NOVA FARISS

CHAIRPERSON

Nova joined the Board of Safe Home Ireland in September 2020 and was appointed Chairperson on 7 th April 2021. Nova was born in Perth, Western Australia, and moved to Ireland in 2002 with her Irish husband. She is a qualified Social Worker with over forty years’ experience in statutory and voluntary settings. Nova’s earlier career was spent in Freemantle and Darwin, initially in community development roles, connecting with indigenous groups and communities, as well as child protection and family support.

Her work in Ireland has included community development roles in Dublin area, project management in the HSE in different areas of responsibility, such as Social Inclusion, Disability Services, and the care of Older Persons. In more recent years she has worked for private fostering organisations. Nova has served on several Boards and has extensive fundraising, marketing and HR experience. Nova initially lived in Dublin and now lives in Co. Leitrim with her husband. She is involved in Irish traditional music and has recently taken up golf.

Nova has personally experienced immigration and how to deal with the dilemmas of being far away from her family, which is at the core of Safe Home Ireland’s work