Leadership Team
Nicola Hayhoe
Chief Executive Officer
Nicola joined The Housing Connection (THC) in September 2015 in a business development role and took on the role of CEO shortly after the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in July 2016. Nicola is responsible for implementing the organisation’s strategic direction – quality support services, sustainability, maintaining a strong and respected brand and organisational culture, maintaining stakeholder engagement, and responding to growth opportunities. Nicola has over 26 years sector in the not-for-gain disability sector in a range of operational and leadership roles. This includes 15 years at THC from 1994. Nicola holds a Master of Public Policy.
Anne Louise Hickey
Client Services Manager
Anne Louise Hickey started at The Housing Connection (THC) in 1990. Anne Louise has seen the organisation grown from supporting 6 people to now over 250 across a variety of service types. For Anne Louise, her work is a vocation and she devotes herself tirelessly to ensuring quality of life outcomes for the people we support, social justice and equity for participants and staff. Anne Louise is a bastion of THC’s distinct culture and has a strong focus on ensuring THC walks the talk and that its values – integrity, social inclusion, respect, effectiveness, social justice and passion – are demonstrated in the way every team member works.
Anne Louise is originally from Canada and completed extensive training in Social Role Valorisation.
Mubashar Malik
Finance Manager
Malik joined the Housing Connection, in 2017, soon after its transition to the NDIS. He holds a Master Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Finance & Accounting, and has an experience of over 29 years across commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Malik oversees all aspects of financial management for THC. Malik is passionate about working in the NFP sector and specialises in driving financial sustainability through strong operations.
Xiaoyin Shang
Head of Strategy, Innovation & Growth
Xiaoyin Shang is Head of Strategy, Innovation & Growth at The Housing Connection (THC), helping to ensure the organisation remains sustainable, responsive and able to create greater impact for people living with disability.
Xiaoyin’s career spans healthcare, government, start-up, research and the not-for-profit sector. She began her career as a clinical audiologist before moving into leadership roles overseeing multiple clinics and regional service networks. She has founded and grown businesses, led organisational transformation initiatives, and established new capabilities and services that support innovation, growth and community impact.
Xiaoyin holds a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Clinical Audiology and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is also completing a PhD focused on innovation adoption and how evidence-based ideas can be successfully translated into real-world practice.
Xiaoyin believes the best organisations never lose sight of their purpose while continuing to evolve. She is passionate about building on THC’s proud legacy, expanding its impact, and creating more opportunities for people living with disability to thrive.