Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre appoints new CEO
The Australia-first centre enters its second year with new leadership.
Elise Phillips is no stranger to the Illawarra, nor to the complexity of the work she now leads. Growing up in Towradgi and studying at the University of Wollongong, Phillips has built a career grounded in community, relationships and a deep commitment to improving safety and recovery for women impacted by domestic and family violence.
Now appointed CEO of the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, Phillips brings more than 15 years’ experience across counselling, management, policy and systems-level advocacy in the non-government sector, as the organisation enters its next phase of growth and impact.
Phillips said her career has been shaped by community and relationships, making the opportunity to lead the Illawarra-based centre particularly significant.
Phillips began her career at CatholicCare Wollongong, working as a counsellor before progressing into leadership roles. Her transition into system-level work came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she joined No to Violence as Sector Development Manager, supporting men’s behaviour change programs across New South Wales.
“That role really cemented my interest in system-wide change,” she said. “If we get the systems right, the impact for women and children can be profound.”
She later joined Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), initially serving as Interim CEO before returning as Policy and Advocacy Manager and Deputy CEO. During her time at the peak body, Phillips became known for her balanced approach to advocacy - combining strong accountability with collaborative, long-term relationships across government and the sector.
Executive Director of the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, Sally Stevenson, said Phillips was a natural fit for the organisation’s next stage.
“Elise’s commitment to collaboration, co-design and community is a natural fit for this service,” Stevenson said.
“She brings both strategic insight and a deep respect for lived experience, which are central to how the centre works.”
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is an Australian first - a trauma-informed, recovery-focused service co-designed with women who have lived experience of violence.
Its integrated model brings multiple supports together under one roof, reducing the burden on women navigating complex systems during periods of trauma.
“I know how hard it is to engage with multiple service providers when your capacity is diminished,” Phillips said. “You’re exhausted, you’re traumatised, and the system is complicated and hard to access.”
“So instead of going to five different services, women can come to one place for holistic, recovery-oriented support.”
Looking ahead, Phillips said success would be measured over the long term, both in sustainability and workforce development.
“I think success is that in five or six years the centre has grown into a vital part of the service system and has recurrent funding,” she said.
Ultimately, she said, outcomes for women remain the defining measure of success.
“If the women who access our service are living safer and better lives, then we’re successful.”
Phillips also highlighted the strong sense of community that has already emerged at the centre, describing it as unlike any service she has previously worked in.
“I’ve never worked in a service before that had a strong sense of community and connection with people receiving support,” Phillips said.
“Hopefully, when people walk into this place for the first time, it’s less confronting and less scary. It’s a place where we can be vulnerable, we can be honest, and we’ll be supported.”