Meet The Team
CARLY STANLEY
CEO AND FOUNDER
Carly Stanley is the CEO and Founder of Deadly Connections, a proud Wiradjuri Woman, born and raised on Gadigal land. Carly was raised in a large Aboriginal family who faced their own difficulties and challenges. Carly experienced trauma during her childhood which effected her throughout her young adult life.
Carly’s earliest memories of the criminal justice system are of her Grandmother taking her to different correctional centres and police cells to visit family members. Carly’s personal experiences as a service user and early exposure to the justice system ignited her passion for dedicating her professional life to helping her people and others that are struggling.
Carly has spent the last 20 years working in both government and non-government agencies across a range of areas whilst being an active member of her Aboriginal community which has provided Carly with a strong cultural/community connection, knowledge and skills to establish and grow Deadly Connections. In addition to Carly’s professional expertise, Carly also holds a Masters of Criminology and other academic qualifications that compliment her practical acumen.
KEENAN MUNDINE
CO-FOUNDER AND AMBASSADOR
Keenan Mundine is the Co-Founder and Ambassador for Deadly Connections but also leads our partnerships and marketing.
Keenan is a proud First Nations man with connections to the Biripi Nation of NSW through his mother who is from Taree and Queensland through his Father who is from Cherbourg. Keenan is the youngest of three boys, born and raised on Gadigal land – Keenan grew up in Redfern, notoriously known as “The Block”. Keenan had a rough start to his childhood after losing both parents at a young age, being placed in care, separated from his siblings.
Keenan faced his own difficulties in life and made some poor decisions in his adolescence which resulted in his lengthy involvement with the justice system. Keenan found his passion in giving back to his community and working with people who have similar experiences to him.
Keenan’s journey has taken him to the United Nations in Switzerland to address the Human Rights Council and share his story so that they may lean on Australia’s government to raise the age of criminal responsibility. Keenan’s journey inspired him and his wife to create a unique, community led solution and response to the current mass incarceration and child protection crisis of First Nations people. With the combined practical experience of Keenan’s lived experience and his wife’s professional skills and academic qualifications, as First Nations people they are committed to changing the narrative for their mob and communities.
DEAN LLYOD
JUSTICE SPECIALIST
Dean is a devoted Justice Specialist at Deadly Connections, mainly involved with our ‘Breaking the Cycle’ program. Born on Dharawal land, Dean has an extremely deep hunger for true justice and joined the Deadly Connections team because he sees the significance in the work that is being undertaken. Dean shares the key value that working holistically with marginalised individuals and families is of upmost importance for strengthening communities.
Dean currently holds a New South Wales Real Estate Licence, Diploma of Community Services and, a Graduate Certificate in Gestalt Therapy, with plans for future studies in Bowen Family Systems Theory. Additionally, with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System, substance misuse/abuse and mental health matters, Dean offers unique, personalised and impassioned services to his clients.
Dean has dedicated his career to making systemic change in the Criminal Justice sphere. Dean hopes to educate enough people on the issues that surround criminal justice processes in Australia, in attempts to reduce and ultimately stop the reliance on prisons as a system of punishment.
TRINKA KENT
FAMILY SPECIALIST
Trinka is a hardworking Family Specialist involved with our Deadly Families Program. Trinka aims to equip families with the knowledge, skills and support networks that they need in order to reduce the risk of child protection involvement. Trinka ensures that all of her work is imbued with trust, transparency and authenticity, to ensure a mutually respectful environment whereby everyone involved is given the opportunity to build their own future.
Trinka’s daily work is fuelled by seeing individuals and families reach their full potential, setting and achieving their own goals and ultimately living full, meaningful lives. Keeping families together and standing up against injustice are the main reasons that Trinka became involved with Deadly Connections.
Trinka has a bachelor’s degree in social work, along with training in trauma-informed care. Trinka also has lived experiences of the child protection and justice systems, drug use and recovery, which have instilled strong personal values that are strictly aligned with social justice and human rights.
Trinka knows firsthand what it is like to feel misunderstood, what it feels like to be discriminated against and marginalised because you born into a certain set of circumstances. Trinka has helped many people on their post-prison journey, people of all ages, providing holistic person-centred services to many individuals with wide ranging needs.
JADE MCDONALD
YOUTH AND JUSTICE SPECIALIST
Jade is a passionate Youth and Justice Specialist, working mainly with participants in our Breaking the Cycle and Deadly Families Programs. Jade was born and raised on unceded Dharug land, with family ties to Biripi Nation.
Jade has lived experience of the child protection and justice systems in Australia and understands that having someone on your team through their processes can make the world of difference. Jade never had anyone to help her navigate the system and hopes that through her work she can ensure that as many clients as possible do have someone to support them through their journey.
Keeping families together and seeing her clients achieve, grow and flourish with the right support, in the face of adversity, are the main reasons Jade comes to work each day. Jades dynamic ability allows for her to take on varied and many roles within our team, offering support, guidance and smiles to everyone she meets. Jades ultimate goal is to not be needed in this field, for structural changes to take place within the child protection and justice systems that ensure everyone is treated equally before the law.
NAUSHEEN ALAM
VOLUNTEER
I study a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry and Design. I’m pretty artistically driven so I spread myself amongst a few hobbies, mostly I draw and I DJ. When I’m not occupied with those I spend my days discovering new parts of Sydney, going for bushwalks and the beach.
BEN YILLIYUNG
VOLUNTEER
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