About Us

Captain Ben Anderson

Chair of MASIC

Captain Ben Anderson is currently serving as the Corps Officer at Benalla in north-east Victoria. Before commencing officer training, he worked as a secondary school English and Humanities teacher, with qualifications in literature, politics and education. Ben completed his Bachelor of Ministry at The Salvation Army Training College and is currently studying for a Master of Theology. Ben serves alongside his wife Jaimee and has three children. He was appointed as chair of MASIC in March 2025.

Ms Casey O’Brien Machado

Alternate Chair of MASIC

Casey O’Brien Machado has worked with The Salvation Army in various communities and capacities both locally and internationally. Her professional and academic backgrounds see her bring a social science lens to MASIC's work.

Major Mal Davies

Mal grew up attending The Salvation Army and, after university (BA, double-major in Philosophy and English Lit.), worked in Army social programs for 15 years before commencing officership training.

With his wife, Tracey, he has served as a Salvation Army officer for 22 years in appointments in different Australian states as well as overseas, in corps, divisional headquarters and territorial headquarters. This included time as national editor-in-chief, responsible for magazine and book publishing.

In January 2020 he moved to London and served for three years as assistant secretary for communications and editor-in-chief for the United Kingdom, before returning to Australia in 2023. In October 2025, Mal commenced as Divisional Commander for Victoria.

Mal has been married to Tracey for 35 years and they have two children and one grandchild. He enjoys reading, writing, music, sport and a good chocolate milkshake.

Cherise Holley

Cherise is a soldier at Macarthur Salvos and is currently studying a double degree in Law and Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at UNSW.

Alongside her studies, she works in the Capacity and Prevention team at the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children Australia, engaging with government, law enforcement, the private sector, and not-for-profits to pursue a world where children can no longer be harmed by technology.

As a member of The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Girls’ Committee, Cherise is proud to be part of a global social justice movement — centred on Jesus — that fights wherever there is hardship or injustice.

Captain Manikya Mera

Captain Manikya Mera is currently serving as the Intercultural Officer for the Intercultural Ministries in Melbourne, Victorian Division of The Salvation Army. She has previously held various roles within corps and mission expressions, including serving as the project coordinator at Salvation Army International Development (SAID). Captain Manikya Mera is a member of the International Social Justice Commission on Women (ISJC), collaborating with the United Nations NGO Commission on the Status of Women to address critical issues affecting women, as highlighted in various UN Commissions and Forums. Additionally, she is a standing committee member of the Victorian Council of Churches (VCC).

Captain Manikya Mera’s educational background includes a Master’s in Business Administration, qualifications in Ministry and Theology, a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, and a Master’s degree in International and Community Development.

Clayton Spence

MA (Psych), MSc Coach Psych BSc (Psych), BTh

Clayton is married to Major Leanne Spence, and together they have four adult children. Clayton was a Salvation Army officer for over 20 years, with corps, youth, and college appointments, as well as representing The Salvation Army on various ecumenical bodies including the National Council of Churches Faith and Unity Commission and the NSW Ecumenical Council Theological Reflection Forum. Clayton currently works for Suicide Prevention Australia supporting systemic and organisational approaches to suicide prevention, and connecting individuals to quality learning resources. Clayton has been a member of MASIC since 2009, and enjoys thinking through the big issues of our time, helping to connect faith to life in the everyday issues that confront us personally and collectively.

Major Andrew Walton

PhD candidate, MA (Leadership), BTheol (Ethics & Systematic Theol), AdvDipMin, DipMan

Andrew Walton has been a Salvation Army Officer since 2007. Since 2017, Andrew has been part of the Officer Formation Stream at Eva Burrows College. He enjoys the one-on-one contact with cadets that his Individualised Training Officer (ITO) role affords, along with coordinating education and theological formation for cadets. He also lectures on leadership.

Andrew's previous appointments were to the Northside Geelong Community Centre and Corps and Moe Corps. There, alongside incredible and committed teams of other officers, Salvationists, employees and volunteers, Andrew served these faith and wider communities for ten years.

Andrew is now completing a PhD, researching why people believe what they believe about God.