WHY I GIVE: SUE WOODWARD, AM

Charity lawyer, advocate and newly appointed Australian Communities Foundation Director, Sue Woodward, AM always knew that she was destined for a career that involved helping others.

Initially, she set her sights upon becoming a secondary school legal studies teacher after dismissing nursing and social work as areas she “couldn’t pull off”. As fate would have it, she was destined to build a distinguished legal career helping non-profit organisations navigate Australia’s difficult regulatory and policy environment.

“I fell into doing law,” Sue admits. “It was only when I found out that the teaching quota at uni was full that I ended up studying law.  

“In my soul I always had a desire to make a difference and do something that would help the community,” she continues. “I’ve always been driven to find something I was good at and to use that to find a job that matched my experience, purpose and passion.”

During her 12 years at Justice Connect, where she is Head of Not-for-Profit Law, Sue has been instrumental in advocating for better policies and laws for Australia’s charities and community organisations. Her efforts were recognised in this year’s Queens Birthday 2021 Honours List, but Sue is quick to share the credit for the accolade.

“As clichéd as it sounds, I do feel humbled to receive my Queen’s Birthday honour. It’s recognition of the work of the sector, the team I’m in and the organisations I’m involved with,” she says with characteristic humility.

Some of Sue’s achievements include the establishment of Justice Connect’s Not-for-Profit Law program which provides a national support service for non-profits across Australia; launching the #FixFundraising campaign; advocating for improved regulatory reforms; and supporting plain language legal education for the sector. 

“All the work I’ve been doing in recent years is about policy and advocacy and trying to reduce the red tape and administrative burden charities face,” Sue says.

“When I look back across my career, I think one of the most helpful things I’ve learned is problem solving. Really spending time identifying the problem, researching it, and working towards a practical solution. That’s what’s guided my work in the not-for-profit sector, thinking about what would provide practical help to small organisations.”

When the opportunity arose to join the Board at Australian Communities Foundation, Sue seized the opportunity.

“I had always been aware of and tracked the organisation from the sidelines because of how progressive Australian Communities Foundation had been, particularly in things like responsible investing which is an area where the Foundation has shown great leadership.

“I like that it’s a community of givers that recognises our impact together can be greater than the sum of our parts. Also, that with a small amount of money, you can get started and be part of a vision for a fairer Australia.”

Within weeks of joining the organisation, Sue began her structured giving journey by opening a Gumnut Account of her own.

“It’s something that’s been on my radar for a while now,” she explains. “Over the long-term I’ve always put aside a certain amount aside to donate each year to things like mental health, overseas aid with a gender lens, and the empowerment of women. I’ve often tried to seek out the programs and organisations that don’t get a lot of attention. I like that being part of the ACF giving community will help me continue to identify those groups that you wouldn’t otherwise hear about.”

Sue has named her Gumnut ‘Higher Ground’ and says that her children will also play a role in the philanthropic decision-making when the account matures to become a fully-fledged grantmaking fund.

“I chose the name Higher Ground because it’s important that we think about the higher order here and not just our own little patch,” Sue says, while adding that she’s also a fan of the Stevie Wonder song of the same name.

“I truly believe that if we get stuck looking up from the bottom of the cliff, then nothing changes.

“But, if you take a portfolio view to giving, where you look at a range of different approaches, then the potential is enormous because we’re asking questions like, ‘What difference can we make to more than one organisation or cohort? How can we support the sector as a whole? How can we change the law? How can we support advocacy?’

“I guess that’s the problem solver in me – I always want to help get things fixed in a very practical way.”

Meet our Board

Eric Beecher (Chair)

Eric joined the Board as Chair in 2018, bringing with him a long career in media and journalism. Eric is the founder and chair of Private Media, publisher of news website Crikey, and chair of Solstice Media. In 2007, he received the Walkley Award for Journalistic Leadership. Eric is one of Australia’s leading voices on the need for public interest journalism.

Penny Burke

With more than 30 years’ experience in marketing, Penny is a customer and brand expert. She is the founder and Director of research and strategy consultancy, Essence Communications, and consults to all levels of governments and a range of private sector clients. She has held a number of board positions across sectors such as construction, retail, real estate, training, and medical research.

Sue Dahn

Sue has over three decades of experience in the provision of financial and investment advice and proudly serves a select group of private clients, charitable trusts, professional, industry, educational and government bodies. Sue has been a champion of philanthropy for well over a decade and in 2019 she was named Australia’s number one financial adviser. Having previously served on the Board from 2010 to 2016, Sue rejoined as a Director in July 2020.

Michael Gilmore

Michael has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry across institutional and consumer markets in Australia, Asia and Europe. For the past 15 years Michael has worked in leadership roles, including at ANZ Private Bank and ipac securities limited. In his current role at TelstraSuper, Michael is the Head of Practice Operations for the Member Engagement & Advice division and a Responsible Manager of TelstraSuper Financial Planning.

Sarah Hosking

Sarah is a clinician and researcher having spent 25 years in academia, latterly as a professor in both ophthalmology and optometry in institutions in Australia, the UK and China. She is currently CEO of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and has held a number of executive and non-executive roles in health, research and education. 

Adam Milgrom

Adam is an active impact investor, having built a portfolio of investments across a wide range of industries and asset classes that align profit with purpose. He is Venture Partner of Giant Leap Fund, established by Impact Investment Group as the first Australian venture capital fund 100 per cent committed to investing in impact start-ups. 

Glen Noonan

Glen is a Partner with PwC in the Management Consulting practice with 32 years’ advisory experience including 23 years as a Partner as well as being an experienced Board member. He has extensive expertise in formulating and executing business strategies, building and leading teams and successful leadership in sales and P&L performance. Glen joined the Board in March 2021. 

Steve Rothfield

Steve has worked as a hands-on volunteer on philanthropic projects since his retirement from a long career in general management, management consultancy, IT and finance. Having worked with Indigenous leaders across 30 philanthropic projects, he is particularly interested in supporting community development to improve creative, sporting, economic and educational opportunities. Steve retired from the Board in June 2021. 

Cath Smith

Cath is founder and Principal of Changesmith Consulting, providing strategic advice to organisations on how they can make a positive difference. She has over 30 years’ experience in the not-for-profit space, including within the environment movement, the international development sector, and as CEO at the community sector peak body Victorian Council of Social Service. She is also a Trustee Director of industry super fund HESTA and President of the Collingwood College Council.

Malinda Wink

Malinda is Global Director, Good Pitch at Doc Society (formerly BRITDOC). From 2013 to 2019, Malinda served as Executive Director of Good Pitch Australia and Shark Island Institute. Her professional experience spans senior roles within the corporate, political, philanthropic and NGO sectors. She also currently serves as Deputy Chair of The Caledonia Foundation and Trustee of The Reichstein Foundation. Malinda joined the Board in June 2021.

Sue Woodward AM

Sue co-leads Justice Connect’s Not-for-profit Law service and was the inaugural Director of Policy & Education at the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Sue is a prominent advocate for legal and regulatory issues of importance to Australia’s not-for-profit sector. She is a member of the Law Council’s Not-for-Profit Practice and Charities Committee, the Australian Taxation Office Not-for-Profit Stewardship Group and a Board member of the Human Rights Law Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service. Sue joined the ACF Board in March 2021.

Emma Woolley

Emma is a Partner at leading independent law firm Hall & Wilcox, specialising in Wills, estates and succession planning. She has extensive experience in advising clients in estate planning and administration, trust establishment, trust estate disputes, and structuring for succession of ownership and control of private and family businesses. She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Inner Temple (Barristers’ Inn of Court, London) and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Emma retired from the Board in June 2021.