Our Team &
Our Story.
Management, Advisory Board, and the founding story of Kazi Konnect — Victoria's licensed labour hire social enterprise.
Why Kazi Konnect Exists
"A stable job is one of the most powerful interventions we have. It replaces idle time with purpose, and gives someone a reason to invest in tomorrow."
From refugee to Fulbright Scholar — to founder
John Kuot arrived in Australia as a refugee. He became an economist, earned a Fulbright Scholarship to Columbia University, and built a career spanning the Victorian Government, the United Nations Development Programme, and Homes Victoria.
Working inside youth justice, John created the Umoja Program — now the highest-engaging program at Parkville College. He saw, firsthand, what happens when employment is missing from a young person's life after release. And what changes when it isn't.
Kazi Konnect is his answer — a licensed, commercial social enterprise that treats employment as the intervention, not an afterthought.
What "Kazi" Means
"Kazi" means work in Swahili — grounding the organisation in African communities and the people it was built to serve. "Konnect" is the mechanism: bridging people and employers, community and commerce, the social and the commercial.
The Theory of Change
Stable employment reduces crime risk by replacing idle time with supervised routine, lawful income, and pro-social identity. The job is the intervention. Kazi Konnect builds the commercial structures that make that intervention sustainable at scale.
Who We Serve
Mission
Create meaningful employment pathways for people who have been overlooked — one opportunity at a time.
Vision
To be Victoria's leading provider of economic opportunity for those who never got the chance.
Purpose
Prove that social enterprise and commercial labour hire are stronger together than apart.
Management
Deep community roots, lived experience, and professional expertise — united by the belief that employment changes lives.
John Kuot
Founder & Managing Director
Sets strategic direction, oversees employer partnerships, compliance frameworks, and government relationships. His background spans investment, policy, and Victoria's youth justice sector — where he built the Umoja Program at Parkville College.
Daniel White
Director, Partnerships & Government Relations
Brings experience across government relations, policy, disability services, housing innovation, and support for emerging businesses. Previously a political adviser with 15 years of experience, including as NDIS political adviser to the Hon Bill Shorten, former Minister for the NDIS and Government Services, from 2022 to 2025.
Director of Operations
HiringDirector — Project Delivery & Site Operations
Leads end-to-end project delivery — worker placements, site relationships, and milestones for every host employer.
Director of Workforce
HiringDirector — Workforce Compliance & People
Leads workforce operations: rostering, attendance, Fair Work compliance, WorkCover, and payroll.
Join Our Team
We're seeking people who share our values — especially those with lived experience of the barriers our workers face.
Advisory Board
Chaired by Judge Michael Bourke, seven independent advisors bring expertise across youth justice, refugee policy, economic governance, digital government, construction, multicultural affairs and public policy.
Accountability at Every Level
Seven advisors. Voluntary. Two-year terms. Four meetings per year. Independent experts who open doors, challenge assumptions, and hold us to our commitments.
Judge Michael Bourke
Chair — Justice & Youth Governance
County Court Judge | Chair, Youth Parole Board | Chair, YSAS
Barrister since 1981, County Court Judge since 2002, Chair of Victorian Youth Parole Board since 2006. Over two decades of youth justice advocacy, research and reform. Holds a Bachelor of Laws, University of Melbourne.
Elijah Buol OAM, MAICD
Refugee Policy & Multicultural Leadership
CEO, Asylum Seekers Centre | Chair, Ethnic Communities Council QLD
OAM recipient. 19+ years advising federal government on immigration and settlement policy. 2019 Queensland Local Hero of the Year. Former CEO, Act for Peace. Refugee with lived experience.
Mintwab "Minty" Tafesse
Economic Policy & Governance
Director — Transfer Pricing Economist, RSM Australia
15+ years across economic policy, econometrics, and strategic advisory. Previous roles at Productivity Commission, ATO, Deloitte, and KPMG UK.
Gary Fitzgibbon
Construction & Project Delivery
Projects Director | Senior Construction Manager, Melbourne VIC
15+ years leading major construction projects across Victoria with Kane Constructions, Probuild, Hickory Group, and Hacer Group. Delivered Spirit of Tasmania Terminal, CENTVM Preston, Fulton Lane CBD.
Nikhil Patinge
Technology & Digital Government
Director, Whole-of-Government Digital Integration, Dept. of Government Services (Vic)
17 years across AI, data platforms, cloud and enterprise software. Heads Victoria's Whole-of-Government Digital Integration Service — 1.6B+ transactions annually. Former Chief Data Officer, Victorian Dept. of Jobs. GAICD.
Helen Kapalos
Strategy, Media & Multicultural Policy
Executive Director – Strategy & External Affairs | Former Chair, Victorian Multicultural Commission
Two decades in national broadcast journalism and documentary production. Former Chair, Victorian Multicultural Commission. Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at Swinburne. Executive Producer of Netflix/SBS-acquired documentary.
Natalie Hutchins MP
Public Policy & Government
Former Victorian Minister — Family Violence Prevention, Treaty & First Peoples, Women, Government Services
Victorian MP since 2010. Former Minister for Family Violence Prevention, Treaty and First Peoples, Women, Government Services, Corrections and Youth Justice. Expertise in justice reform and social policy.
Quarterly Meetings
Minimum four per year. Additional meetings called as needed.
Transparent Reporting
Governance and financial summaries available to partners and funders on request.
Skills-Based
Legal, financial, community, and industry expertise — every seat intentional.
Board enquiries and governance correspondence
info@kazikonnect.com.au