Office Bearers

Dr Meredith Burgmann — President

Meredith Burgmann has a Master of Arts from Sydney University in Foreign Policy and a Doctorate from Macquarie University in Environmental Activism and Industrial Relations. During her university study she was involved in political activity against the Vietnam War and Apartheid. She was actively involved in the beginnings of the women’s movement and the early environment movement.

Meredith taught industrial relations and politics at Macquarie University for 18 years and was active in the Academics' Union becoming the first woman president of the NSW Academics' Union (NTEU).

After entering the New South Wales Parliament in 1991, Meredith became President of the NSW Legislative Council in 1999. She held this position  until her retirement in 2007.

Meredith has had a long-term interest in aid and development, especially issues involving refugee policy and women. She has visited refugee camps and aid projects around the world. She is presently of the board of Africa Works, an organisation set up to support the work of the democratic forces in Zimbabwe; the board of Hoc Mai, The Australia Vietnam Medical Foundation; and the board of the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance. Meredith is Women’s Ambassador for ActionAid Australia, President of the Zimbabwe Information Centre; Patron of the NSW Parliament Asia Pacific Friendship Group and Vice President of the Cuban Children’s Fund.

Nigel Spence — Vice President, Finance

Since joining ChildFund Australia as CEO in 2006, Nigel has overseen the expansion of its child-focused development programs in Cambodia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Laos, as well as continuing aid and development work through ChildFund Alliance partners in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Nigel has a long history of working with vulnerable and marginalised children, both in Australia and internationally. Prior to his role at ChildFund, he was CEO of the Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA), and Director of Children and Youth Services with Centacare, Catholic Community Services, Sydney.

Ian Wishart — Vice President

Ian Wishart is one of Australia's most experienced professionals in international development with involvement extending from the grassroots of rural development to senior leadership roles in international non-government organisations. His career has taken him to the neediest parts of the world, often at momentous times such as the genocide in Rwanda, the rebuilding of Cambodia and the chaos in Somalia. He has witnessed many important improvements to people’s lives brought about by international development.

Ian is currently the National Executive Director of Plan in Australia. This suits Ian’s passion for the betterment of children's lives as Plan is an international organisation dedicated to helping children realise their full potential. Ian has led Plan through a period of growth and renewal in the Australian market lifting its profile and support.

Prior to joining Plan, Ian worked for World Vision for 11 years holding the positions of Country Director in Laos, Manager of Strategic Planning and Manager of Emergency Relief in Australia.

Ian holds a Science Degree from the Australian National University, a Graduate Diploma in Education from Canberra University and Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from Mt Eliza Business School. Ian is also a graduate of the Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Asian Leadership Program.

Julia Newton-Howes — Vice President

Dr Julia Newton-Howes became Chief Executive of CARE Australia in October 2007. As CEO, she has focused on ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to CARE’s programs. She has emphasised the importance of measuring the impact of CARE’s work, on improving systems to ensure effective use of funds and on growing the number of Australians who understand the importance of supporting women to overcome global poverty. Julia is on the Board of CARE International.

Julia joined CARE Australia from AusAID, where she was the Assistant Director General. While at AusAID, she was posted to Vietnam as Counsellor (Development Cooperation) and was an adviser for two years to Australia’s Executive Director to the World Bank, based in Washington DC.

Julia was born in India and spent her early life in Zimbabwe, leaving to attend Imperial College at London University, where she obtained a bachelor degree and PhD in science. After spending a number of years in scientific research in Australia, Julia decided to pursue her passion for development.

Committee Members

Jack de Groot

Jack de Groot has been the CEO of Caritas Australia since August 2000. Caritas Australia is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories. Apart from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Caritas is the largest humanitarian response organisation in the world.

Jack has gained first hand experience of Caritas Australia funded programs with Australia's indigenous communities, in many parts of Asia, the Pacific, Brazil and West Africa. He was a member of the Aid Advisory Council to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. As well as being a vice president of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), Jack is president of Caritas Internationalis' International Advocacy Committee and on the board of Jesuit Mission.

Andrew Hewett

Andrew Hewett became Executive Director of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad (OCAA) in October 2001, having worked with OCAA since 1991.

Andrew initially established the agency's advocacy program, the organisation’s increasing focus on lobbying governments, public education and campaigning on social justice and development issues. Over the years his responsibilities expanded to include OCAA's domestic program and the coordination of Oxfam International’s response to the crisis in Timor from 1999–2001.

Andrew has visited OCAA programs in East Asia, South Asia, the Pacific, Central America, Southern Africa and the Horn of Africa as well as its programs working with Indigenous Australians.

Betty Hounslow

Betty Hounslow joined The Fred Hollows Foundation in 2003 as General Manager (Operations) and then was appointed Deputy Chief Executive in early 2005. Betty has worked for almost 30 years in various community-based advocacy and service delivery organisations, including seven years as the Director of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).

Tim Costello, AO

Tim Costello is Chief Executive of World Vision Australia, Australia's largest overseas aid organisation. In this role Tim has established a strong public presence in the fight against global poverty and its causes. Tim has long been recognised for articulating the social conscience of Australians, having led many debates on tough international and domestic issues including gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and human rights.

After studying law and education at Monash University and obtaining his Masters in Theology at the Melbourne College of Divinity, Tim was ordained a Baptist Minister in 1986. From 1987–1994 Tim was Minister at St Kilda Baptist Church and through 1993–94 also served as the City of St Kilda's Mayor. From 1995–2004 Tim was Minister of Collins Street Baptist Church and Executive Director of Urban Seed, a Christian not-for-profit organisation.

Tim was named Victorian of the Year 2004, was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in June 2005 and was named Victorian Australian of the Year 2006. Tim is currently Chairman of the National Australia Bank's community advisory council, a member of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, and Chairman of the Community Council for Australia, a peak body for the not-for-profit sector.

Dimity Fifer

In July 2002, Dimity took up her role as CEO of Australian Volunteers International (AVI), Australia's largest and most experienced international volunteer sending agency. This role has presented many exciting opportunities to strengthen and focus an organisation committed to the values of people and community development, global citizenship and understanding. She is also a member of the Board of Monash University's Institute for the Study of Global Movements, an active member of IVCO (International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations), Deputy Chair of the OASES Graduate School and is studying towards a Masters in Integrative and Transformative Studies.

From 1997–2002, Dimity was CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS). During this time she was appointed to the Premier's Advisory Council VEESAC (Victorian Economic, Environmental and Social Advisory Council), appointed a fellow of the Institute of Public Administration of Australia (Victoria) and inaugural Director of CUAC (Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre). As a result of these roles, Dimity was awarded a Centenary Medal for Leadership in Social Policy.

During the 1990s Dimity served on the Victorian State Government's Health Services Review Council. She was appointed a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation from 1997–2000. Highlights were developing the Draft Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and proposed legislative framework, the Council's final recommendations to the Commonwealth Parliament and organising the successful Melbourne Walk for Reconciliation in December 2000.

Dimity has extensive expertise in conflict resolution, community development and education. Working with the Conflict Resolution Network, the International Conflict Resolution Centre and the Mediation Association of Victoria during the 1980s, her consultancy delivered strategic consultancy and mediation services for the government, corporate and community sector.

Adam Laidlaw

Adam was appointed Chief Executive of WaterAid in Australia in October 2007. Previously, he was Chief Executive of ChildFund New Zealand.

Adam is a member of the joint NGO/AusAID Committee for Development Cooperation (CDC).

Adam’s previous governance roles include chair and board member of Amnesty International Aotearoa/New Zealand; board member of Amnesty International Australia’s Victorian Branch Committee; board member of Auckland Zoo and; an Executive Committee member on the New Zealand Council for International Development (CiD).

Adam has a wealth of experience in the Australian, UK and New Zealand Third Sectors in senior management, policy and campaigns, international programs and fundraising.

Adam has specialised in international development, social justice, wildlife and environmental not-for-profit agencies. In a career spanning over two decades he has worked for the Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Comic Relief/Red Nose Day, Greenpeace and Auckland Grammar School.

Adam is a Master of Public and International Law (MPIL) from the University of Melbourne and has a BA (Hons) Humanities.

Jackie Perkins

Jackie Perkins has been involved with Quaker Service Australia (QSA) for over 20 years in varying capacities from fundraising within the Sydney region to convening the QSA Management Committee. She is currently Executive Administrator for QSA.

As QSA is a small NGO, Jackie's work experiences include project management from design to evaluation and exit strategy; human resource management of part time staff and volunteers; policy preparation; monitoring of projects in India and Cambodia; preparation and maintenance of instruction manuals; attendance at ACFID Council and Member Information Forums.

Jackie serves on the management committee of a community organisation and the Commission and Finance Committee of Christian World Service.

Before becoming the only paid staff member of QSA in 2001, Jackie worked as a herbalist for a women’s health centre and with her own private practice. She was also on the management collective of the health centre for many years.

Misha Coleman

Misha has extensive experience in overseas aid and community development and has lived and worked in a number of countries including Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. In her current role as CEO of an overseas aid arm of the Anglican Church, she has commenced a global program of solar lighting initiatives and several joint ventures with commercial entities in various sectors including the mining sector.

Prior to her current role she was the inaugural Sustainability Manager for World Vision Australia, where she led new initiatives including the development of the carbon credit generating portfolio of programs. She has also worked for the Australian Government’s aid agency AusAID, as the Country Manager for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, and she has been a technical advisor/ Advisory Committee member on Corporate Social Responsibility for a variety of organisations including the St James Ethics Centre.

Misha has a Masters degree in Environmental Law and qualifications in evaluation and in socio-environmental impact assessment. Formerly, as a Registered Nurse and Midwife, Misha worked in black townships in South Africa during apartheid and in several Australian indigenous communities throughout the 1990’s.

In 2000 she was awarded the Australian Service Medal by the Australian Government for active duty in the Multinational Peacekeeping Mission to Bougainville. In 2007 she was awarded two medals by the Government of Vietnam for services to agricultural and fisheries development in Vietnam.

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