Management committee

Abdul Jarrah

President

Abdul holds a Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) from George Washington University and a Master of Science (Civil Engineering) from the University of Maryland. He also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Law from the University of Queensland.

He is admitted as Attorney-at-Law to the Bars of Maryland and Washington DC in the US. He is also admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

Abdul previously served on the Board of the Queensland Resources Council and NSW Minerals Council Executive Committee. He joined RAILS’ Management Committee in November 2021 and has been its President since November 2022.

Kate McKeon

Secretary

Kate has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree and Post Graduate qualifications in Information Technology. She was a qualified Chartered Accountant and has over 25 years of experience covering all aspects of finance and administration, project management and business analysis.

Kate has more recently operated her own consulting company focusing on financial feasibility and business transformation. Her clients have been diverse across multiple sectors including Government, Higher Education, Social Impact Organisations, ASX and Global companies. She joined RAILS Management Committee as Treasurer in June 2022.

Gayan Mendis

Treasurer

Gayan is an experienced finance professional with a strong background in both the public practice and corporate sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Business, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA), and a Justice of Peace (JP). Gayan began his career at KPMG, a leading global accounting firm and provided accounting and advisory services to a diverse range of clients, both for-profit and not-for-profit, on national and international scales.

He later transitioned into a commercial finance role with Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), an alternative investment manager based in Brisbane. In his current role as General Manager Finance, Investments, Gayan leads a team that delivers financial and operational expertise to support the execution of strategic objectives across the enterprise, business units, and investment mandates.

Gayan’s contributions to the accounting profession have been widely recognised. In 2021, he was named Queensland Young Chartered Accountant (YCA) of the Year, celebrating his leadership and impact in the finance community. He is also an active member of the Queensland Corporate Advisory Panel (QCAP) for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), where he helps shape the future of the profession through advocacy and member engagement. 

In November 2023, Gayan joined the Management Committee of Refugee and Immigration Legal Services (RAILS). He currently serves as Treasurer of the Finance Sub-Committee. In this capacity, he supports the organisation’s mission by providing financial oversight and strategic guidance to help ensure the sustainability and impact of the vital services provided by RAILS’.

Alexis Wallace 

Member

Dr Alexis Wallace joined the RAILS Management Committee in November 2024.  Alexis is a former Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal and Mental Health Review Tribunal (Qld).   

Early in her legal career Alexis was a case worker at RAILS.  Later she practiced commercial migration law with Minter Ellison and frequently travelled to Christmas Island to represent asylum seekers in offshore immigration detention.

Alexis’ academic qualifications include a Masters in migration law from the University of Oxford and a PhD in law (supervised by Prof Kim Rubenstein and Prof Mary Crock).

In recent years, Alexis has developed an understanding of trauma, mental health and neurodiversity through her lived experience as a carer.  In her spare time, Alexis loves to dance.

Abi Ketheeswaran

Member

As an Associate in the Pro Bono and Community team at DWF Law (Australia), Abi works closely with organisations like RAILS to provide essential legal assistance to not-for-profits and individuals in need. She also partners with commercial and community organisations to deliver strategic volunteering initiatives that create meaningful impact in the sector.

Abi is passionate about aligning her professional life with her vision of supporting refugees. Her background as a corporate lawyer sharpened her technical skills, which she now uses to advocate for vulnerable communities. Volunteering with the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service and completing pro bono secondments with Refugee Legal inspired Abi to pursue a career focused on access to justice.

Beyond her legal work, Abi has contributed as a Peer Mentor with the Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma. During her studies, she was actively involved in research projects at the University of Queensland Pro Bono Centre, including the Right to Education Project.

Abi holds a Bachelor of Commerce / Laws (Honours) from the University of Queensland.

Shaun Chng

Member

Shaun is a senior pro bono and human rights lawyer at one of Australia's leading  commercial law firms.  Prior to transitioning into his current role, Shaun practiced in his firm's corporate, M&A and capital markets group for 5 years. 

Managing his firm's pro bono practice in Queensland, Shaun's practice today spans across a range of areas including employment and discrimination law, financial abuse, victims compensation, dispute resolution, NFP advisory and general human rights matters. 

Having been a board member for a different community legal centre and other NFPs, Shaun has extensive experience with governance, operational and regulatory matters in the NFP sector. 

Having been a migrant himself, Shaun is passionate about advocating for the rights of refugees and migrants in Australia.

Blaise Itabelo

Member

Blaise Itabelo is a community engagement leader and partnerships strategist with a strong track record in humanitarian work, refugee settlement, migration support and community-led development. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and having spent over ten years of his childhood in a refugee camp, he brings a deeply personal understanding of displacement, resettlement challenges and the critical role of community support in rebuilding lives.

He currently serves as National Manager for Community Engagement & Partnerships at Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA), where he leads national mobilisation, strategic partnerships and government engagement for the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP). Through his leadership, CRISP has scaled across every Australian state and territory, facilitating the community-led settlement of over 800 refugees through sponsorship — building inclusion, stability and belonging.

Blaise’s career spans leadership roles with organisations such as SSI–Access Community Services and WorldShare Australia, as well as collaboration with a variety of community, faith-based and civil-society networks. He has developed broad partnerships across government, NGOs, corporates, philanthropy and community groups, consistently leveraging collaboration to deliver impact at scale.

He is deeply committed to social enterprise, inclusive systems, community mobilisation, and governance models that empower people and foster social cohesion. Blaise combines strategic insight, cultural intelligence and values-driven leadership — attributes that align closely with RAILS’s mission to provide legal support, community education and advocacy for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

Elliott Wood

Member

Elliott is an investment professional with extensive experience in accounting, project management, operations and governance. His career spans more than 20 years including roles at Bechtel Corporation, Transpacific Industries, Boeing and most recently, QIC, where he is currently a Senior Principal in the Infrastructure team. Elliott is a former director of the Infrastructure India Holdings Fund and has held a variety of committee roles at QIC, including the Operations Committee and Risk and Valuations Committee.

Elliott has degrees in Law and Business (Accounting) from Queensland University of Technology and an MBA from Deakin University. He is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).

Elliott joined the RAILS Management Committee in November 2025.