High Profile Appointments to Philanthropy Australia Council

Two high profile women have been elected to the new Philanthropy Australia Council following elections at the 2013 AGM earlier this week.

Philanthropy Australia has announced that Janet Hirst, the CEO of the Ian Potter Foundation and Genevieve Timmons, the Deputy Chair of the Inner North Community Foundation were elected to Council.

Janet Hirst was a guest speaker at the 2012 Philanthropy Australia Conference where she said: “I do think there is a role for philanthropy to influence – or at the very least use its knowledge of sector-wide issues and effective solutions. Increased professionalism of Board and staff in philanthropic foundations means that funders are developing agendas based increasingly on research and expertise. This reinforces the notion that contemporary philanthropy is based on an exchange between funders and grants recipients and not passive transactions as they were in the past.”

Genevieve Timmons has strong roots in the inner northern suburbs with more than 25 years experience in philanthropic grant making, in Australia and overseas. Timmons is the Deputy Chair of the Inner North Community Foundation, Philanthropic Executive of the Portland House Foundation and a Director of the George Hicks Foundation. She is also a board member of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture and the Indigenous Leadership Fellowship; a Fellow of Leadership Victoria and a Senior Fellow of the Johns Hopkins International Fellows in Philanthropy Program (Baltimore USA).

The Council members as elected include:
Bruce Bonyhady, President
Dur-e Dara, Vice President
David Ward, Treasurer
Paul Clitheroe
Tim Fairfax
Janet Hirst (NEW)
Ann Johnson
Rob McLean
Noel Purcell
Genevieve Timmons (NEW)

Returning President, Bruce Bonyhady said in a statement to members that he would like to thank the other candidates who were seeking appointment for the first time, Sue Charlton and Neil Pharaoh, for standing for Council and therefore demonstrating their enthusiasm for and interest in Philanthropy Australia.

“One of the signs of a very healthy membership organisation is that its Members are keen to serve and so this positive dimension of Philanthropy Australia is very welcome."

Bonyhady also paid tribute pay to outgoing Council member, Christopher Thorn and acknowledged his enormous contribution to Philanthropy Australia over his past 8 years on Council. 

“Christopher has played a significant role in helping to develop the philanthropic sector in Australia through his professional roles and NFP interests as well as assisting Philanthropy Australia through his involvement on Council, our Audit & Risk Management and Governance Committees, and our internal CAMAC Working Group, during this transformative time for our organisation.

“I have found Christopher’s support and wise counsel invaluable.

“On behalf of Council, we are committed to leading Philanthropy Australia through the Constitutional Reform of the coming months and the continued rollout of the 2012-2014 Strategic Plan to continue to meet its ambitious goals.”