Meet The Team Who Stand Beside You

Andrew Haynes

Founder & Managing Director

Andrew Haynes is the Founder and Managing Director of Take Charge Assessment and Therapy. He brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across allied health, disability services, and national operations. Before establishing Take Charge in 2019, Andrew served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at The Benevolent Society, where he led major collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic growth initiatives across disability, ageing, and child and family services.

A major foundation of Andrew’s commercial and operational expertise was built over more than a decade at Assessments Australia, where he progressed through national leadership positions to become National General Manager and Executive Director. He oversaw finance, operations, marketing, HR, business development, and the delivery of multidisciplinary assessment programs across Australia.

As Managing Director, Andrew guides Take Charge’s national strategy, financial performance, and operational governance. His leadership blends commercial discipline with a strong commitment to participant outcomes, supporting Take Charge’s expansion into a multi-state allied health provider with a reputation for quality, timeliness, and consistency.

Jem Muharrem

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Business Development

Jem is the Executive Director for Business Development and co-founder of Take Charge Assessment and Therapy. He leads the organisation’s national growth strategy, referral partnerships, and external relations, working closely with participants and families, referral organisations and intermediaries, government partners, sector leaders, and cross-agency stakeholders across Australia.

Jem’s background spans disability services, organisational strategy, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong focus on building scalable systems that combine care with rigour. He has played a central role in developing Take Charge’s national reputation for same-day responsiveness, rapid assessment pathways, and clinical reliability. Jem also oversees major strategic initiatives and interstate expansion. Known for his relationship-centred approach, he contributes to high-level commercial planning, market development, and the organisation’s long-term vision.



Prior to Take Charge, Jem served as Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Impact Investing at The Benevolent Society, where he led joint ventures, cross-sector alliances, referral pathways, and held external stakeholder responsibilities for Australia’s first social benefit bond to reach maturity. Earlier, as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Studio ARTES Group, he led strategic planning, financial governance, policy development, organisational redesign, and the transition from block funding to the NDIS, including the establishment of Studio A Ltd as a separate social enterprise supporting artists with disability.

Alongside his executive career, Jem maintains a parallel life as a professional classical violinist.

Deanna Maynard

Director, Systems & Resourcing

Deanna Maynard is the Director of Systems and Resourcing at Take Charge Assessment and Therapy. With more than 30 years’ experience in operations, finance, HR, and systems management, she is responsible for the organisational backbone that supports Take Charge’s national clinical workforce. Deanna oversees recruitment strategy, workforce planning, compliance, and internal systems, ensuring the company maintains operational strength and regulatory integrity across multiple states.

A significant portion of Deanna’s operational and financial expertise was built during her time at Assessments Australia, where she held senior finance and operations roles overseeing financial governance, operational performance, policy implementation, and the systems required to support large-scale assessment programs nationwide. Her earlier roles across finance, operations, and project delivery provided a strong foundation in financial control, HR processes, and organisational optimisation.



Since joining Take Charge in 2020, Deanna has been central to building the internal infrastructure that supports clinicians across four states. She leads the design of scalable systems, recruitment pathways, onboarding frameworks, and workflow processes that ensure services remain timely, consistent, and compliant. Her work enables Take Charge to deliver high-quality allied health services while expanding sustainably and responsibly.

Susan Slater

National Administration Manager

Susan Slater is the National Administration Manager, bringing deep personal commitment and extensive administrative leadership experience to her role. Her journey into the disability sector began in 2016, when her middle child received a late Autism Spectrum and combined ADHD diagnosis. More recently, her youngest child received the same diagnosis. Navigating these experiences firsthand led Susan to dedicate her career to the NDIS sector, advocating to ensure that people with disability and their families are seen, heard, and properly supported.

Susan is passionate about person-centred practice and understands the barriers that individuals and families face daily, particularly the challenges created by limited access to affordable diagnostic assessments and the broader social model of disability. She places strong emphasis on open, transparent communication, ensuring that each participant’s voice is understood and upheld, and that decisions are made with them, not for them.



Before joining the organisation, Susan held senior administrative and rostering positions at Zest Care Australia and worked as a Provider Relationship Manager at Hireup. Her background in office management, coordination, and stakeholder engagement informs her ability to work collaboratively across teams and systems to ensure participants are consistently supported and advocated for.

As National Administration Manager, Susan works closely with internal teams, referrers, and families to maintain high-quality administrative processes nationwide. She is committed to building strong relationships across the sector and contributing to a more inclusive society in which people with disabilities can live their best lives.

Kylie Rice

Occupational Therapy National Team Leader

Kylie Rice is a highly accomplished Occupational Therapist and the National Lead for Occupational Therapy, bringing over 25 years of experience to her dual roles in clinical care and strategic leadership. Based in Richmond and working primarily with adults aged 18 to 65, Kylie is renowned for her expertise in complex neurological and physical presentations, including stroke, acquired brain injury, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. Her approach blends clinical precision with a deep commitment to functional, participant-led outcomes.

As the architect of the organisation’s national occupational therapy framework, Kylie oversees quality assurance processes, mentors clinicians across the country, and works closely with senior management to shape the direction of services. Her expertise spans Functional Capacity Assessments, NDIS eligibility and plan review reports, and the prescription of assistive technology, wheelchair and seating solutions, and minor home modifications. Kylie is also a key driver of continuous improvement — ensuring that assessment and therapy practices remain consistent, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of participants and referrers alike.

Dr Anne Devlin

Psychology National Team Leader

Dr Anne Devlin is a Clinical Psychologist, neuroscientist, and experienced clinical researcher who leads the organisation’s Psychology team nationally. With a First Class Honours degree in Psychological Science from the University of Westminster, a Master’s in Neuroscience from the Institute of Psychiatry (London), and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from UNSW, Anne brings exceptional academic and clinical depth to her work.

Anne has extensive experience supporting children, adolescents, and adults, with expertise in anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, addiction, mood and eating disorders, and relationship difficulties. She is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and advanced relationship counselling. Grounded in both psychological theory and biological principles, Anne’s practice is integrative, research-informed, and focused on real, lasting outcomes.



In her national leadership role, Anne oversees psychology quality assurance and supports the development of high standards in psychological care across the organisation. She has published in the fields of psychophysiology and psychiatry and has presented at national and international conferences. Anne is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society and a former officeholder with the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (NSW).

Sharon Lawrie

Psychology National Team Leader

Sharon Lawrie is a highly respected Senior Neurological Physiotherapist and the National Physiotherapy Team Leader. With a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy from the University of Sydney and a Diploma in Education from Wesley Institute, Sharon brings over two decades of experience across public health, specialist organisations, and leadership roles. She has worked extensively within NSW, QLD, and WA Health, as well as with MS Australia, holding senior positions that combine clinical excellence with staff development and service innovation.

Sharon specialises in the assessment and management of complex neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease, and functional neurological disorders. As a PD Warrior–trained clinician, she integrates evidence-based, movement-focused approaches to support participants in building function, independence, and confidence.



In her national leadership role, Sharon oversees physiotherapy quality assurance and works closely with senior management to ensure the consistency, impact, and integrity of physiotherapy services across Australia. Known for her clinical insight, collaborative leadership, and commitment to participant outcomes, she plays a key role in shaping the direction and standards of physiotherapy within the organisation and beyond.