Our People

Scott is an experienced executive leader with a strong track record across health, disability, and community service sectors. He has led complex, multi‑site organisations through periods of growth, structural change, and funding reform, aligning workforce capability, governance, and financial sustainability. Scott holds degrees in both Commerce and Speech-Language Therapy, giving him a combination of clinical grounding and commercial acumen. As Chief Executive of Freedom Solutions Australia, Scott oversaw national operations supporting people with disability, strengthening executive leadership, redesigning operating models, and managing multi‑million‑dollar budgets while maintaining a focus on service quality and outcomes. Previously, as Chief Executive of Volunteering Victoria, he played a key role in modernising and advocating for Australia’s volunteering sector. Scott is known for translating strategy into operational discipline and for his values‑driven approach to leadership, working closely with boards and senior teams to balance risk, capacity, and long‑term impact. At Hear and Say, Scott is focused on strengthening the organisation’s foundations and realising its full potential as a leader in hearing and speech care across Queensland and beyond.

Emma is an audiologist and listening and spoken language specialist (certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist), specialising in implantable hearing technology and listening and spoken language therapy. Emma joined Hear and Say in March 2000 as an audiologist, then Clinical Manager from 2000 to 2006, before transitioning to her current role of Chief Clinical Officer in 2007. Emma provides oversight for the clinical programs at Hear and Say, including Listening and Spoken Language Therapy, Audiology, WorldWide Training and Education, Group Social Skills programs and Research. Emma is passionate about providing the best possible family-centric support and delivering programs and services underpinned by evidence-based clinical practice and research.

Stephen Burrowes is a senior executive and social impact leader with over 20 years’ experience driving organisational change, strengthening governance, and advancing positive wellbeing across the not‑for‑profit, community services and professional services sectors. He is widely recognised for leading complex organisations through transformation while maintaining a strong focus on people, culture and sustainable impact. Stephen has provided national strategic leadership across finance, people and culture, quality and risk, data and evaluation, marketing and revenue strategies. He has led enterprise‑wide systems reform, and Board‑level risk and performance frameworks, supporting long‑term sustainability and social mission. Throughout his career with organisations including Centacare North Queensland, Relationships Australia Queensland, Mission Australia and Edmund Rice Community Services, Stephen has led large, multi‑site operations, secured significant government and philanthropic investment, and delivered outcomes‑focused reform. His approach to leadership is grounded in change management, trauma‑informed practice and a deep commitment to creating environments where individuals, teams and communities can thrive. Stephen holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology alongside qualifications in business and management. He brings a values‑driven, evidence‑based facilitative leadership style, combining strategic discipline with a strong belief that positive wellbeing is central to effective leadership, organisational performance and lasting social change.

Sharon Wood is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Hear and Say, leading the organisation’s fundraising, philanthropy, partnerships, marketing and communications to help more children and adults access life-changing hearing healthcare. With extensive experience in relationship management, stakeholder engagement and strategic fundraising, Sharon is passionate about building meaningful connections with donors, corporate partners, trusts and foundations, and the wider community. She believes that every partnership has the power to create lasting impact and is committed to ensuring supporters see the difference their generosity makes. In addition to her role at Hear and Say, Sharon serves as a Non-Executive Director of Pregnancy Counselling Link (PCL), a Queensland not-for-profit organisation that provides free, independent and non-directive pregnancy counselling and support. This governance role reflects her commitment to supporting organisations that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Sharon works closely with Hear and Say’s leadership team to grow sustainable funding and increase awareness of the organisation’s services across Queensland. She is driven by Hear and Say’s vision of helping people of all ages achieve their full listening and speaking potential and is inspired every day by the life-changing outcomes made possible through the generosity of the community.