Tess Howard

Born and raised in Sydney, Tess Howard has been the engine behind St James Ethics Centre’s accounts and membership operations for more than 10 years. She keeps the Ethics Centre’s membership informed and is the first point of contact for any enquiries regarding payments, subscriptions, membership renewals and donations.

Tess joined the Ethics Centre in 1999 after a long and successful career in the fashion industry. She initially became aware of the Ethics Centre through her sister, Ant Simon, a Manager for St James Ethics Centre’s leadership development program. While looking for a different direction, she took a role as a casual receptionist and provided administrative support to the leadership program. This role expanded over time to include support to accounts and to membership.

Although Tess Howard enjoys the more general accounting role, it is her close contact with the Ethics Centre’s members that she considers to be most rewarding. She is also the friendly voice behind the Ethi-call service, her caring and approachable manner making it very easy for callers to determine whether they indeed have a dilemma and to decide whether they would like to speak with one of St James Ethics Centre’s counsellors.

When pressed for a personal view on ethics and philosophy, her view is optimistic. “Look for the best in people,” Tess believes, “and that’s what you’ll find.”