About Afea

Sam Kariyawasam

Position: Chief Executive Officer

Sam is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has been with Afea since 2012, joining the organisation as Accounts Officer before stepping into the role of Finance Manager in 2017.

Now as CEO, Sam is leading the Afea team to better support Afea’s growth in NSW and beyond.

He is very supportive of all the people he comes in contact with. Around the office, he is the go-to man for anything to do with numbers and for many years supported our clients through plan management, which helps reduce stress related to their plan admin and finances.

Sam’s biggest passion when he comes into work each day is providing the best service possible to all Afea Carers, office staff and our valued clients. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Anna Lira

Position: Quality & Risk Manager

Anna moved to Australia from the Philippines in 2011 and started working at Afea soon after. What she loves most at Afea are the people that she works with, and the culture of openness, trust and support. She gets a sense of fulfilment knowing that the work we do at Afea genuinely helps people in the community.

Anna has been successful in a variety of roles in the organisation. She has served as receptionist, Care Coordinator and Team Leader before moving onto a number of leadership positions, including her current role as Quality & Risk Manager. In her role, she ensures the organisation meets the quality and risk standards requirements and provides support and guidance to management and staff regarding the industry-related legislations and regulations.

When she’s not at work, she spends quality time with her family and enjoys camping, swimming and embarking on bush and nature walks.

Ranila Jayasooriya

Position: Finance Manager

Ranila first joined Afea as an accounts officer in 2015 before being tapped to lead the Plan Management team. Now as Finance Manager, Ranila is thrilled to continue making a difference in the disability and aged care industry.

As Plan Management Team Leader, she was instrumental in Afea’s move to the Afea Plan Management Portal, one of the first plan management platforms in the industry designed to provide real-time budgeting, speedy claims and accessible financial statements.

A fun fact: Ranila has a twin! Her twin sister is currently based in Sri Lanka and also works in the healthcare industry. 

She also loves listening to 90s music, especially during study sessions as she works towards becoming a Certified Public Accountant.

 

Joseph Assad

Position: Head of People & Culture

Joseph commenced employment with Afea in April 2021, having worked in various People and Culture roles within the Disability and Healthcare Industries for over a decade.

His specific passion and commitment to the Disability Services sector are driven by his personal experience caring for and supporting a close family member with a disability.

When he isn’t at work, you will find him chasing his young daughters around the backyard, competing on the sporting field, or holding a pair of tongs behind a BBQ.

Marielle Bagus

Position: Head of Marketing

Marielle joined the Afea tribe in November 2021, backed by over ten years in marketing, events and communications within not-for-profit, healthcare and hospitality industries.

She considers herself a strategic storyteller and a fierce protector of brands. She enjoys fully dissecting customer journeys just to rebuild every touchpoint in her pursuit of the effortless experience. Marielle leads the Afea marketing team with a collaborative approach and sense of humour.

A healthy dose of wanderlust inspires her to travel the world, seeking adventure and befriending locals. It’s this same love of people and diverse communities that drew her to the Afea mission to empower others. That, and the allure of a dog-friendly workplace for her moodle.

Jack Mhanna

Position: Head of Growth & Partnerships

As Head of Growth and Partnerships, Jack’s aim is to continue connecting and building relationships with like-minded individuals and organisations whose mission aligns with Afea’s goal to empower the people in our community through a compassionate, client-centered approach. He identifies growth opportunities and strategies that focus on supporting more families and participants in the future.

Jack is an experienced leader with a strong work ethic and passion to deliver excellent service to our clients. Testament to his dedication is the “Above and Beyond” award he received at the 2023 Sydney Disability Staff Recognition Awards, the most prestigious awards event in the disability sector.

He is the team member who keeps things going, saves the day and stays on track when challenges arise! He joined the healthcare industry to help improve the daily lives of the most vulnerable people in our community by helping them to achieve their goals and build their capacity.

Outside of work, Jack enjoys running, dancing and leading the team on walks in the park to reconnect with nature. He is a great cook and is happy to whip up a Middle Eastern feast for friends and family.

Esha Oberoi

Position: Founder
Executive Director

Esha’s formative years were incredibly tough upon arriving in Australia as a young migrant at 7 years of age which created a host of mental health challenges throughout her teenage years.

The turning point came for Esha when her father, alerted to the depths of her isolation and loneliness, stepped in to assist her in finding gainful employment. As a result, she began work as a Carer in 2007 in a local nursing home when she was 23.

Energised by her mission to redefine the experiences of the Australian aged care community, in 2008, at the age of 24, she launched Afea Care Services, a loving in-home care provider servicing vulnerable communities.

She served as CEO from 2008 to 2022. From humble beginnings, Afea now supports more than 1,400 families every week. Under her leadership, Afea has been named one of the fastest growing companies in Australia and one of AFR’s Best Places to Work.

Esha’s unique leadership approach has led to many accolades, including the 2021 Women’s Agenda Leadership Award in the Health Sector, Indian Australian Community Business Award for Small Business and 2014 Finalist in the Telstra Young Business Women of the Year Awards.

Gaurav Oberoi

Position: Executive Director

Gaurav became a part of the Afea family in 2015 and has been responsible for a number of roles including COO, CFO and CEO. He has extensive experience in sales and services management at big tech companies and brought with him a wealth of operational know-how.

His motivation at Afea comes from an aim to create an organisation that delivers care that our community truly deserves, and to create a culture based on empowerment, accountability and teamwork that creates a superior service for our clients.

A constant focus of Gaurav’s is to continuously improve through innovation and challenging the status quo through sustainable and ethical solutions. Gaurav oversaw the creation of a number of new systems that improved efficiency, reduced Afea’s carbon footprint, created a safer working environment for Carers and an improved service for clients.

Sam Kariyawasam

Position: Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director

Sam is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has been with Afea since 2012, joining the organisation as Accounts Officer before stepping into the role of Finance Manager in 2017.

As CEO and Executive Director, Sam is leading the Afea team to better support Afea’s growth in NSW and beyond.

He is very supportive of all the people he comes in contact with. Around the office, he is the go-to man for anything to do with numbers and for many years supported our clients through plan management, which helps reduce stress related to their plan admin and finances.

Sam’s biggest passion when he comes into work each day is providing the best service possible to all Afea Carers, office staff and our valued clients. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Benjamin Yeh

Position: Independent
Non-Executive Director

Benjamin Yeh joined Afea Care Services’ Board of Directors as Independent Non-Executive Director in 2023.

He is a highly accomplished and dedicated healthcare professional with a diverse background in the field that spans almost 20 years. With a solid foundation as a general trained nurse, Benjamin has honed his expertise in mental health, quality and risk management, and national governance roles across various healthcare sectors, including aged care, hospitals, and community services.

Throughout his career, Benjamin has made significant contributions to the healthcare industry, serving as a national auditor and consultant, ensuring compliance with rigorous standards and best practices. His keen attention to detail and commitment to excellence have earned him a reputation as a trusted expert in the field.

Benjamin’s passion for improving patient outcomes and promoting person-centered care has been a driving force behind his work. Known for his ability to advocate for the needs and rights of patients and people, he has consistently pursued clinical excellence and championed the delivery of high-quality care.