Meet the Team

Chris-Maree is an exceptional trainer and facilitator.  Since co-founding Encompass in 2001, she has become recognised nationally for her expertise in helping practitioners use research in practice.

Her analytical skills are also highly sought after because of her proven track record of bringing to projects a critical overview of the latest knowledge and evidence-based practice.

She is motivated by supporting practitioners to develop their practice knowledge and skills. As a practitioner, supervisor, leader, facilitator, project manager, and researcher Chris-Maree helps practitioners deliver the best help possible to vulnerable children, young people, and their families.

She has more than 30 years’ experience in child and family welfare and child protection policy and practice work, including the development of state-wide training and best practice resources. She spent 12 years in child protection government roles in direct practice, team leadership, management, policy and program development roles.

Chris-Maree has a Bachelor of Social Work with First Class Honours and is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers.  She was the Queensland representative on the national editorial board of the journal Children Australia,  a former Vice-President of NAPCAN Queensland, and a former Chair of the Professional Advisory Board, Abused Child Trust.

Norelle is a highly sought after consultant who facilitates change with individuals, teams, groups and organisations. She takes a collaborative approach to ensure needs are well understood, and outcomes are achieved for all stakeholders.  Her professional experience spans the fields of child protection, early intervention, family support programs, youth services, domestic and family violence, mental health, disability services, community legal services and childcare services. 

Her work with government and non-government organisations has included training, research, evaluation, project planning, organisational development processes, strategic planning, team building, case review, report writing, mentoring services and conflict resolution. 

Norelle has also been involved in social work field education with Griffith University for several years.

Before commencing work as a consultant in 2002, Norelle worked in child protection government roles for more than ten years in Australia and England.  This experience in direct practice, team leadership, policy development, senior management, and advisory roles underpins her consulting projects.

Her voluntary roles with charities demonstrate Norelle’s interest in philanthropic pursuits. She is a long-term board member of Women and Change, and more recently a board member of Baby Give Back.

Norelle holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) and is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers.