Our team
Together we make ways for people to thrive!
Kat Cacavas
Founding Director
Kat Cacavas is the Founding Director of Make Ways Foundation. An avid adventurer, she has dedicated much of her life to developing meaningful relationships with communities around Australia and the world.
Kat first travelled to Sierra Leone in 2011 and quickly grew captivated by this unique country: the open-hearted and generous people, beautiful nature and the general bounce in the street. Living there for over 3 years, Kat truly learned the meaning of gratitude, compassion and resilience.
Wearing a few hats, including as a Dietician, school teacher, yoga instructor, and an ardent runner – Kat is passionate about positive health and well-being for all.
Make Ways Foundation is one way Kat creates opportunities for others to thrive. And with a unique, agile and committed team behind her, she is excited to support many people’s dreams to become a reality.
Carol Davies
Accounts
Carol is a proud adoptive mum to 3 children from Africa, including a daughter from Ethiopia and twin boys from Sierra Leone. Her connection with Africa and developing communities has grown through her children, travels, and the people and organisations she has met and been associated with along the way.
The initial focus for Make Ways work has been Sierra Leone, which has provided unlimited inspiration. Carol has witnessed many exceptional outcomes that even small opportunities offered to disadvantaged communities can facilitate. Carol also brings her extensive work experience in accounting, business analysis, technology and business administration to the Make Ways team.
Glynis Cacavas
Marketing
Glynis had the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone in 2014, where she immersed herself in the country’s lifestyle, community, and customs. She was witness to many supportive networks, global and local, within Sierra Leone, through the connections made by her daughter Kat Cacavas who had been living and working there since 2011.
Glynis is a registered nurse who currently works in cardiac rehabilitation and research. Her career has spanned many decades, including working in acute hospitals, community health and rehabilitation and Aboriginal Health in remote communities throughout Victoria and the Northern Territory.
Glynis is enthusiastic about supporting people by providing them access to education and health services. She has experiential knowledge of the social determinants of health and is a committed advocate for those in need.
Kat’s commitment and motivation to establish a charity that aims to make meaningful ways for people to thrive offered Glynis a seamless opportunity to become involved.
Jos Middleton
Fundraising
Nothing makes Jos happier than being in nature and pursuing adventures. In fact, When she first heard Kat talk about Sierra Leone and her beautiful connections there, she instantly knew she wanted to be a part of it. Kat inspired Jos to jump into what will one day be a trip of a lifetime to Sierra Leone. And working for a charity organisation in her 9-5 life was the perfect preparation for Jos to dive head-first into Fundraising for Make Ways.
Jos is passionate about supporting others to achieve positive outcomes. And her work with the Make Ways Foundation aligns perfectly with that passion.
Jos is recently new to running. Her journey was initially inspired by Sierra Leone and the promise of more adventure. Now a couple of years later, she’s run her first 50km Ultramarathon in the Simpson desert (where she came 3rd place overall). Jos also undertook the gruelling Larapinta Trail and most recently completed the 50km UTA Blue Mountains in under 7 hours!
Josh Berman
Digital Storyteller
Josh is a US-based visual storyteller, interdisciplinary artist, outdoor educator, and ski instructor. Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, he splits his time between Taos, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.
Josh’s primary focus as a documentarian is oriented around nature, conservation, place, and outdoor adventure, emphasising purposeful engagement with the community and the environment. His relationship with Make Ways Foundation reflects this ethic with the community.
His early explorations in photography were shaped by an upbringing rooted in the outdoor folk culture of the Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands, high school years spent in the suburban subtropics of South Florida, several visits to Argentina and Chile as a youth between the late ’80s and mid-’90s, and a life-shaping pilgrimage around Thailand in 1999. Those early experiences inspired a curiosity in a personal travel narrative and purposeful engagement and documentation of place and community that’s taken him across the US and six continents worldwide.
Josh’s documentary work from Sierra Leone, Dreaming in the Land of the Mango Sun, was presented at the Taos Center for the Arts. In 2021, his work from West Africa was included in the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Nevada City, CA.
Josh is a Photographer’s Without Borders member, completing ethical photography certification in 2020. He recently completed a certificate in the Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism program at the International Center of Photography in New York City.
Kim Sutton
Strategic Partnerships
Martin Burke
Fundraising & Website
Marty is happily married to Kat and Make Ways Foundation comes as an added bonus to their relationship. Utilising his skills and experience in Web Design and Fundraising, Marty has integrated into the team to help achieve the amazing feat of transporting the 40 foot shipping container and opening Sierra Leone’s first sport store.
Given the honourable local name Saidu Dumbuya, Marty joined Kat in travelling to Sierra Leone in 2023 to meet the team and experience the beautiful culture and food, including The Turtle Islands.
Helping to build meaningful partnerships with local Gold Coast businesses, Marty has a genuine passion to ensure the growth and success of Make Ways Foundation.
Mariama Conteh
Community Development
I was a Community support worker. In my role, I had the privilege of assisting clients with Disabilities, ensuring they receive the support they need to live fulfilling lives. My work has taught me the value of compassion, empathy, and the importance of making a positive impact in the community. but currently a full-time stay at home mum.
I decided to join make Ways Foundation because I am passionate about helping those in need and contributing to causes that align with my values. The mission of Make Ways Foundation resonate deeply with me, as I have always believed in the power of community and the importance of providing support to those who needs it. Make Ways Foundation and with the help of Kat allows me to extend my commitment to helping others, and I’m excited about the opportunity to work with like minded individuals who share the same passion for making a positive difference. I know I haven’t been that much active as needed but I look forward to contributing my skills, energy and dedication to furthering the impactful work that Make Ways Foundation is known for.
Tony Carter
Transport and Logistics
Tony may have a soft heart but give him a job and he is as persistent and strong as an ox.
With a wealth of knowledge and contacts in the transport and logistics industry, Tony has been the key driving force for helping us find a transport solution of goods from other areas, including Cairns.
We love Tony’s energy and cant wait to see what the next 12 months brings.
Mon
Social Media & Events
Mon is both a committee and board member with Make Ways Foundation. She’s behind the scenes of the social media accounts and helping to show our community what we’re doing here at Make Ways Foundation. Mon also enjoys bringing the community together through fundraising events that help us to reach our big goals. It takes a village to bring our visions into fruition when supporting young people around the world. She is inspired by seeing what is possible!
Mon has been a runner and triathlete for most of her life. Competing in the full range of events from sprint level, to endurance events such as ultra marathons and ironmans. She knows first hand that with sport comes connection to community, better mental health outcomes, life skills and resilience. So a foundation that connects the benefits of sport with youth employment was an easy choice. Mon finds herself constantly blown away by how empowered and driven the young people we work with in Sierra Leone are. Our Sierra Leone project has grown in maturity and depth, thanks to these young people. Mon can’t wait to see what impact Make Ways Foundation has locally here in Australia.
Clare Sutton
Grants & Website
Finding a needle in a haystack is one of Clare’s talents which is especially important when a charity relies on carefully constructed grant applications to seek funding. An eye for detail is also an important skill to ensure the website is correct and running at its optimal which Clare naturally has.
Clare has a background in public health, and has spent her career working in not for profit organisations leading the design and delivery of psychosocial support services. She is dedicated to advocating for and promoting the protective factors of health within communities and was drawn to Make Ways Foundation because of its focus on supporting the self-determination of young people.
Vandy Kamara
Fundraising & Community Development
Vandy migrated to Australia from Sierra Leone due to the decade long civil war. Vandy lived in several Internally Displaced Camps in Sierra Leone and a Refugee camp in Guinea before his migration journey to Australia.
As a humanitarian health worker and a strong background in public health, Vandy has worked with various National and International Health INGOs within and outside Sierra Leone.
His recent humanitarian health work included his active role in the Ebola Viral Disease outbreak program in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Vandy currently works with Queensland Health but has worked in the community service sector where he relentlessly provided advocacy and other valuable support to vulnerable community members including people from Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
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