Rex is a CPA and Registered Tax Agent with over 15 years experience helping people with their finances. He joined FFAR in 2024 as Co-Treasurer, combining his skills with his love for animals. At home, Rex is kept busy by his two adorable canine companions, Oscar and Ollie.
Alistair is a highly accomplished senior marketing manager with over 15 years’ experience gained undertaking marketing, public relations and communications roles with leading organisations across the B2B and B2C spectrum. Former businesses he has worked for include a global financial services training organisation, a top-tier telecoms consultancy, and a premium executive search firm.
Alistair is a motivational leader with a proven track record in all aspects of the promotional and communications mix, including the management of internal marketing teams, external agencies and 7-figure marketing budgets. His diverse career spans 3 continents and includes particular expertise in strategy, digital (SEO/SEM/eCRM/social), marketing automation, PR and events management.
Having led a successful career, Alistair is now ‘giving back’ by working with various teams at FFAR to enhance the organisation’s fundraising, marketing and communications capacity. He started volunteering at FFAR in May 2024, and subsequently joined the board as the Marketing and Engagement Director in November 2024.
His love for animals is long and involved, having helped raise and nurture puppies for Guide Dogs UK when growing up in England. He is now besotted with and bossed about by his gorgeous rescue cat, Neo.
Dr. Bond is an Occupational Therapist with an extensive career in mental health, spanning inpatient, outpatient and community services. In recent years, she has worked within not-for-profit mental health organisations, focusing on research, stakeholder engagement, grant management and project leadership. Her professional journey has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals experiencing mental health challenges, while driving systemic improvements through collaboration and innovative approaches.
Alongside her career, Dr. Bond has been a committed volunteer with FFAR for over a decade. During this time, she has served in multiple capacities, including foster carer for cats and kittens, case manager, transporter and sanctuary volunteer. Her involvement in animal welfare is driven by a deep commitment to improving the wellbeing of animals, with a particular interest in the humane management of cat populations.
Animals are an essential part of Dr. Bond’s life and her vision for a meaningful, connected world. Whether it’s the birds that bring her garden to life, Australia’s unique native wildlife or the pets we all cherish, Dr. Bond believes all animals enrich our lives in countless ways.
On a personal note, Dr. Bond and her husband are enjoying the new chapter of being empty nesters, taking pride in watching their adult children thrive. At home, they share their lives with their two much-loved fur babies: Elwood, her gentle giant of a dog and Hatti, her sassy tortie cat.
Lubna Arab is a people-oriented leader with extensive expertise in banking, financial services, and technology. She holds an Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School, where she contributed to strategic initiatives, including a three-year business strategy for the not-for-profit sector. Professionally, Lubna has driven digital transformation in various businesses, with particular expertise in the banking sector.
Lubna has enhanced the lives of colleagues and customers by driving innovation, automation, better compliance, enhanced quality, and customer experience. With a strong background in engineering management and technical services, she excels in leading cross-functional teams, managing large-scale projects, and streamlining processes for impactful business outcomes.
Her connection with FFAR was almost accidental. An initial volunteering session at the FFAR sanctuary turned into more regular volunteering, getting to know Saskia and the amazing work she does, and then adopting two kittens Coco and Cookie. For someone who had never previously had exposure to pets while growing up and was scared of having them in close proximity, Coco and Cookie have changed Lubna forever. She can’t thank them enough for bringing this positive change in her life.
With continuous efforts from organizations like FFAR, Lubna is optimistic about a future where animals can live long and healthy lives with their humans and be seen as worthy of care and compassion. Besides work and her love for animals, she loves spending time with her husband and two children.
Saskia founded Forever Friends Animal Rescue in 2011 after a little Mildura Pound rescue dog called Neddy tip-toed into her heart and changed her life forever. She decided to leave her role as a senior editor at Penguin Books to help save the lives of more ‘Neddies’ after being horrified to learn of the fate of so many homeless animals in our pound and shelter system.
Saskia is also passionate about companion animal legislative reform and was a founding member of Oscar’s Law, Pound Reform Alliance Australia and Companion Animal Reform Australia.
Since FFAR’s inception, Saskia has been the driving force and visionary leader successfully establishing one of Victoria’s largest and most compassionate welfare organisations, often taking animals that other shelters have rejected. To this end, she was recently recognised by the Animal Justice Foundation with the Gillies Foundation Award for Exemplary Commitment to Companion Animal Rescue.
Her books include Dogs That Make a Difference, Unconditional Love: PetRescue’s Great Animal Stories and PetRescue’s Amazing Dog Stories.
Recent Comments