Volunteering Australia Announces New CEO

Volunteering Australia (VA) has appointed Volunteering Tasmanian chief Adrienne Picone as the new chief executive officer for the national peak body.

VA board president Tim Jackson said Picone would take on the role after the current CEO Brett Williamson finished in December.

“After a very comprehensive recruitment process, the Volunteering Australia board is pleased to secure Adrienne for the role. Adrienne has been CEO of Volunteering Tasmania for seven years and has been a great contributor to many significant Volunteering Tasmania and Volunteering Australia initiatives.”

He said Picone has extensive knowledge, management and leadership experience in the community and volunteering sector.

Picone will take over from Brett Williamson who has been in the position for three years. In September he announced publicly his intention to stand down and return home to his family base Brisbane.

Williamson told Pro Bono Australia News that he had “mixed feelings” about the move, but it had been an “absolute privilege to be part of a team so totally committed to growing volunteering and civic participation in Australia”.

“I am sad to be leaving but also very much looking forward to spending a lot more time with the family who have been very patient with me,” Williamson said.

Jackson said: “The board also certainly wishes to acknowledge and thank Brett for his tireless and effective contributions to Volunteering Australia and volunteering during his tenure.

“The appointment of Adrienne is the next stage in VA’s journey, one that began just over  three years ago, with the relocation of VA headquarters from Melbourne to Canberra.”

Picone, who is currently travelling to participate in the IAVE World Volunteer Conference in Mexico, said she was delighted to be entrusted with the role at Volunteering Australia and helping to advance volunteerism.

“The last eight years have been some of the most rewarding of my professional life. Volunteering Tasmania is a great organisation and I have been very proud to be at the helm of an organisation that is helping volunteering to flourish.”

Deputy chair of the Volunteering Tasmania board Donald Coventry said: “Although the board was saddened by the loss of Ms Picone given her strong working relationship with the board, staff, and stakeholders and her commitment to and development of volunteering in Tasmania…we recognise this new role for her is a significant opportunity.

“She has seen the organisation through change and leaves it in good shape to develop further.”

The Tasmanian board said it has commenced the recruitment process to find a replacement.