NFP Leaders Make Their Moves

National Not for Profit technology provider Infoxchange’s Deputy CEO, David Spriggs, has stepped up to the head the organisation.

Former CEO Peter Walton will be leaving Infoxchange to lead the Australian Red Cross’s international programs and humanitarian response work.

Walton joined Infoxhange, a Not for Profit community organisation that delivers technology for social justice, in 2011 after founder and former Executive Director and CEO Andrew Mahar stepped down after 25 years. Mahar had built a computer database in a garage to help homeless people find beds, and turned it into a social enterprise.

Spriggs, who has 20 years experience working in senior management positions in the Not for Profit and technology sectors, has worked at Infoxchange for the past five years and helped drive the provider’s online services division.

Before joining Infoxhange, Spriggs was at Kronos, a global organisation that provided workforce management solutions, where he led the Australian government and healthcare team and later was responsible for business partner operations across Asia Pacific and Europe.

Another big shift in the sector, will be Nicola Stokes’s move from heading the Australian Diabetes Council (ADC) to the top job of Chief Executive Officer at Special Olympics Australia (SOA).

Stokes, who has been at ADC since May 2009, will start her new position in early 2014. SOA is the Australian arm of the Special Olympics movement and provides organised sporting programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

SOA Board Chairman Mark Streeting said Stokes was a dynamic and creative leader with a proven record for driving expansion and sharpening organisational focus in a Not for Profit setting.

“The Board is delighted to have secured someone of Nicola’s calibre to lead the Special Olympics movement in Australia at this point in its evolution,” Streeting said.

“Nicola brings proven commercial and management experience and an ability to advocate to and engage effectively at all levels in the community. She shares a close affinity with the goals of Special Olympics and the unique difference we make to the lives of people with an intellectual disability and their families.”

In her time with ADC Stokes oversaw the increase of national and international membership figures from 54,000 to 187,000 this year.

Stokes is a Board member of Stretch-a-Family, co-Chair of the International Diabetes Federation’s Life for Child program, and was last year appointed to the NSW Premier’s Council for Active Living.  

Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) has also made a new appointment, putting corporate board director and banker Arlene Tansey in its board.

ARACY Chair Elaine Henry said ARACY will greatly benefit from Arlene’s business acumen as the alliance “transition through this growth period”.

“Her involvement will, in turn, assist our capacity to achieve positive wellbeing outcomes for young people. We are very pleased to welcome Arlene to the ARACY board,” Henry said.

ARACY CEO Lance Emerson said: “Arlene’s extensive corporate knowledge and background, and participation on the boards of many not-for-profit organisations, make her a terrific fit for ARACY.”

Tansey said the opportunity to be involved in an influential national peak agency, focused on improving the wellbeing of children aged 0-24 attracted her to the role.