Meet the Team
Unrivaled aged care experience
Gaynor Giro
Founder and Director
It was her experiences working in these roles within aged care facilities that made her realise that she needed to make a positive change within the aged care industry. She wanted to ensure that our aging population was getting the best care possible, and established Altaira with that mission.
Gaynor established Altaira wanting to become a partner to her clients in the sector, not just another service provider. She was instrumental in setting the foundations for Altaira, achieving the goals she set for herself and her small team, and then guiding and growing Altaira into a company where family matters, what you stand for matters, and how you achieve it matters.
Gaynor is exceptionally proud of how far the company has grown and the direction that Jelena and the rest of the team are taking it. Gaynor feels that one of Altaira’s strengths is the great sense of teamwork amongst the team, and this is one of the reasons the company runs so effectively.
Her greatest accomplishment has been building and maintaining personalised relationships with both clients and staff. It is important to Gaynor that everyone feels valued and seen, instead of merely a number in the company.
Jelena Giro
Director
Throughout her career, Jelena has demonstrated a strong record of success driving growth, profitability, and brand awareness while growing Altaira from a small start agency into a national provider. Her strengths are implementing innovative solutions and strategies for staffing and workplace solutions as well as optimising operational processes. Jelena’s passion is to advocate and contribute to the industry at every level with the goal of driving positive change.
She received RCSA’s CEO Outstanding Contribution in 2023, which recognises RCSA Members who have gone above and beyond in selflessly supporting the community. Jelena’s biggest accomplishment achieved at Altaira is implementing the mentorship program for graduate nurses. Jelena is a strong advocate in supporting fairness and equality in the workforce and strongly believes that everyone needs to start somewhere, they just need to be empowered with the right opportunities.
John Denham
Client Operations Manager
In 1999 John became a Nurse and worked at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. For ten years he worked as the Unit Manager in Aged Care, and alongside this, he continued his work as a Business Development Manager in the recruitment industry before commencing his role at Altaira. John has 25 years of experience in the recruitment and sales industries, developing well-regarded and valued relationships nationally. He also has experience managing his own recruitment agency in Melbourne.
John is proud to be a part of the team that transformed Altaira from a boutique agency into the prominent leader it is now in South Australia and the Northern Territory. He enjoys working with Altaira’s clients, partners, and staff to ensure that Altaira can offer a comprehensive range of high-quality services and support. John’s goal for Altaira is to continue to be more diverse and grow into a national recruitment company that specialises in the aged care sector.
It is the diversity in his role as the industry evolves that inspires John. He is a strong advocate for social and cultural rights in the workplace and values the importance of providing equal opportunities for all.
Michael Zoumaras
Allied Health and Wellness Operations Manager
Michael’s previous work experience was mostly in Occupational Health Physiotherapy but he has also worked in other areas such as Aged Care, Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, and Community Care. Before becoming a Physiotherapist, Michael worked as a Disability Care Worker, which gave him a great foundation in holistic client-centred care and building trust with clients.
Michael is extremely passionate about helping clients to maintain their independence and believes that this will result in better long-term outcomes for the clients. It is important to Michael for clients to be empowered, and to self-manage their injuries and concerns in a way that is meaningful for them.
Michael’s greatest accomplishment while working at Altaira has been building the Allied Health team from scratch, with a focus on building a culture of trust and ensuring the team has a high professional standard. He also developed a professional, high-quality, and evidence-based pre-employment Functional Assessment service. Michael is excited about the company’s future growth into the occupational health field and his part in helping the staff grow and develop their skills in this area.
Josie Woll
Head of Education and Compliance, RN, B Health Science (Honours), BN
The program pairs Graduate RNs with experienced aged care Registered Nurses and offers 24-hour access to Josie and her team for mentoring and guidance. This commitment to nurturing new talent underscores Josie’s dedication to the future of aged care. Furthermore, Josie is instrumental in driving the education and training sector within Altaira, shaping the next generation of healthcare workers.
She is a passionate advocate for the aged care sector and regularly guest lectures on topics designed to inspire student nurses to consider a career in aged care. Josie is committed to showcasing how working in aged care can “shape the future” of student and graduate nurses, highlighting the fulfilling benefits and diverse opportunities available within the sector. She works tirelessly to ensure a high-quality aging experience for all Australians, collaborating with others and championing the importance of aged care as a rewarding and impactful career choice.
Bradley Holden
Allocations Manager
Luke
Allocations Team Leader
Gabbi Ocenasek
Head of Business Development & Partnerships
