About SITC
SITC is a grassroots not-for-profit with a vision for a future rural Australia where every single one of our mates knows it's always okay to say no to booze. Our daily mission to affect this social chance is carried out through advocacy, peer-to-peer support, straight-talk, story-telling, and our #OK2SAYNO campaign.
Like many causes, SITC was born of lived-experience, necessity, and a survival story. When our founder Shanna Whan fought back from her own horrific battle against alcohol addiction in ''permanent isolation'' with endless barriers, grossly insufficient services, and no support or the options for ''anonymity'' - she decided to 'do what she could with what she had' to be that change.
Pictured: SITC ''HQ'' - aka, home to Shanna, her husband Tim, and their two blueys, Fleabag and Mallee.
L-R is our 'team' - Shanna Whan, Tim Whan, Justin Lippiatt, and Felicity Nolen.
our founder
Our CEO & Founder is north western NSW rural woman Shanna Whan - who overcame a life long battle with trauma-connected alcohol addiction in 2015 and decided to devote her life to ''being the change''.
While she has become known nationally for her 2022 Australian of the Year recipient for the Local Hero win, her trip to the UK as one of 10 hand-picked Australians to attend Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's funeral, and as one of Marie Claire's Woman of the Year finalists - her heart and soul is not driven by shining lights or accolades - but in the grassroots aspects of her work, and those she fights for. You can read more about Shanna and catch up on her years of national voluntary media contributions here.
our team
Our team is currently 2 full time staff (including Shan) and the backbone of our operations is Felicity (centre) who runs the back end of SITC and ensures our process, procedure, and admin is tip-top. Flip is remotely-based and lives in southern NSW with her little wing-man ''Mid'' the Jack Russell. We have recently signed on Justin Lippiatt into a part-time role.
Noelene (left) volunteers when she has free time as a lived-experience admin support member in our Bush Tribe.
our directors
We're focusing on growing our Directorship and staff in 2023 - but our founding directors are Tim Whan (pictured,) Felicity Nolen, Shanna Whan, and our two later additions including Matt Tonkin and most recently, Justin Lippiatt. Each director brings the essential ingredients of loyalty and passion to change the conversation around booze in the bush. Two of our directors don't abstain from alcohol, and the others are sober. All of us are rural, and all have different skills including business acumen, PR and comms expertise, and admin / systems support.
meet Justin
In December 2022 we formally welcomed Justin Lippiatt as a new director to the board. And in March 2023 we signed Justin on to work within the organisation to support Felicity and Shanna in their full-time roles.
Justin is a hugely welcome addition to the SITC family as he is experienced in all aspects of organisations, finance, management, and governance.
As if that wasn't enough, he's a man with 24 years of alcohol-free life and lived experience, too, and will be active in our Bush Tribe support to add his lived experience.