Members

Laurence Iffla B. Juris., LL.B
Member

Laurence (Larry) is a partner in the legal firm Iffla Wade. Through his family, Laurence has had a long association with Activ Foundation.

Larry’s brother Harold is a former Activ supported employee and has been a long-term recipient of Activ’s services. His father Mel Iffla was on the Activ Foundation Board, and his mother Quentin was very involved in Activ’s branch activities.

Larry was until 2015 the Chairman of Future Living Trust Inc, an allied organisation supported by Activ that works in the area of future planning for families with a member with disability, and he remains a Board member.

He is married to Nicola and has three adult children. Larry is Chairman of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and is the non-executive Deputy Chairman of the Perron Group.

Since 2016, Larry was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

Ken Booth
Member

Ken has been a member of Activ since 1991. His family was associated with the Fremantle branch from the early 1960s onwards.

Ken has served on the Board of the Future Living Trust (Inc.) (formerly the Hawkevale Trust) since 1995. He served on the Board of Activ in 1999 – 2002.

Ken was made a Life Member of Activ in 2005 and Honorary Life Governor in 2013. Ken is a Civil Celebrant, who had a 35-year career in education in WA.

Ken’s brother David lives in an Activ shared supported accommodation home.

Since 2014, Ken was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

John Francks
Member

John has been involved with Activ since 1996, and was an Activ Board member from 1998 until 2008.

John has been involved with the finance industry for many years, involved with large international corporations at senior management levels. In more recent times, John has been involved in running his own finance company.

John was appointed an Honorary Life Governor in October 2013.

Since 2014, John was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

John Groves
Member

John was the Executive Director of Activ Foundation from June 1995 until his retirement in May 2007.  Since 2014, John was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

John has more than 20 years’ experience in executive management and in chairing the boards of various organisations. He has maintained his interest in people with disability and the policy settings affecting them through his ongoing interest in the activities of the National Disability Services (NDS, formerly ACROD).

John has served on the State Committee and the National Board of NDS, and has been its National President.

Leonie Walker OAM
Member

Leonie was a former Board member, serving on the Activ Board from 2006 to 2016, after joining Activ in 1975.

Leonie has two adult sons with intellectual disability. Living on a farm in Wongan Hills, Leonie was active in establishing homes for children with disability. She now resides in Dunsborough with her husband and has a long association with local support groups in the area.

Leonie was awarded the Centenary Medal for Community Services in 2001 and received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday honours. Leonie is an elected member of the Future Living Trust Board.

Leonie is an Honorary Life Governor and Trustee of Activ. Since 2014, Leonie was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

Neil Guard
Member

Neil was appointed to the Activ Board in 2011 and was elected Board Chair in October 2018. Neil completed his time serving on the board in 2021.  Since 2021, Neil was appointed initially as a Council Member, and since 16 February 2024, transferred to a member of Activ Foundation Limited.

His career includes more than 25 years’ in executive roles in the corporate sector in the UK and public and community services sectors in Western Australia. Until December 2018, Neil was CEO of Richmond Wellbeing, an organisation that operates in the area of mental health recovery services.

Previous roles include Executive Director of the Drug and Alcohol Office, a position he held for seven years and during which he was seconded by the Minister for Mental Health to lead the establishment of the WA Mental Health Commission.  Before joining the Drug and Alcohol Office in 2008, Neil held the position of Executive Director of Healthway for five years and four years as Director of Accommodation Services in the Disability Services Commission.

Throughout his career, Neil has focused on improving wellbeing outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged populations. He is highly experienced in change and program management and has an extensive record in planning and successfully managing organisational reforms.

Activ’s Board of Directors are also members of Activ Foundation. Learn more about our Board of Directors.