About The Chamber

As president of the Hawkesbury Valley Chamber of Commerce I see Hawkesbury as a tight-knit community that is supportive and passionate about small business.

My vision for our town is to empower, educate and advocate for the vibrant small business community that makes Hawkesbury unique. This will enable business owners to flourish and for the Chamber to provide them with the resources they need to grow. We also will assist them in navigating the challenges but leveraging their strengths. By facilitating connections between businesses, forging partnerships, and offering valuable educational resources, the Chamber will become a catalyst for innovation and prosperity.

Together with the Executive team we can ensure that small businesses not only survive but thrive and as a result, become the backbone of a vibrant and resilient economy.

Personal information:

I am a Director, a wife to a wonderful and supportive husband and a mother to two beautiful children (Luke and Hayley). I savour family time and we always prioritise spending time together, creating amazing memories.

Like my husband I am also a motorsport fanatic, love cars and tearing up the Motokhana racetrack. There is nothing like navigating a circuit – a challenge for the mind and an adrenaline rush at the same time!

Born and bred in the beautiful Hawkesbury, I got involved in the Chamber to give back to the area I grew up in, and still reside at, with my extended family.

With a goal to expand the Chamber by improving its capacity to help local businesses learn, network, advocate and grow, I stood for election with our President Gabrielle to hopefully make life that little bit easier for Hawkesbury businesses.

Practising my whole career of 20+ years exclusively in insolvency and business rescue, I’ve assisted over 1,000+ businesses in all levels of debt distress across all manner of industries.  Seeing struggling businesses turn around and thrive again is the most rewarding part of our work.

And with such services being located almost exclusively in capital city CBDs, I am particularly proud to have established MaC Insolvency’s practice locally at Windsor and Penrith.  We also have a strong culture of educating businesses and business advisors how best to help their clients, so joining the Chamber and being able to put back into my local business community was a no brainer.

Outside of work I’m a 30+ year golfing member at Richmond GC and keenly await the Parramatta Eels to win another NRL premiership.

I have lived in the Hawkesbury all my life and love our region. I am especially interested in ways to support local producers and small businesses in our community, so I am glad to take on the role of Secretary of the Hawkesbury Chamber.

I see Chamber’s position to provide opportunities, support, education and advocacy to help businesses become more resilient, build connections and grow.

Together with the others on the Executive team, I look forward to bringing this to our members and expand the Chamber itself to support even more business and champion all that makes Hawkesbury great!

My own business Aster HR operates from the Hawkesbury, supporting other businesses in their journey of employing staff by providing personalised guidance to overcome challenges, provide clarity and assurance.

Deborah Shepherd CEO, Cancer Wellness Support, which provides affordable and accessible complementary care for individuals and their families living with cancer. Being a community-led, purpose driven not for profit organisation, it is self-funded and covers the Blue Mountains, Nepean and Hawkesbury area.

Prior to this appointment, she held global executive leadership roles, built organisations within the wealth management industry, and headed up businesses focussed on access, education and the advancement of the wellness industry.

As a qualified wellness practitioner, she has personally supported many people through her services of energy healing, Reiki and aromatherapy. While also creating a purpose-driven community, who educated the general public on the benefits of complementary health through their experiential and innovative events.

She is widely known across the industry and broader community for her commitment to developing the professionalism and accessibility of the wellness sector.

Having spent her first years of married life in the Hawkesbury, there is a sense of nostalgia reconnecting via the Chamber and looks forward to contributing and being part of the community.

When not working and driving, spends time with her husband. Be it working in the garden, grabbing a bite to eat at a beach café or spending a lazy afternoon with a glass of bubbles in front of a fire.

I am excited to take on the Administration role for The Chamber so I can assist in providing opportunities for support. Education and growth, by building connections for small businesses.

Although I am new to the Hawkesbury and have fallen in love with the region, I love the support and passion that our local community shares.

I run my own Virtual Assistant business “Admin With Ease” from within the Hawkesbury with the purpose of assisting the small to medium business owner by supporting, sorting and simplifying the growth of their business.

Currently Chairperson for the BlueTongue Cooperative Development Network, which promotes and advocates for more employee-owned cooperatives. My other role within Hawkesbury is that of a business chaplain, supported by Greater West for Christ.

I am actively involved in Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church and Scouting, which has always been part of my life. I am currently a member of the Hawkesbury Blackhorse Scout Fellowship.

A toolmaker tradesman, a production engineer, then employed in the family business as General Manager for 27 years. I retrained in Chaplaincy Pastoral Care before transitioning the family business to all our employees to retire. Lived and raised a family in Glossodia over the past 44 years.

Looking forward to continuing with my voluntary chaplaincy work by being present to listen, providing support and encouragement, care and assistance, praying if requested and empowering business owners.

My support of the Chamber as a Welfare Officer is based on my biblical understanding of humanity.

Currently Chairperson for the BlueTongue Cooperative Development Network, which promotes and advocates for more employee-owned cooperatives. My other role within Hawkesbury is that of a business chaplain, supported by Greater West for Christ.

I am actively involved in Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church and Scouting, which has always been part of my life. I am currently a member of the Hawkesbury Blackhorse Scout Fellowship.

A toolmaker tradesman, a production engineer, then employed in the family business as General Manager for 27 years. I retrained in Chaplaincy Pastoral Care before transitioning the family business to all our employees to retire. Lived and raised a family in Glossodia over the past 44 years.

Looking forward to continuing with my voluntary chaplaincy work by being present to listen, providing support and encouragement, care and assistance, praying if requested and empowering business owners.

My support of the Chamber as a Welfare Officer is based on my biblical understanding of humanity

After being a member of the chamber for many years I am excited to be a part of the executive team and have the opportunity to give back to the organisation. The chamber has a unique Hawkesbury feel and is a community of likeminded small business owners who love working, living and doing business in the local area.

I am the Principal of Bold Accounting, a specialist accounting firm based here in the Hawkesbury focused on serving Trade and Construction Business owners. I have previously served as Mayor of Hawkesbury, am on the board of Windsor Leagues Club and am involved in a number of community groups.

Growing up in Windsor, the Hawkesbury has been my home since birth!

I am passionate about the Hawkesbury and helping it to grow into one of the most forward-thinking areas of Australia, whilst always maintaining its wholesome, family-orientated environment. Small businesses thrive in the Hawkesbury with great support by locals but also contains some of the greatest products and services available.

I would like to increase the networking potential for businesses in the Hawkesbury through helping the Chamber to thrive, as well as bringing the Hawkesbury to the attention of other areas in the country.

I am a Principal in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery and also the Intellectual Property areas of Matthews Folbigg Lawyers, having completed specialist accreditations in those areas of law. I am also a registered Trade Marks Attorney.

I have a beautiful family with 2 growing boys that I love to spend time with and love to find more and more things that I can introduce them to within our Hawkesbury.

For over two decades, I’ve dedicated myself to assisting individuals in realizing their dream of home ownership. In our local community, I’m known for delivering top-notch customer service. Recognizing the unique needs of each individual, I put in the effort to identify the most suitable and cost-effective home loan solutions tailored to your requirements. Throughout the entire journey, I’ll be there to provide guidance and support, prioritizing professionalism and a client-centric approach. Leveraging a diverse array of resources.