate sectors of technology, construction and finance.
Major Lumb has a deep commitment to seeing the Kingdom of God flourish. He is passionate about the mission of The Salvation Army as it seeks to fulfil its God given mandate to see souls saved.
Major Lumb holds a Certificate (Advanced Diploma) in Electronics, Advanced Diploma of Salvation Army Ministries and a Graduate Certificate in Professional Supervision.
Mr Richard Grellman, AM (Lead Independent and Chair, Remuneration Committee)
Richard holds the role of Lead Independent on the Board, which carries the authority to communicate with International Headquarters directly in exceptional circumstances and chairs the Remuneration Committee.
Richard was a partner at the international accounting firm KPMG and rose to become a member of KPMG’s Board and National Executive. He currently sits on the boards of a number of public and also some NFP and private companies.
In 2007, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community, particularly through leadership roles within Mission Australia. Until recently, Richard was Chair of the Bible Society of Australia.
In 2019, the Council of the University of New South Wales bestowed on Richard the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa, in recognition of his eminent service to the University and the broader community.
Mr Greg Couttas (Chair, Audit and Risk Committee)
Greg brings to the Board significant finance and risk management expertise, having served as a senior audit partner at Deloitte for 28 years, until his retirement in November 2016.
He held several senior management roles at Deloitte, including Managing Partner for New South Wales from 2005 to 2008. Greg also served as a member of the Deloitte Australia Board from 2005 to 2016 and was Chairman of the firm’s Audit and Risk Committee for 11 years.
He is currently Chairman of Hireup Holdings and Director of Sydney Water Corporation and Virtus Health.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ms Desley Hargreaves, PSM (Chair, Quality and Safety Committee)
Desley holds extensive experience in public service – as a social work practitioner and senior executive in both social work and administrative leadership positions in Centrelink and Department of Human Services.
She has been a non-executive director of the Board since 2018 and has chaired the Quality and Safety Committee of the Board since August 2020.
Currently, Desley works as a consultant social work practitioner with a focus on social work practice, leadership and disaster response and recovery.
Desley holds a Bachelor of Social Work and is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
Ms Felicity Natoli (Chair, Professional Standards Committee)
Felicity is a senior lawyer and regulatory specialist with a career spanning roles in private practice as well as the corporate and government sectors. Currently working as a Governance Partner at TasNetworks, Felicity previously held the position of Group Senior Manager in the Financial Services Group at the Australian Securities and Investment Commission where she worked for 14 years.
Felicity is passionate about using her qualifications and skills to benefit the community and has served on various governance Boards and committees. Felicity also assisted in establishing and managing a post-release prison support program for The Salvation Army in Tasmania and remains actively engaged with the Hobart Corps of The Salvation Army.
Felicity holds a Bachelor of Laws and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, the High Court of Australia, and the Supreme Court of Victoria. She also holds a Diploma of Education and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mr Adrian Appo, OAM
Adrian is the CEO of First Australians Capital, an Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing, Children’s Ground and Social Ventures Australia.
A Gooreng Gooreng man, Adrian served in the Royal Australian Air Force and is a graduate of the University of Sydney, Melbourne Business School and Harvard University.
He has been awarded the Defence Service Medal, Centenary Medal and Order of Australia Medal.
Dr Ian Brown
Dr Ian Brown is a recently retired Thoracic and Sleep Specialist with over four decades of experience in both public and private healthcare. After graduating from the University of Queensland in 1974, he pursued postgraduate training in Australia, England, and Canada. Dr Brown has worked extensively in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, particularly focusing on dust-related conditions such as black lung and silicosis. He has also managed private Sleep and Lung Function Laboratories in partnership with other physicians.
In addition to his medical career, Dr Brown has held leadership positions on various Boards, including as a member of The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus Board of the former Australia Eastern Territory and a Trustee to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Board. A committed Salvationist, Dr Brown has been actively involved in senior leadership roles within the Salvation Army for over 20 years.
Dr Brown holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
Colonel Winsome Merrett
Winsome is the Chief Secretary of Salvation Army Australia and therefore responsible for the operational management of the Australia Territory.
Winsome was commissioned as a Salvation Army Officer in 1987 and has served in various corps and divisional and territorial appointments within Australia, as well as being a delegate of the International College of Officers in London in 2011.
Prior to taking up her appointment as Chief Secretary on 1 February 2020, Winsome held the position of Assistant Chief Secretary for the Australia Territory. Additionally, she also held the position of Director on the Micah Board in 2019.
Winsome holds a Bachelor of Speech Therapy, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, as well as an Associate in Music, Australia (Piano).
Captain Colin Reynolds
Colin currently leads the Sunshine Corps, situated in the multi-culturally rich community of faith of Sunshine, alongside his wife, Captain Phuong Reynolds.
Prior to becoming an officer, Colin worked in Homelessness Services for The Salvation Army (former Southern Territory), was the pastor of a Vietnamese Church in Melbourne and also employed at the Camberwell Corps.
He is passionate about diversity and partnering with God through The Salvation Army, to make an impact on the community.
Colin currently serves on the Gender Equity Advisory Group (The Salvation Army Australia Territory), the South Pacific Theological Forum and an Interfaith Committee in his local area. He is also an adjunct lecturer at The Salvation Army Eva Burrows College in the field of mission studies.
He holds a Bachelor of Theology, a Graduate Diploma in Biblical Studies and a Master of Theological Studies.
Captain Leisa Humbley 
Captain Leisa has eight years of experience as a Salvation Army officer, serving as Corps Officer of Nambour, Chaplain for Employment Plus, Divisional Women’s Ministries Coordinator and Adults Ministries Secretary.
Captain Leisa is the Youth and Young Adults Secretary for Queensland within Mission Support and is passionate about investing in the lives and leadership development of all generations.
Prior to becoming an officer, Captain Leisa worked as a commercial insurance broker for 13 years, responsible for arranging general insurance for business and trade industries including Professional Liabilities, Contractors Insurance, Workers’ Compensation and Domestic Insurances.
Captain Leisa holds a Diploma in Financial Services (Insurance Broking), a Bachelor of Theology and is currently studying to complete a Master of Business Administration.
Auxiliary Lieutenant Rosy Keane (Secretary for Spiritual Life)
Auxiliary Lieutenant Rosy Keane serves as The Salvation Army Australia’s Secretary for Spiritual Life.
Rosy served for over 17 years in a variety of capacities with The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory (TSANZFTS) before moving to Australia in 2022 to take on her current role.
Rosy served for six years as the Territorial Mission Leader for Women’s Ministries (TSANZFTS), and her viral digital campaigns, community initiatives and advocating for justice as part of that role has influenced The Salvation Army’s ministry to women internationally.
Rosy has a vibrant spoken word ministry, delivering spoken word performance and workshops to a diverse range of groups around the world from high level executive teams, to recovery groups and the youth sector.
Rosy also served on the inaugural Gender Equity Committee for TSANZFTS, and her deep desire to see mutuality, wholeness and oneness for all humanity, in Jesus’ name, drives her innovations and passion for ministry.
Rosy holds a Diploma in Christian Leadership and a Diploma in Theology.
Under 35 Board-Participant
Dr Britta Lacey (Under-35 Board Participant Program)
Dr Britta Lacey, a General Practitioner based in Brisbane and a senior soldier at the North Brisbane Corps, was appointed to the Board in August 2024 as part of the Under-35 Board Participant Program, an observatory (non-voting) role that allows full participation in discussions.
Chosen for her professionalism and deep commitment to community care, Dr Lacey will serve as an Under-35 Board Participant for 12 months. She has a long history with The Salvation Army, beginning her journey in Sweden and continuing her involvement in Australia. Dr Lacey’s work reflects her dedication to supporting others through both her medical practice and Christian faith.
The Board is supported by six Committees:
- Audit and Risk Committee
- Nominations Committee
- Spiritual Life Committee
- Spiritual Movement Focus Committee
- Professional Standards Committee
- Quality and Safety Committee
- Remuneration Committee
Committees
Audit and Risk Committee
The purpose of this committee is to ensure the integrity of the financial statements, risk management framework and the system of internal controls, so that they align with The Salvation Army’s values and meet its legislative and regulatory obligations.
Nominations Committee
The purpose of this committee is to fairly and objectively identify and nominate suitably qualified candidates for appointment to the Board.
Spiritual Life Committee
The purpose of this committee is to improve the depth and breadth of the spiritual life of The Salvation Army in Australia, and guide the movement so that it operates in accordance with its God-given mission – “Share the love of Jesus by caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities and working for justice.”
Spiritual Movement Focus Committee
The purpose of this committee is to act as a forum to capture, focus and gather critical insights to support the clarification of spiritual priorities of The Salvation Army to facilitate the realignment and maturing of the National Spiritual Life Strategy. The committee prepares planning proposals and recommendations that progress the spiritual life of the movement.
Professional Standards Committee
The purpose of this committee is to define and promote, within The Salvation Army, the world’s best practice response to allegations of abuse and ensure that The Salvation Army is actively enhancing child safety and vulnerable person safety within the Australian community.
Quality and Safety Committee
The purpose of this committee is to define and promote a culture of continuous quality improvement and safety for clients and personnel that aligns with The Salvation Army’s values and Quality goals and meets its legislative and regulatory obligations.
Remuneration Committee
The purpose of this committee is to assist and advise the Board on matters relating to remuneration for employees in senior roles as described in the Committee’s Terms of Reference.