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Who We Are: Staff & Council

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Philanthropy Australia Staff
Chief Executive Officer Dr Deborah Seifert Dr. Deborah Seifert joined Philanthropy Australia in October 2010, bringing wide experience in the not-for-profit sector in leadership, governance, strategic planning, management, development and review. Deborah has been a Director of The Invergowrie Foundation (TIF) as well as serving on the TIF Investment and Finance Committee and has also been Chair of the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Trustees in association with the Dafydd Lewis Trust and ANZ Trustees. Deborah's leadership positions have included six years as Head of University College affiliated with The University of Melbourne following nine years as Head of Fintona Girls' School. Her Doctorate is in the area of Educational Leadership. Deborah has undertaken consultancy projects in Australia and internationally, and has also been involved in peer-review accreditation visits to Cambodia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Qatar, Thailand and Vietnam. Deborah is currently a Member of Council of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (Victoria), sits on the Melbourne Advisory Council for the Centre for Social Impact, is a member of the National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. d.seifert@philanthropy.org.au
Director, Membership & Partnerships Bruce Argyle Based in Melbourne, Bruce is responsible for Membership recruitment and the development and delivery of Philanthropy Australia's Membership activities and services for Victoria, Tasmania, South Austraia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. b.argyle@philanthropy.org.au
Director, Membership and Partnerships Louise Burton Based in Sydney, Louise is responsible for Membership recruitment and the development and delivery of Philanthropy Australia's Membership activities and services for New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland. l.burton@philanthropy.org.au
Manager, Communications & Knowledge Louise Arkles Louise is responsible for communications, research and information services to Philanthropy Australia's Members, clients and the general public. She coordinates the production of Philanthropy Australia's publications and manages the organisation's knowledge management initiatives. l.arkles@philanthropy.org.au
Director, Research and Policy Vanessa Meachen Vanessa coordinates Philanthropy Australia's representation and policy response, provides information and research services, writes for our publications, and develops and conducts grantseeker and customised workshops. v.meachen@philanthropy.org.au
Community Foundations Development Officer Andrew Lawson Andrew Lawson is responsible for providing advice and support to new and established community foundations and to those communities interested in establishing a foundation. ajlawson@bigpond.com
Web & Technology Manager Joanna Fulton Joanna manages our websites, listservs and online Membership services, contributes to the Blog and the PhilanthropyWiki, responds to our various public email addresses and provides technical and administrative support to the office. She also assists in the communications of Philanthropy Australia's seminars, workshops, Affinity Groups and Networks. j.fulton@philanthropy.org.au
Book Keeper Cheryl O'Kelly Cheryl is responsible for accounts payable and receivable and publications orders. c.okelly@philanthropy.org.au
Knowledge Centre Administrator Mary Borsellino Mary produces the weekly PRESSing Matters media monitoring service and is assistant editor of the Australian Philanthropy Journal. She also provides general support for the Knowledge Centre team. m.borsellino@philanthropy.org.au
Communications & Administration, Sydney Office Annie Scoufis Annie provides administrative assistance for the Sydney office of Philanthropy Australia. She facilitates the organisation of Sydney Events and assists with Membership services for NSW and QLD. a.scoufis@philanthropy.org.au
Seminar Developer & Presenter Rikki Andrews Rikki works part-time assisting in the development and presentation of Philanthropy Australia's workshops and seminars. r.andrews@philanthropy.org.au
Administration Officer Jocelyn Grunow Jocelyn works part-time receiving calls to our Melbourne office, assists in managing events and workshops, and provides general administrative support to staff. j.grunow@philanthropy.org.au

Philanthropy Australia Council
President Mr Bruce Bonyhady AM Mr Bruce Bonyhady is Chairman of Acadian Asset Management Australia Limited, a Director of Director of Dexus Wholesale Property Limited and a Member of the UniSuper Investment Committee. Mr Bonyhady is also a Member of the Independent Panel advising the Productivity Commission in its Inquiry into a National Disability Long-term Care and Support Scheme. Community positions held by Mr Bonyhady are: Chairman of Yooralla and Chairman of the Advisory Panel to Solve! at the Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne. Mr Bonyhady was formerly Chairman of ANZ Trustees Limited, a Member of the Felton Bequests' Committee and a Member of the Disability Investment Group. In June 2010 Mr Bonyhady was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to people with disabilities, their families and carers, particularly as Chairman of Yooralla, and to the community as a contributor to a range of charitable organisations.
Melbourne Vice President Ms Dur-e Dara OAM Dur-e Dara is a restauranteur, business woman and musician. She describes herself as Indian by race, Malaysian by birth and an Australian citizen by choice. She is the Convenor of the Victorian Women's Trust, on the board of management of Yooralla and Chairman of the Advisory Panel to La Mama Theatre, and Patron of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture.
Sydney Vice President Ms Sam Meers Sam Meers (BA LLB M Litt) is managing director and a trustee of the Nelson Meers Foundation. She is currently a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW, a director of the State Library of NSW Foundation, the Documentary Australia Foundation and Centre for Social Impact, and a member of the Advisory Councils of the Centre for Social Impact and of the Sydney Women's Fund. Previously Sam practised as a specialist media lawyer, holding senior management positions within the media sector. She is a former deputy chair of the Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association and a former board member of the Belvoir St Theatre and the Power Institute for Art & Visual Culture.
Treasurer David Ward David is a trustee, governance and structure consultant in the philanthropic community. He is Director of Social Ventures Australia (SVA) Private Ancillary Fund Service and is also on the Council of Philanthropy Australia. David was the author of the Trustee Handbook: Role and Duties of Trustees of Charitable Trusts and Foundations (2008) and the Private Ancillary Funds Trustee Handbook (2009) for Philanthropy Australia and is the presenter of Trustee and Governance Workshops for Philanthropy Australia. David is also a Sessional Lecturer at Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment & Philanthropy, Swinburne University, Melbourne. He was a member of the international panel that developed the Investment Management Code of Conduct for Endowments, Foundations and Charitable Organisations for the CFA Institute (2009-2010). David had 20 years' experience as a financial market executive with ANZ including four years as CEO of ANZ Trustees, which manages over 200 charitable trusts. David has a BSC (Hons) and started his working life as a diplomat in New Zealand.
Chief Executive Officer Dr Deborah Seifert Dr. Deborah Seifert joined Philanthropy Australia in October 2010, bringing wide experience in the not-for-profit sector in leadership, governance, strategic planning, management, development and review. Deborah has been a Director of The Invergowrie Foundation (TIF) as well as serving on the TIF Investment and Finance Committee and has also been Chair of the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Trustees in association with the Dafydd Lewis Trust and ANZ Trustees. Deborah's leadership positions have included six years as Head of University College affiliated with The University of Melbourne following nine years as Head of Fintona Girls' School. Her Doctorate is in the area of Educational Leadership. Deborah has undertaken consultancy projects in Australia and internationally, and has also been involved in peer-review accreditation visits to Cambodia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Qatar, Thailand and Vietnam. Deborah is currently a Member of Council of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (Victoria), sits on the Melbourne Advisory Council for the Centre for Social Impact, is a member of the National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Mr Paul Clitheroe AM Paul Clitheroe is a director of ipac securities, a company he founded in 1983 with four partners. ipac manages more than $16 billion dollars for clients. Paul is a leading media commentator on financial issues and is renowned for his ability to explain complex money issues in plain English. His books have sold over 600,000 copies. Paul is also a regular radio commentator and writes weekly newspaper columns. He was host of the Channel 9 TV program money from 1994 to 2004 and has been Chairman and Chief Commentator of money magazine since 1999. In February 2004, the Federal Government appointed Paul as Chairman of the Consumer and Financial Literacy Foundation. This Foundation has established a national strategy to improve the financial skills of all Australians and is now implementing this strategy in schools and the workplace. Most Australians would have seen the “Understanding Money” campaign run on TV, magazines and newspapers. In 2002, Paul and his wife Vicki set up a PPF, The Clitheroe Foundation. The Foundation provides support for medical research and the arts. In recent years it has funded annual scholarships, fellowships or grants for Sydney Symphony, National Art School, Sculpture by the Sea, NSW Art Gallery, Ensemble Theatre and Taronga Zoo.
Mr Tim Fairfax AM Mr Timothy Fairfax AM is a businessman, pastoralist and philanthropist. He is Chairman of the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Salvation Army Brisbane Advisory Board, Trustee of Queensland Art Gallery, President Queensland Art Gallery Foundation, and Director of the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal. Tim is also Patron of AMA Queensland Foundation and Councillor of The Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association. Tim's business interests include being a director of Cambooya Pty Ltd, Building Solutions Pty Ltd and Principal of T.V. Fairfax Pastoral, Strathbogie Pastoral Company and JH Fairfax & Son; which operate ten rural properties in Queensland and New South Wales involving beef cattle, fine wool and grain. Tim was the recipient of the 2011 Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Leadership Award.
Mr Terry Macdonald Terry Macdonald (FIEAust., CPEng.) is the Principal of Macdonald Technical Services, consulting in Engineering and Business Management. His initiation to the Community sector was as a Councillor in the City of Nunawading . He was President of Reach Out for Kids Foundation 1996-2003 and currently holds office in several Community organisations in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne . He joined the Board of the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation in 1999 and became Chairman of the Grants Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the Fund in 2003. He was elected to the Board of United Way Australia in 2005 and was a member of the Hosting Committee of UWA preparing for the United Way World Congress in Melbourne in 2006. Terry's career as a senior Engineering and Management executive was in the Federal Departments of Civil Aviation, Transport and Defence as well at three of Melbourne's Universities. He is Immediate Past President of a Defence/Industry Association, a Member of the Victorian Chapter Committee of the Australian Society of Defence Engineering and a member of the Alumni of the Australian Graduate School of Management and the Swinburne Philanthropy Alumni.
Dr Noel Purcell Noel is Principal of Simply Good Business which specialises in strategic advice to corporations, government and not-for-profit organisations in the areas of corporate governance, responsibility and sustainability. Noel retired from Westpac Banking Corporation in September 2008, having spent 23 years in senior executive roles. Prior to joining Westpac, Noel had served at senior executive level within the Federal Public Service within Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Office of National Assessments, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Noel currently sits on several boards including as Vice Chair of the Global Governing Board of the Caux Round Table, a member of the Tasmanian Government's Climate Action Council, a Council member of Philanthropy Australia, and is a Trustee of the Westpac Foundation.
Mr Christopher Thorn Christopher Thorn (BComm, FFin, MSDIA) has until recently been the Executive Director of JBWere's Philanthropic Services team, where his primary responsibilities included raising awareness of philanthropic issues, providing advice on investment and capital management to individuals and organisations wishing to implement a philanthropic strategy and fostering relationships between interested parties in order to facilitate the giving process. Christopher was a partner of JBWere. He joined the firm in 1984 and worked in Melbourne as a Retail and Institutional Adviser. In 1993 Christopher moved to New York as Vice President Institutional Sales. Upon returning to Australia in 1996 he was appointed Manager of JBWere's Queensland business, until returning to Melbourne in 2001. Christopher has held a variety of senior management roles within JBWere's Private Wealth Management business, including business integration and strategy. In 2002, Christopher established the firm's Philanthropic Services division. Christopher is Chairman of ShareGift Australia, President of the Camberwell Grammar School Foundation, Board Member of Giving West and a member of the Melbourne Advisory Council of the Centre for Social Impact.