The Leadership Projects

COLLABORATING AND ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE. A conversation with Camilla Rowland, CEO, Marymead ACT

May 2019

Collaboration and advocacy for social change have been central themes throughout my interviews with not-for-profit community sector leaders. I was therefore delighted that my interview with Camilla Rowland, CEO of Marymead, delved even more deeply into these topics. I found a passionate advocate for building connections not only…

CHANGE AGENT: A conversation with Claerwen Little, National Director for UnitingCare Australia

Apr 2019

Multiple and major challenges to the future of the not-for-profit social welfare sector have been at the heart of my recent talks with leading not-for-profit CEOs.  My latest interview – with Claerwen Little, National Director for UnitingCare Australia – took this discussion to another level as she reflected on a 40-year c…

Knowing what leader you DON’T want to be: a conversation with Jenni Hutchins, CEO of Big Fat Smile

Apr 2019

The vital importance of leaders engaging in their own reflective practice was at the centre of my recent talk with Jenni Hutchins, CEO of Big Fat Smile, as part of my series of interviews with CEOs about excellence in not-for-profit leadership in Australia.
Jenni has been the CEO of Big Fat Smile, based in Corrimal, New South W…

Leading through major transformation: a conversation with Melinda Crole, CEO, YMCA Australia

Mar 2019

This year marks the YMCA’s 175th birthday. The YMCA is the largest global youth movement and was established in 1844 in England and 1851 in Australia.
Today across Australia, the YMCA works in over 500 communities and has over 13,000 staff and 3,500 volunteers. Each year there are over 28 million participations in YMCA program…

‘Melding head & heart’: a conversation with Tony Pietropiccolo AM

Feb 2019

This year marks Tony Pietropiccolo’s 30th anniversary as CEO of Centrecare Perth. Centrecare is a Catholic not-for-profit, community services organisation with over 300 staff that delivers more than 70 services throughout the Perth metropolitan, Goldfields, Esperance and South West regions of Western Australia.
I met Tony more…

‘Giving permission to pursue excellence’: a conversation with Natalie Lewis

Nov 2018

A common theme in my conversations with not-for-profit leaders has been a preparedness to keep learning while holding onto self-belief, values and conviction. That certainly holds true for my next interviewee, Natalie Lewis (pictured).
Natalie is a Gamilaraay yinar and the CEO of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islan…