Stories - September 11, 2025
Sarah leading the way at Intereach
Sarah Matthews is a shining example of how Intereach invests in our people, creates opportunities for growth, and supports staff to achieve their full potential.
Sarah was recently appointed to the fixed-term role of General Manager Operations, after also being recognised with the Intereach Leadership Award at our Autumn Staff Thank You Awards.
After six years with Intereach, Sarah’s passion and drive to go above and beyond comes from the difference the organisation makes in the lives of so many.
“Seeing the incredible work that others do and the impact that has on people within our communities – and knowing that I can contribute to those positive outcomes with the work I do – is great motivation,” she said.
In her new role, Sarah will support Aged Care and Innovation over the next eight months, helping to guide our successful transition to the Support at Home program, while also overseeing growth and sustainability objectives.
She will lead the delivery of high-quality, participant-centred services across our aged care and Community Transport programs, and continue driving key system improvement initiatives through our Technology Roadmap to enhance efficiency, modernisation, and the experience of participants and staff.
“I’m excited to work alongside our teams to strengthen the way we deliver aged care, ensuring the upcoming changes to the aged care sector result in real benefits for our participants and their families,"
Sarah - pictured with People, Quality & Risk General Manager Felicity Whorlow at the Deniliquin Business Awards where Intereach took out Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion, Employer of Choice and 2025 Business of the Year award.
“It’s important to me that regional and rural communities continue to have access to care and services that are not only high-quality, but are responsive and meet the community’s needs.”
Growing up in Hay, NSW, Sarah studied Social Sciences (Community Health) before managing hospitality venues in Melbourne. In 2019, she joined Intereach as a Community Linker, helping people connect with community and mainstream services.
From there, Sarah stepped into a number of roles, including Customer Support Officer, Senior Customer Support Officer, Customer Support Manager, Aged Care Services Manager (secondment), and most recently Projects and Innovation Manager.
In that role, she spearheaded a major organisation-wide systems modernisation initiative, including the rollout of a new customer relationship management system for NDIS and customer support teams.
“This work has been extremely rewarding – it’s allowed me to work with a range of programs and people, both internally and externally,” she said.
“So many people have been integral to the progress we’ve made in this space and their contributions and support have been invaluable.”
It was this ability to influence, motivate and empower others that saw Sarah win the Intereach Leadership Award earlier this year.
Developed by the People and Culture Governance Group, the quarterly awards recognise staff who uphold the Intereach values of leadership, partnership and social justice while building a strong, connected workplace culture.
Sarah’s colleagues described her as “amazing, helpful, transparent, creative, calm and a pleasure to work with” as well as “kind, confident and supportive”.
“I’m proud and very thankful to be recognised for this award,” Sarah said.
“For me, leadership is about bringing people together, supporting growth, and listening and learning from others.”
And her advice for aspiring leaders is simple: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions”.
“Leadership isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about learning from others – create space for others to contribute and use your influence to amplify other voices.”
Intereach lives by this value, encouraging and supporting employees like Sarah so they can learn, thrive and succeed.
“I enjoy the focus on growth and development from within Intereach,” she said.
“I’ve always felt very supported in expanding my skills and taking on new challenges. Working in such a collaborative environment with many talented and experienced people has inspired me to grow.”
From Community Linker to General Manager, Sarah’s story demonstrates career development in action.
If you’d like to join an organisation that supports growth and development, explore our career opportunities at: Careers – Intereach
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