Our People

Irene Biedak J.P. (Qual) - President

Ms Biedak is President of the Association. She has over the past 23 years been involved in the travel industry, owning her own company. It is through her business that she made many connections with the various multicultural communities. Ms Biedak established and developed Polish Community Care and in April 1985, to alleviate isolation and loneliness, she commenced senior’s tours. These tours ranged from day to one month both domestically and overseas.

In June 1999 Ms Biedak was instrumental in incorporating OzPol Community Care Association Inc and has ensured that the regulated standards of the programmes delivered are meeting Commonwealth and State standards and guidelines. To provide the highest level of service to clients Ms Biedak also liaises with other service providers and government organisations, Ms Biedak has been involved in welfare assistance for the CALD communities for many years.

Organising a Multicultural Conference "Strength in Unity" in June 2003 Ms Biedak was instrumental in the formation of a national network of Polish and multicultural organisations, she also completed the organisation’s Constitution. Due to heavy workload commitments at OzPol Ms Biedak resigned as President and is now the Public Officer.

Involved in welfare assistance for many years Ms Biedak is President of OzPol CCAI, Committee Member of the Polish Association of Qld, member of ECCQ, past member of the Premier’s Awards for Queensland Seniors Selection committee, OH&S Officer, Food Safety Supervisor as well as a Justice of the Peace (Qual).

Dr Zofia Piotrowska-Hess - Secretary

Dr Piotrowska-Hess is a General Practitioner who for over the past 18 years has been working in a multi-ethnic practice with a patient base that spans a cross-section of nationalities and age groups.

Dr Piotrowska-Hess became aware of the needs of the elderly in her capacity as Registrar of Geriatrics at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane from 1986-1988. Since this time, she has developed a special interest in Geriatric care and has been instrumental in increasing the awareness of the needs of multicultural ethnic people in Brisbane.

Since April 1998, Dr Piotrowska-Hess became a member of the managerial committee specialising in the care of Polish clients for COASIT. During this time she has also been active with TEAM-CARE who promote effective relationships between service providers in aged care. Dr Piotrowska-Hess has been a member of the OzPol Executive Committee since July 1999.

Dr Piotrowska-Hess is an active advocate in promoting and implementing better aged care strategies around her medical practice. She regularly attends to residents at the Albany Creek Nursing Centre, liaises with many community nursing organisations and is a member of the Advisory Medical Committee for the Albany Creek Nursing Centre. She uses her knowledge and vast experience to plan and implement Health Promotion Strategies to educate aged care workers, patients and families of the elderly, to benefit and increase the care standards in Brisbane.

Ray Pyzik - Treasurer

Mr Pyzik is the Forecaster, Network Commerical of Energex. He is a past Director of the Economic Society of Australia (Qld branch) and has been a Credit Union Director since 1994. He is also a member of both the Audit and Financial Investment and Planning Committee.

Mr Pyzik has sound accounting knowledge and management practices for new and established businesses. His responsibility is to forecast budgets, ensure continuity of work, monitor performance, workload, and supervise.

Mr Pyzik has been a crucial member of OzPol's executive committee and his knowledge and support has been vital to the success of the organisation.

Irene Dziopa - Registered Nurse

Irene was born in Warsaw in Poland and migrated with her family to Australia in 1949. She is a Registered Nurse with many years of experience in various fields of nursing. During these years she has obtained her Psychiatric, General, Midwifery and Child Health Nursing Certificates (hospital based). In 2007 she graduated from UQ with a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health (Psychotherapy).

Irene is bi-lingual and has worked the Cultural and Linguistic Population for many years. She has also worked with Trans Cultural Mental Health Services as a clinician carrying out Mental State Assessments in Polish.

At this stage Irene’s role is to give in service training to the staff, support and counsel staff as well as counsel and educate carers. She is a resource person to staff and carers on psycho geriatric problems and issues.

Irene has been involved in research at OzPol and at present is working on a new research project relating to CALD elderly in nursing homes.

Margaret (Gosia) Kosinski - CACPS Coordinator (Brisbane North and North Coast)

Margaret was born in Poland and since her arrival in 1990 has been involved with the Polish community and has been a member of the Polish School Association for quite a number of years.

Working as a mathematics teacher in Kumon Study Centre for three years has given Margaret experience working with many multicultural communities.

Margaret holds several Certificates covering a wide range of professions such as Modern Marketing, Bookkeeping for Small Business, Cert 111 in Office Administration, Cert 111 in Aged Care and Cert IV in Service Coordination (Ageing and Disability). Margaret also provides in-house training to staff on a variety of subjects.

Her knowledge and understanding of the importance of community care for the CALD elderly has provided her with the skills to support and care for the elderly with respect and personal dignity.

Working with CALD seniors is a continuation of her interest in delivering appropriate services that meet the clients' needs.

Marta Adamczyk - CACPS Coordinator (Southside/Bayside)

Marta was born in Poland and since her arrival has been involved in the Polish community as a settlement migrant volunteer, teacher in the Polish School, Ethnic Radio being a member of the Board of Directors and a representative on the Women’s Committee with the National Multicultural and Ethnic Broadcasting Council. She is currently a broadcaster and a panel operator in Radio 4EB FM.

Marta brings with her vast experience with multicultural communities having also worked for the Multicultural Centre of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Marta hold Certificate 111 in Aged Care and Certificate IV in Service Coordination (Ageing and Disability). Marta also provides in-house training to staff on a variety of subjects.

Her duties as a Coordinator at OzPol are to consult and work with clients, their carers and service providers, to ensure that high quality support is provided to clients, through an active process of consultation, assessment, care planning, implementation of care, monitoring, review, and evaluation.

Elizabeth (Ela) Krupski - CACPS Coordinator (Gold Coast)

Elizabeth is committed to upholding the rights of the elderly to have their privacy respected and be treated with dignity. She ensure that high quality support is provided, through an active process of consultation, assessments, care planning and implementation to enable the elderly to live at home safely and enjoy quality of life.

Understanding the importance of community care for the elderly, Elizabeth has completed a Certificate 111 in Aged Care, Certificate IV in Service Coordination (Ageing and Disability) as well as keeping current her First Aid Certificate.

Elizabeth is familiar with good practice in aged care, working with systems that identify and ensure compliance with the relative legislation and understanding requirements in relation to clients needs, lifestyle and physical and psychological wellbeing.

Elizabeth has extensive experience and involvement in working with the aged, people with disabilities as well as ethnic communities in the southeast.

Melissa Biedak - Project Coordinator

Melissa has completed dual degrees in Podiatry and Human Movement Studies at the Queensland University of Technology.

Melissa has actively been involved with the Polish community since she was a child. She attended Polish School and has been a member of many community organisations such as the Polish Scouting Association of Queensland where she is an instructor and the Polish Song and Dance Group "Obertas". Through attending these organisations over many years, Melissa has developed many meaningful relationships with the elderly and is devoted to increasing the care standards in aged care.

As Project Coordinator Melissa is involved in submission writing and the coordination of our projects.

Baltazar (Balty) Potocki - Accounts Officer

Baltazar was born in Poland, and recently came to Australia to continue his tertiary education. He commenced a Master of Professional Accounting course at the University of Central Queensland in March 2007, and graduated in late February 2009.

Working as an assistant accountant in Andrychow Regional Forest Department for two years had given Baltazar crucial accounting work experience.

Baltazar has been involved in voluntary administrative work at the Australian Red Cross, joining OzPol in early April 2008. Starting as a part-time bookkeeper, his responsibilities included preparation and processing of wages, updating employees' files, and controlling accounts payable and receivable. With time, his responsibilities have been extended to include taxation matters, audit support and multiple administration duties.

Krystyna Eckert - Volunteer Coordinator

Krystyna is the volunteer coordinator in charge of multi-lingual persons who visit Polish and East European residents in nursing homes under the government programme "Community Visitors' Scheme" (CVS).

She is also responsible for the volunteer programme at the Day Respite/Wellness Centre which provides elderly clients with social, physical and mental support.

Krystyna facilitates and runs programmes to exercise both mind and body at OzPol Villa at Nundah and the Day Respite/Wellness Centre at bowen Hills. She has completed a course in Mental Health First Aid.

She has a Bachelor of Education degree and worked for the Queensland Education Department for 10 years.

For 15 years she ran her own business and worked with the Federal Government in the area of Literacy and Numeracy Tuition.