Our Story

Rick is a Potaruwutj or Aboriginal man originally from the Tatiara or Padthaway Region of South Australia, he spent nearly 20 years working for the South Australian Government and then commenced a private sector business career in 1995. In late 2000, after 5 years at KPMG, he commenced his own boutique consulting firm called Yaran Business Services Pty Ltd.

His core competencies involve working predominantly with First Nations peoples and mainstream businesses by assisting with entrepreneurial approaches to business creation, sustainability and expansion by undertaking consultation and mediation, evaluation and reviews, research and marketing; business start-up and development; charitable trust office management and distributions, business and marketing planning, management accounting, general management; commercial negotiations for Aboriginal engagement in any aspect of business no matter what the industry; and has skills and undertakes investigations and special administrations for statutory and other corporations.

Rick is the Chairman of JLB Yaran Pty Ltd which offers employment within the defence sector for First Nations and non-First Nations peoples with mainstream defence primes and businesses in the Defence sector. He proudly acknowledges a number of his clients such as Department of Health, National Indigenous Australians Agency, ORIC, Department of Industry Innovation and Science, ASC, BAE, Boeing Defence Australia, DSTG, iDiC, Babcock, Carey Mining Group and Jacobs amongst others.

He also works as a non-executive director for a number of NFP organisations around Australia such as the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura DMC and Funding Committee in the Pilbara, the Martidja Thandu Trust), the Regional Anangu Services Aboriginal Corporation Board & Trust, (APY Lands SA) Rural and Remote Mental Health Board (Australia wide), the Aboriginal Community Services (Aged Care Services) Inc (South Australia wide) and is a Member of the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Committee (South Australia wide).

Brendan is a proud Wiradjuri man from the Southern Tablelands of NSW. In 2019 he was appointed Managing Director JLB-Yaran, a Veteran and Indigenous owned professional services company providing services to Defence and Defence Industry.

Brendan’s life is dedicated to community and Country. He has served over 15 years as a Maritime Logistics Officer in the Royal Australian Navy and over five years as a firefighter with Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. He continues to serve the Naval Reserve.

Brendan’s service in Navy has spanned 24 countries and six global/domestic operations. He has mentored and instructed over 300 new Navy Officers’ in leadership and culture through the Royal Australian Naval College and now utilises his experience to deliver JLB-Yaran’s Indigenous Development & Employment Program, which endeavours to close the social and economic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

Brendan also serves as Vice-Chairperson and Non-Executive Director of Umpi-Korumba, an Indigenous community housing organisation, which provides crises accommodation, social support services and affordable housing solutions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Brisbane.

Brendan is a Royal Australian Naval College, Australian Defence Force Academy and University of NSW graduate. He was awarded a Bachelor of Business and will soon graduate his Masters In Project Management. Brendan is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

The Sunshine Coast is home for Brendan and his family. He enjoys rugby league, motorbike riding, surfing and all things sport.

Sean was born in Sydney before moving to Adelaide in his teenage years and still today calls Adelaide his home. Sean was an original partner with our Chairman Rick Callaghan, making up the JLB component of JLB-Yaran, with Rick’s Yaran Business Services. Today, he has been appointed Director – Governance, Risk, and Compliance, drawing on his many years of experience as a Management Consultant.

JLB-Yaran is an opportunity to combine elements of Sean’s core values of community and duty. He served for 10 years as a Maritime Warfare Officer in the Royal Australian Navy, before transitioning to civilian employment. After witnessing the struggles of some of his military peers, Sean became the founding Chairperson of the Executive Committee for Defence Shed Inc, which assists uniformed personnel transition from service, and now boasts over 5,000 serving and ex-serving members.

Sean enjoyed his Navy career, spending most of hist career on Anzac Class Frigates as an Officer of the Watch, and Armidale Class Patrol Boats as Navigating Officer. Sean enjoyed operational sea-going postings, and participating in international training exercises such as RIMPAC where he sailed with JLB-Yaran Managing Director Brendan.

Since leaving the Navy, Sean has become a Board Member of Adelaide Business Hub, and Director of JLB Management Consultants, both organisations assisting in small and medium sized Australian companies grow efficiencies and profitability through systemised processes. Sean is also an Executive at TQCSI, the world’s largest JAS-ANZ Accredited Certification Body, where he is the Aerospace and Defence lead, auditing Australia’s largest Primes and Government departments.

Sean is a Royal Australian Naval College, Australian Defence Force Academy and University of NSW graduate. He is a Certified Management Consultant of the Institute of Management Consultants, Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and one of seven Australian-based Aerospace Experienced Auditors (OIN 6128321720). He was awarded a Bachelor of Business from UNSW and 2021 will see him complete his Masters in Business from UNSW, and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Adelaide.

When not travelling for work, Sean enjoys spending time with his partner Kylie and two young sons, Connor and Beau. Sean is an Ice Hockey devotee, and a long-suffering New York Islanders fanatic.

Born and raised in Alice Springs, Joel joined the Navy as a Maritime Logistics Officer in 2006 before graduating the Naval College and then the Australian Defence Force Academy with a Bachelor of Business in 2009. Joel had a number of memorable postings whilst in service, posting to Fleet Logistics Support Element – Darwin as the Deputy Officer in Charge providing logistics support to tender units and Major Fleet Units supporting Operation Resolute, and then to the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Program to provide Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) for the delivery of the Navy’s new Destroyer capability.

During his sea postings, Joel deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations on a number of occasions supporting Operations CATALYST and SLIPPER. Joel also deployed ashore to South Sudan in 2013 for Operation ASLAN supporting the United Nations Mission as a Staff Officer Logistics Plans and then to Operation HIGHROAD in 2015 as the NATO Funded Equipment Manager controlling all NATO assets in theatre.

Transitioning from service in 2017 to industry, Joel continued to deliver support to the AWD Program as the ILS Manager where the team was successful in delivering the three DDG platforms and the Support System into service. He continues to provide ILS and Project Management support and expertise to major Maritime acquisition programs.

Joel joined the board of JLB-Yaran in June 2020 and continues to provide strategic advice and direction for the Company after helping build JLB-Yaran’s Professional Services capability as the General Manager from 2017.  Joel is passionate about Indigenous advancement and is committed to breaking down barriers to develop opportunities for Indigenous involvement and employment in the Defence Industry.

In additional to his Bachelor of Business, Joel’s academic achievements include a Masters of Project Management from the University of New South Wales and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Living in Adelaide with his wife Kim and two border collies, Joel enjoys partaking in the many South Australian wineries and watching American Football, AFL Football and Cricket.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Hayden is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Veteran where he served for 12 years before joining JLB-Yaran in 2019. Initially employed as the Business Development Manager, Hayden was promoted to General Manager in 2020 and leads JLB-Yaran’s Management from our Melbourne office.

Serving for over 12 years as a Maritime Logistics Officer in the RAN, Hayden experienced a diverse career which included sea postings on ANZAC Class Frigates HMAS Warramunga and HMAS Arunta and overseas deployments on Joint Task Force 631 (Timor Leste) and Joint Task Force 631 (Operation Resolute / Border Protection Command). Complementing his Operational experience, Hayden also served on CASG and CIOG Logistics Information Systems Programs and supported ADF Operations from Joint Logistics Command’s (JLC) Operational Headquarters.

The pinnacle and most influential posting of Hayden’s ADF career was a two-year exchange posting to Jacksonville Florida, where he was the Officer-in-Charge of Fleet Logistics Center Mayport, supporting the provisioning and cargo distribution for all United States Navy (USN) unit’s operating in the South East area of the Contiguous of the Unites States of America (CONUS).

Transitioning out of the ADF in early 2019, Hayden’s passion for the growing Australian Defence Industry led him to JLB-Yaran where he was able to diversify his skillset by growing an Australian SME while support Defence requirements. As JLB-Yaran’s capability to support Defence continues to grow, Hayden is also committed to increasing the low Indigenous representation in Defence and ensuring career opportunities are created for Indigenous talent in the Defence sector.

With a Masters In Business and soon to be certified with the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Hayden aspires to continue supporting Veterans employment in the Defence sector, creating more opportunities for Indigenous talent in Defence and collaborating with other Australian SME and Veteran owned businesses.

Melbourne’s Bayside is home for Hayden, his fiancé Melissa and their puppy Roxi. He enjoys all things sport, having a hit at the Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club and enjoying time with his friends and family.

Daniel was born and raised in Sydney, New South Wales before moving to Canberra to pursue a career as an Australian Army Officer. He recently joined the JLB-Yaran team in January 2021 and aspires to enhance his understanding of Defence Industry out of uniform with the long-term goal of assuming a managerial position as part of the JLB-Yaran management team.

Daniel’s career experience begun as a Property Manager in Southern Sydney before learning the trade skills of an apprentice plumber. Realising his true calling with the Australian Army, Daniel was accepted into the Royal Military College – Duntroon in January 2013. Daniel served over 8 years within the Australian Regular Army as a Logistics Officer and recently transitioned his service to the Army Reserves, where he continues to provide effective service today.

Daniel’s military career has seen him serve on Domestic Operations in support of the ADF’s response to COVID-19 as well as conduct key logistics planning for the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and Special Forces activities in 2017. Daniel has also served on International Operations in Fiji conducting Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief in 2016, as well as serving in Afghanistan in 2019, where he conducted Train, Advise, Assist missions in support of the Afghanistan Air Force.  Daniel’s military career highlight was being recognised in the Australia Day Honours List 2021 where he received a Commendation for Distinguished Service for distinguished performance in warlike operations in Afghanistan during 2019.

Daniel is a proud veteran and is passionate to provide valuable contribution to Defence Industry. Daniel believes that his proven competence, pride to serve and strong interpersonal skills will enable him to uphold the rich values and history of JLB-Yaran. He has shown a keen interest in JLB-Yaran’s Veteran Transition Program, as this was key to facilitating his smooth transition from the Australian Regular Army.

In 2021, Daniel will complete his Masters of Business through UNSW and has his sights on the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course in the near future.

Daniel currently resides in Sydney with his wife Brittanni and their son Kai. Daniel is a keen golfer and cricketer and an avid fan of the Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Swans.

Josh was raised in country South Australia and joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Maritime Logistics Officer after finishing school. Joining the ADF was an easy decision for Josh, who was actively involved in sport in his local community growing up, as well as the volunteer Country Fire Service.

After graduating from the Royal Australian Naval College in 2005 and the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2008, he commenced the Maritime Logistics training continuum which included postings to numerous ships and eventually culminated in the award of Charge Qualification in 2015. Josh served for 15 years in the Navy, with career highlights including playing for the Navy and ADF Australian Rules sides, the numerous overseas port visits, and operational deployments to South Sudan and Afghanistan, working with the UN and NATO respectively.

Josh joined JLB-Yaran in early 2020 and has since been supporting numerous Defence projects as a commercial contracting officer in Melbourne. He aims to continue to play a role in the growth and sustained success of the company while providing a high level of service to Defence as a professional service provider.

Josh holds a Master of Business from UNSW and intends to remain active in the Naval Reserves. Having accepted that his footy playing days are behind him, Josh is gradually trying to improve his golf swing. He is an avid follower of the Adelaide Crows, the Australian Test Cricket side and Liverpool Football Club.

Abbey was born and raised in Sydney, New South Wales, where she calls the Sutherland Shire home. Abbey recently joined the JLB-Yaran family in August 2021 and is already proving to be an asset to the JLB-Yaran team, working as the Administration Support Officer in our Sydney office.

After completing school, Abbey commenced work for Qantas, as an international flight attendant where she operated on the Boeing 747, Airbus 330 and Airbus 380 aircraft out of Sydney for a number of years. Abbey then proceeded to move to the UK where she continued her employment with Qantas at their UK headquarters based in London. Whilst in London, Abbey flew out of Heathrow Airport operating the Airbus 380 and Boeing 787. Abbey’s employment with Qantas was unfortunately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in her returning home to Australia.

Since returning to Sydney, Abbey has undertaken employment as a waitress in a popular and fast-paced restaurant, while balancing other employment as a waitress in a boutique café. Abbey quickly progressed in her roles, eventually leading to her promotion to Café manager, where she was responsible for overseeing and managing daily operations. With international travel not returning soon, Abbey decided it was time to explore her career options and expand her knowledge in new fields and within a new industry.

To support her career change, Abbey has recently completed an academic Bridging Course at the University of South Australia and is eager to continue her studies in the future which JLB-Yaran will support through their Professional Development Allowance.

In her spare time, Abbey enjoys catching up with family and friends and doing outdoor activities like bush walking and surfing with her partner Mitch.

Born and raised in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales, Shane is a current serving Training Systems Officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He recently joined the JLB-Yaran team in June 2021 as the Learning and Development Officer.

Shane’s professional career begun as a PDHPE teacher in secondary schools across the Shoalhaven region. Wanting more of a challenge, he joined the RAN in 2009. Shane has served over 12 years and continues to provide full time effective service for the Navy.

Shane’s military career has seen him serve in ab-inito training, naval aviation, overseas deployment and training operations. Shane’s career highlights include playing in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Defence Force, and World XI cricket teams; Lead Instructor Leadership where he was responsible for delivering leadership theory, running field exercises and facilitating adventure training activities for the Royal Australian Naval College; and his posting to HMAS Success where he deployed overseas on Indo-Pacific 19 as the Training Officer.

Shane is looking forward to using his Training Systems Specialist experience to strengthen the educational and professional development pathways for Indigenous talent in Australian Defence Industry.

Shane is an Australian College and Physical Education and Royal Australian Naval College graduate. He was awarded a Bachelor of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education and has his eyes set on obtaining a Master’s degree in the future.

The South Coast of NSW is home for Shane, his wife Summa, and their daughter Imogen. He enjoys surfing, surfboard shaping, TIG welding, and rock climbing.

Renee is a proud Gurindji woman, born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory.  She has joined JLB-Yaran as the Portfolio Management Lead & Program Implementation Manager. Renee is a Certified Practitioner for both Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) and Management of Portfolios (MOP), with qualifications in Asset Management and Project Management.

Renee’s career has spanned over 25 years in Local Government and has experience in all facets of project lifecycle management, including financial management forecasting, asset management and system integration. Renee’s previous role as a Senior Asset Planning & Program Officer, at one of the largest Councils in Australia, involved ongoing management of the $4.4B 10 Year Capital Works Program, managing project proposals, GIS spatial project data, budget submissions and program reporting. Her role also included significant contribution as Integration Lead on the Project Team implementing and configuring Project Management software to the Council.

Renee has strong skills in P3M, organisational change management, and stakeholder engagement. She has superb problem-solving skills and is not afraid to get into the details. This was essential in preparing her to partner with JLB-Yaran, implementing our Project Portfolio Management (PPM) capability and delivering Project Implementation services to our clients.

Renee is excited to represent JLB-Yaran and to deliver long-term value and performance to our clients, through improved execution and delivery of their projects.