In 2021 the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), in partnership with the Australian Scholarships Foundation awarded 184 full scholarships to enable directors, executives and emerging directors of NFP organisations with a turnover of less than $2m to attend the AICD’s Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors program.

We would like to congratulate recipients from across Australia.

Australian Institute of Company Directors – Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors Scholarships 2021/2022 award recipients

Australian Capital Territory

  • Gethin Thomas, Executive Director, Research, Motor Neurone Disease Australia
  • Pichamon Yeophantong, Board and Research Committee Member, Jubilee Australia Research Centre
  • Kat Reed, Chief Executive Officer, Women With Disabilities ACT
  • Ingrid Johnston, CEO, Australasian College of Road Safety
  • Hope Bertram, Manager Communications & Engagement, TrackSAFE Foundation
  • Alfred Chidembo, CEO, Aussie Books For Zim
  • Brittany Bevan, Social Worker, Nature Freedom
  • Jane Thompson, Board Member/Vice President, The Neighbourhood, Canberra Inc
  • Joseph Finbar Piper, Company Secretary and Non-Executive Director, The Oaktree Foundation Australia
  • Luke Rogers, Artistic Director & CEO, Canberra Youth Theatre
  • Meredythe Crane, Board Member, Hepatitis ACT
  • Mercedes Page, Chief Executive Officer, Young Australians in International Affairs
  • Tania Brown, President, Perinatal Wellbeing Centre

New South Wales

  • Melissa Reader, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Violet Initiative
  • Agnes Barnard, Chairperson, Reledev Australia Ltd
  • Julie Duong, President, Diversity and Disability Alliance
  • Natalie Grenfell Non-Executive Director, Kedesh Rehabilitation Services Limited
  • Leigh-Anne Shannon, Executive Officer, Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand
  • Weh Yeoh, Founder and Director, OIC Australia
  • Ashley Scott, Executive Officer, Rainbow Families
  • Morwenna Collett, Board Director, Arts Capital LTD
  • Danielle Higgs, Director of the Board, Minus 18
  • Myee Gregory, Non-Executive Director, Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre
  • David Wilheim, Governor, PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation
  • Katina Velkou, Board Member, Milk Crate Theatre
  • Christopher Zinn, Chair of the Eastside board, Eastside Community Radio
  • Gabrielle Mordy, CEO & Artistic Director, Studio A Limited
  • Shaun Christie-David, CEO + Co-Founder, PlateitForward
  • Joanne Ryan, Member Board of Management, Enough is Enough
  • James Gribble, Founder, CEO and Board Member, Empower Golf Australia
  • Dana Beiglari, Non-executive director on Ecstra Board; and senior consumer lawyer at Legal Aid NSW, Ecstra Foundation
  • Micheala Collins, Assistant Chief Commissioner (Young Women), Girl Guides Australia
  • Gareth Scott, Non-Executive Director, Mountains Youth Services Team Inc
  • Liz Martin, Interim CEO, Accessible Arts
  • Colin Brading, Co-Founder and Company Secretary, Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation
  • Rawan Arraf, Executive Director, Australian Centre for International Justice
  • Maria Nawaz, Co-Head of Strategic Litigation, Grata Fund
  • Rosemaria Flaherty, Board member, Life Changing Experiences Foundation LTD
  • Timothy Keys, Director and Co-Founder, Borne Clothing
  • Dash Gray, President, The Gender Centre NSW
  • Darcy Small, Managing Director, Kua Coffee Limited
  • Karen Kandur, Board Director and Treasurer, Centre for Australian Progress
  • Pearl Lee, Assistant Coordinator (Vice President), Dragons Abreast Sydney
  • Anne Grunseit, Board member, Bicycle NSW
  • Nicole Yade, Board Member, Domestic Violence NSW
  • Gopi McLeod, Board of Director, Chair, Australian Osteopathic Accreditation Council
  • Joel Palte, Director (Deputy Chairman), First Hike Project
  • Sophie Smith, Managing Director, Running for Premature Babies Foundation
  • Cara Schultz, Non Executive Director/Board Member, Tamworth Community College
  • Taylor Hawkins, Managing DIrector, Foundations For Tomorrow Ltd
  • Matthew Cannon, Board Member, Council of Ambulance Authorities Australasia
  • Natalie Kozlov, Director and Chairperson of the Board, Antenna Documentary Institute Limited
  • Kylie Pussell, CEO and Board Director, Miracle Babies Foundation Ltd

Northern Territory

  • Kerin Bolton, Board member, Amity Community Services
  • Brody Smith, Project Development Manager, Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticulture
  • Tania Lesneuck, Chair, Riding for the Disabled in the Top End
  • Seranie Gamble, Director Law Reform – Government, North Australia Aboriginal Family Legal Service
  • Fleur Crowe Synod, Operations Manager, Uniting Church in Australia Northern Synod
  • Geoff Radford, Chief Executive Officer, NT Mental Health Coalition
  • Fiona Wearing Smith, Board of Management, Alice Springs Youth Accommodation and Support Services

Queensland

  • Mara Bennett, President, Broadbeach Meals on Wheels, Gold Coast Broadbeach Meals on Wheels
  • Caitlin McConnel, Non-executive director, Future Farmers Network
  • Sandra Woosup, Chairperson, Angkamuthi Tribal Aboriginal Corporation
  • Unni Susil Kumar, Non-executive director, TIME UQ
  • Julie Englefield, Executive Director, Australian Dance Council, Ausdance (QLD) Inc
  • John Godwin (copy) Executive Chair Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation – previously Fair Go Australia Foundation
  • Tahina Booth, Founder & CEO, Grass Skirt Project
  • Jen Ramamurthy, Director and Secretary, Pickleball Australia Association
  • Scott May, President, Toowoomba Returned and Service League Sub Branch Toowoomba
  • Jeremy Hunt, President, The VacSeen Project
  • Samuel Walker, Treasurer – Management Committee, SPELD Qld Inc
  • Catherine Reade, Director, Outreach Crawford Fund
  • Marie Carvolth, Chairperson, Australian Parents for Climate Action Ltd.
  • Paula Sale, President, Western Districts Netball Association
  • Jeannet Kessels, Chairperson, Veterinarians for Climate Action
  • Wendy McPate, Non-Executive Director of the Asset Management Council Ltd Board, Asset Management Council Ltd
  • Jacqui Price, Chair, Food & Agribusiness Network Limited
  • Yasmin Sethi, People & Culture Manager, AusCam Freedom Project
  • Jesse O’Hara, President, Cairns Water Polo Inc
  • Matthew Campbell, Company Secretary, Australian Collaborative Education Network Limited
  • Claire Mihala, Prof of Infection Prevention and Vascular Access, Intensive Care Foundation
  • Georgia Williams, Director and Chair of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, Softball Queensland Inc
  • Katelin Haynes, CEO, Hepatitis Queensland
  • Wendy Avilov, General Manager, Flinders Quartet Inc.
  • Kate Williams, Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow, Everyone Deserves Music
  • Isabelle Nehme, Non-Executive Board Director & Chair of the Nominations Committee, The Australian Medical Students’ Association Limited
  • Andrea Frost, Board Director, The Red Rose Foundation
  • Marie-Claire Cull, Company Secretary, Apunipima Health Council
  • Nathan Taiaroa, Director, Mwembe Foundation Australia
  • Angela Ellis, Executive Director, Hospital in the Home Australasia Society Ltd
  • Kylie Bradley, CPSS Board Member, Soil Science Australia
  • Katie Grehan, CEO and Founder, VirLoop Limited
  • Carly Baker-Burnham, Managing Director & Founder, The Rex Monto Ltd
  • Jessica Bean, Inaugural Chair & President, Patient Voice Initiative
  • Shantel Netzler, Board Secretary & Chairman Girls Rugby Subcommittee, Brisbane Junior Rugby Union Inc.
  • Laurie Weeden, Vice-President, Australian Curling Federation
  • Eric Allgood, Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Plumbing and Sanitation Foundation

South Australia

  • L.E. Varo, Chair of the Board, South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance Inc (SARAA)
  • Rebecca Young, Chief Executive, Access2Arts
  • Erin (Mimi) Crowe, Advocacy Director, National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
  • Amanda Macri, Board Member & Treasurer, Vitalstatistix
  • Mark Anderson, President, Conservation Council of South Australia
  • Rhen Soggee, Executive Director & Co-CEO, Ex Officio Board Member, ActNow Theatre
  • Alison Deslandes, Director, Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine
  • Victoria Cornell, Board Director, Australian Association of Gerontology
  • Gemma Burdon, General Manager, Zahra Foundation Australia
  • Floyd Bullen-Nicholas, Board member, Cystic Fibrosis South Australia
  • Rosamond Gilden, Chair of Orthoptics Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Group, Orthoptics Australia
  • Anthony Pryzibilla, Operations Manager- South and Central Australia (RFDS) and Intensive Care Paramedic (SAAS), Ambulance Service Welfare Fund
  • Amanda Grocock, Chair, Writers SA
  • Gildi Carty, Chief Executive, Life Education SA, Life Education SA
  • Professor Mark R Hutchinson, President-elect, Science & Technology Australia
  • Nathan Mercurio, National Program Manager, Rural & Remote Mental Health (RRMH)
  • Samantha Sturm, Head of Fundraising & Marketing, Allan Campbell and WCH House Inc (trading as Ronald McDonald House Charities South Australia)
  • Kathy Sharrad, Operations Manager/Communications Manager, CureCell Ltd
  • Eloise Hall, Managing Director, Co-Founder, TABOO Period Products
  • Linda Taylor, President, Riding for the Disabled Association South Australia Inc.

Tasmania

  • Zoe Bok, Team Leader / Acting CEO, Mental Health Families and Friends Tasmania
  • Kate Allingham, Non-executive director, Hamlet Inc
  • Craig Mackinnon, Director, Surf Lifesaving Tasmania Surf Life Saving Tasmania
  • Catherine Doran, Director of Strategy and Development, Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania
  • Kate Griggs, Manager – Community Engagement, Health Consumers Tasmania
  • Abi Binning, Executive Director, Wide Angle Tasmania A Fairer World
  • Simone James, Non-executive Director, Selfhelp Workplace
  • Michelle Dolbey, Manager, Seafood and Maritime Training
  • Peter Stronach, Acting CEO, Landcare Tasmania Inc.
  • Anthony Edler, Director, Tasmanian Bike Collective Inc.

Victoria

  • Daniel Whykes, Chief Executive Officer, Urban Camp Melbourne Cooperative Ltd
  • Tina Brunet, Board Member, Foothills Community Care
  • Paula Nassif, Non-Executive Director, Osteoporosis Australia (trading as Healthy Bones Australia)
  • Rowena Thiele, Board Treasurer and Chair Audit and Risk Committee, Emerge Women And Children’s Support Network Inc
  • Rory Martin, Company Secretary, Australian Passive House Association Limited
  • Tina Daisley, Chair of the Board, Platform Youth Arts
  • Kevin Mao, National Executive Development Director, UN Youth Australia
  • Rashmi Kumar, Board Director, Switchboard Victoria
  • Stephane Shepherd, Deputy Chair of the Board, Afri-Auscare
  • Sarah Witty, Non-executive board member, Permanent Care and Adoptive Families (Vic)
  • Nadine Liddy, Co-Chair, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC)
  • Hannah Britton, Board Director, Deaf Victoria
  • James Lolicato, CEO, Pride,up Pride Cup
  • Bianca Le, Executive Director, Cellular Agriculture Australia Ltd
  • Thu-Trang Tran, CEO, Volunteer West
  • Michael Browne, Executive Director, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place
  • Fiona Purcell, CEO, Outer Eastern Local Learning & Employment Network, OELLEN
  • Tiffany Lucas, Non-Executive Board Director and Secretary, Dancehouse Inc
  • Sabina Curatolo, CEO, Impact Investing Australia
  • Jean Darling, Founder and Managing Director, Commune and Co Pty Ltd TA, Cirque du Soil
  • Kate Halford, Director, Little Big Steps
  • Suzie Bratuskins, Executive Officer, The Water Well Project
  • Jane Carney, Chair, Landcare Victoria Inc.
  • Sarah Hill, Executive Committee Member, Girl Guides Victoria
  • Tamara Dawson, Founder & Director, Melanoma & Skin Cancer Advocacy Network (MSCAN)
  • Elyse McInerney, Board Director and Chair of the Development and Policy Sub-Committee (DPSC), The Oaktree Foundation
  • Cate Edwards, Non-executive Director, Dolphin Research Institute
  • Kathryn Davies, Non- Executive Board Director, Skate Australia
  • Winnie Blackwell, Director, Australian Calisthenic Federation
  • Therese OBeirne, Project Manager Solve Disability Solutions
  • Philippa Brear, Board member, Committee of Management; Convener, Fundraising & Communication Subcommittee, Assisi Aid Projects
  • Sonya Rand, Board Director, Alliance for Water Stewardship Asia-Pacific
  • Hannah George, Executive Officer, Mary Ward International Australia
  • Tessa Ramanlal, Cofounder & Non Executive Director of Anika Legal, Anika Legal Ltd
  • Matthew Thompson, Head of Strategy, Now and Not Yet Inc.
  • Gavin Watson, Executive Officer, Diamond Valley Community Support Inc

Western Australia

  • Alan Beattie, Chief Executive Officer, Noongar Land Enterprise Group
  • Rhiannon Assetta, Director, Australian Orthotic and Prosthetic Association
  • Debbie Dowden, Interim Chair, Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance
  • Monica Smith Gooley, Treasurer / Board Member, Citizen Advocacy Perth West Inc
  • Melissa Grove, Non-Executive Director, Connectgroups Support Groups Association WA INC
  • Livia Carre, General Manager, The West Australian Music Industry Association Inc
  • Aish Srinivas, Board Member, United Way Western Australia
  • Leena Bakshi, Member of Management Committee, Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre
  • Kristen Pyrz-Brown, Board Director, Great Southern Centre for Outdoor Recreation Excellence GSCORE
  • Felicity Bradshaw, Chairperson, Geocatch
  • Ashleigh Small, Founder / CEO, Hello Initiative
  • Martina Ucnikova, Founder and Chair, She Runs WA
  • Georgina Hall, Non-Executive Director, Legacy WA
  • Akaiti James, Ordinary Board Member, Endometriosis Western Australia Incorporated
  • Felicity Edwards, State Treasurer, Country Women’s Association of W.A. (Inc.)
  • Daiva Gillam, Secretary, board member, Karratha Business Enterprise Centre Incorporated
  • Janine Carter, Chair of Committee of Management, Radio Margaret River
  • Crispin Underwood, Board Member – Board of Directors, Nature Conservation Margaret River
  • Matthew Pham, Board Director, Byford & Districts Community Development Services Limited T/A Bendigo Bank Byford & Districts
  • Susan Swift, Business Development Manager, The Grief Centre of WA
  • Stuart Tomlinson, CEO, Multicultural Futures.

Read full details of the AICD’s Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors program scholarship here.


Read about our scholarships opportunities open now.