Rural Lifestyle Options Australia
Community Service Provider
We understand rural and regional communities.
Our Executives
Leading the organisation to translate vision into reality.
Our Executive Team leads Rural Lifestyle Options Australia’s work by engaging our key stakeholders in setting direction and harnessing the passion and commitment of staff and supporters to achieve incredible life outcomes for the people we support.
Michelle Latailakepa
Chief Executive Officer
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Michelle Latailakepa joined Rural Lifestyle Options Australia in February 2015 and serves as Chief Executive Officer, providing strategic leadership across the organisation’s disability, aged care and community service operations.
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With more than 25 years of experience across the Human Services sector, Michelle has held executive and leadership roles within both for-purpose organisations and the public sector. Beginning her career as a volunteer support worker, she has developed a deep understanding of frontline service delivery, together with a strong interest in the opportunities and challenges facing rural and regional communities. This experience has shaped her belief that organisational strategy and decision-making should remain grounded in the real needs, experiences and aspirations of the people, families and communities RLOA supports.
As CEO, Michelle is responsible for leading RLOA through an increasingly complex and rapidly changing operating environment, including significant reform across the NDIS and aged care sectors. Her leadership focuses on strong governance, organisational sustainability, workforce capability, quality and safeguarding, responsible growth and ensuring RLOA remains financially strong enough to continue serving communities well into the future.
Michelle is passionate about building sustainable, values-led organisations and believes growth should never come at the expense of quality, culture or the people being supported. She is committed to creating inclusive communities where the unique skills, talents and contributions of every person are recognised, valued and welcomed.
Michelle holds qualifications across disability, business, governance, management, human resources, community sector management, social welfare, strategic leadership and organisational learning. She has achieved both Chartered Manager (CMgr) and Chartered Practising Manager (CPMgr) status and is a long-standing Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders (FIML), having held Fellowship status for more than a decade. Michelle is also a Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors Australia and a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.
Steven Dsouza
Head of Finance
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Steven Dsouza joined Rural Lifestyle Options Australia in July 2022 and serves as Head of Finance, providing strategic and operational financial leadership across the organisation. Steven is responsible for overseeing RLOA’s finance, payroll and fleet functions, while providing leadership and development support to the Finance and Payroll Team. His role is central to maintaining strong financial governance, cash flow management, statutory compliance and long-term organisational sustainability.
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With extensive experience across the not-for-profit sector, Steven has a strong understanding of disability, aged care and government-funded service environments, including complex grant and funding models. He is committed to ensuring financial decision-making supports both the organisation’s strategic objectives and its ability to continue delivering sustainable, high-quality services to the people and communities RLOA supports.
Steven holds qualifications in Commerce and Economics, Disability, Community Sector Management, Systems Management and is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA), Associate Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
Outside of work, Steven enjoys cricket, hockey, soccer, tennis as well as cooking and spending time on long drives.
Robert Rees
Head of Operations
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Robert Rees joined Rural Lifestyle Options Australia in April 2019 and currently serves as Head of Operations. With more than 30 years of extensive experience across the disability and aged care sectors, spanning both government and Not-for-Profit organisations across three states, Robert brings a wealth of operational knowledge, sector expertise, and a strong commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred services. He holds qualifications in Training and Assessment, Community Services and Management, including an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management. Robert is also a Member of the Institute of Community Directors Australia and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.
As Head of Operations, Robert provides strategic and operational leadership across RLOA’s service delivery functions and is responsible for ensuring the quality, effectiveness and sustainability of services provided to NDIS participants and older Australians. He leads and supports key operational teams, including Service Delivery, Support Coordination and Workforce Coordination, with a strong focus on service quality, participant outcomes, workforce capability and operational performance.
Robert also plays an important role in strengthening relationships with participants, families and key stakeholders, developing partnerships, responding to feedback and identifying opportunities to improve and grow RLOA’s services, including Supported Independent Living.
Robert remains passionate about working alongside people and their families to achieve meaningful outcomes. For him, one of the most rewarding aspects of his role is seeing people achieve the goals they have set for themselves and knowing that RLOA has played a part in supporting their success.
Nicholas Power
Head of Marketing and New Business
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Nicholas Power joined Rural Lifestyle Options Australia in May 2015 and is the Head of Marketing and New Business. With more than 15 years of experience across marketing, communications, business development and digital innovation, Nicholas has played an integral role in the continued growth and evolution of the organisation.
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As Head of Marketing and New Business, Nicholas is responsible for RLOA’s marketing, brand, communications, new business and customer experience functions, with a strong focus on sustainable growth and ensuring the organisation continues to respond to the changing needs of the communities it supports. He also oversees RLOA’s Information Technology and Communications portfolio, supporting the organisation to adopt contemporary systems, technology and innovative ways of working.
Throughout his time with RLOA, Nicholas has helped guide the organisation through significant periods of industry change and expansion, including the introduction and growth of RLOA’s aged care services. He provides leadership to the Customer Service Team and works closely with the Executive Team to identify new opportunities, strengthen the RLOA brand and improve the experience of clients, families and stakeholders.
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Nicholas is passionate about innovation, responsible growth and finding new ways to connect people with high-quality services. His favourite aspect of working for RLOA is seeing ideas develop into initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for both the organisation and the people and communities it supports.
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Nicholas holds formal qualifications in Multimedia Design from the University of Queensland, as well as qualifications in Marketing and Community Sector Management. He is also a Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) through the Australian Marketing Institute.
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Fiona Gracie
Head of People and Culture
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Fiona Gracie originally joined Rural Lifestyle Options Australia in 2019 and, after spending two and a half years in the aged care sector, returned to RLOA in April 2024 as Head of People and Culture.
Fiona has more than 20 years of experience across human resources, payroll, business management and people leadership, spanning government, the Not-for-Profit sector and human services. Her career has included a range of roles within the Federal Government, HR and business management roles on Christmas Island, and People and Culture leadership within aged care.
Fiona holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Human Resource Management, along with qualifications in human resource management, project management and management, and is a Member of the Australian Human Resource Institute.
As Head of People and Culture, Fiona works across RLOA to support its people, leaders and workforce. She believes good People and Culture practice should be practical, fair and work for both employees and the organisation.
For Fiona, a great workplace is one where people are known and valued, and where they can see how the work they do makes a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work.