Who We Are

Solid governance and independent funding enables us to take risks when backing outstanding people and organisations. It makes it possible for us to make cutting-edge investments that have a real chance of catalysing social change. We call this 'igniting change' and we love what we do.

Our Board

  • Jane Tewson

    Jane Tewson

    Founder Charity Projects, Co-Founder Comic Relief (better known as Red Nose Day), Founder Timebank, Founder Pilotlight UK, Pilotlight Australia and Igniting Change. Jane is Trustee of Virgin Unite Australia and a Non-Executive Director of Bridge It

  • Mark Gilmour

    Free-spirited founder of Rising Brightly. Former CEO of 'stealth' start-up and Global Brand Director, Virgin Group.

  • Daren Heveren

    Darren Heveren FCA

    Managing Director & Authorised Representative, Wealthspan Pty Ltd

    Director & Registered Tax Agent, Key Administration Solutions Pty ltd

    Director, The Good Business Foundation Ltd.

  • Nick Murray

    TV Producer, Co-founder and MD of CJZ

  • Michael Bird

    Michael Bird

    CEO @ Apartments.com.au & iBuildNew. Executive Director @ Conversion Assist AI. Non-Executive Director @ Social Garden & Igniting Change

  • Linda Fox

    Linda Fox

    Chief Executive Officer, Partners For Equity. Previously Grants Manager at Planet Wheeler Foundation; General Counsel & Company Secretary, at Cooper Investors; and corporate and finance lawyer in Sydney and London.

  • Margaret Thorpe

    Margaret Thorpe

    Former Manager Sacred Heart Community Residential Services.

    Providing support services for younger people who may have experienced homelessness, trauma and who live with mental illness. Since arriving in Australia from Zimbabwe, she has worked as a nurse and midwife in rural and remote communities.

  • Radek Sali

    Radek Sali

    Chair, Igniting Change board; Former CEO and partner of Swisse Wellness. Now Chairman of Light Warrior, a Director for Made by Cow, Hydralyte, myDNA, Stratosphere and wanderlust. Radek is also the Chairman of the not for profit Lightfolk Foundation and Food and Wine Victoria, Hawthorn Football Club Director, The B Team member, the National Institute of Integrative Medicine Director and a Campaign Cabinet member for Latrobe University.

Our Team

  • Kim-Katharina Bezemer

    Optimises and leverages our systems to continuously improve cherished relationships with the Igniting Change family. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for the breadth and depth of all we do, Kim focuses on finding ways to capture and communicate Igniting Change’s impact. Easier said than done!

  • James Fox

    Supports the team with data entry, and does loads of things to help out.

  • Lydia Holly Blue Garrett

    Travelled from the UK to join us and lead some exciting new partnerships and projects. She brings a diverse mix of experience working with business, government and at the grassroots in the UK and internationally and loves nurturing new relationships and collaborating to see what magic can be achieved.

  • Celia Hirsh

    Our amazing podcast host and top notch volunteer.

  • Dr Charles Lane

    A consultant who does occasional work with us, evaluating projects and emerging issues.

  • Nicole Newton

    Our strategic advisor, who helps make sure what we say lines up with what we do, and helps us get where we’re trying to go.

  • David Pledger

    As our artist-in-residence, David provides advice on, and participation in, our many creative adventures.

  • Jackie Polonsky

    Keeps everything ticking along, administratively speaking. Jane sees her as the glue that holds the place together. She works with the agencies we walk alongside and keeps our internal processes humming.

  • Jane Tewson

    Founder and Director of Igniting Change. Jane is an innovator with a global reputation for inspiring individuals and organisations to work together for positive social change. She is ever-curious and drawn to the humanity and courage of people doing it tough.

  • Margaret Thorpe

    An invaluable member of our team, voluntarily serving as a mentor, wise elder, and in-house office nurse with unmatched instinct. Her presence brings immeasurable support and counsel to each of us individually and as a whole. With Margaret comes Sabi who brightens the day for everyone who visits us.

Our Supporters

Igniters

Ausmed, Emma Backhouse, Bassat Family Foundation, Benjamin Duncan Foundation, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Nick Brunner, Suzi Carp, Richard Earl, The English Family Foundation, Michael Harvey and Jennifer Kennedy, Hibou Holdings Foundation, Sam and Clare Kroonenburg, Lightfolk Foundation, Andrew Mellet and Hayley Chard, Lizzie Murray, Rob and Clea Philpot, The Prior Family Foundation, Ryan Cooper Family Foundation, Sharp Family, The Snow Foundation, The Solomon Family Foundation, The Spotlight Foundation, Swann Family Foundation, Amy Tennent, David Trewern and Utopian Fund.

Our supporters include

Ajaz Ahmed, Mim Bartlett, Bamgartners, Matt Berriman, Wendy Bonnici, Alix Bradfield, Suzi Carp, The Carter Family, David & Karen Cheah, Michael Christidis, Anne-Laure Cavigneaux, Caroline Creswell, Cygnet, Ian Darling, Katie Dewhurst, Equity Trustees, Martin Flanagan, Tom Gleisner, George Glover, Rona Glynn-McDonald, Sandy Grant, Simon Griffiths, Belinda Gruebner, Paul & Jane Hallam, Hardie Grant Books, Have You Been Paying Attention, HERO Agency, Hinkler Toys, Michael & Celia Hirsh, Mariam Issa, Emmanuel Jal, Sarah Jessup, Charlotte Jones, Kon Karapanagiotidis, Key Administration Solutions, James Kelly, Steve and Kate Kloss, Andrew Knight, Charles Lane, Jo Lane, Light Warrior, Ben Lilley, Macquarie Foundation, March Studio, Moose Toys, Mary Muirhead, Jean Oelwang, Laura Panton, Elle Preston, Holly Ransom, Carla Raynes, Melissa Razuki, Sabina Read, Edward Ring, Stephen Ring, River Capital, Sarah Robinson, Deanne Russo, Jane Rowe, Radek & Helen Sali, Social Garden, Ryan Stevens, Kimberley Swann, TBWA Melbourne, Matthew Tominc, TRIBE Management, Untitled Group, Jane Vadiveloo, Virgin Unite, Wanderlust, Ian & Penelope Ward-Ambler, Phil Weickhardt, Kimberlee Wells, Elina Wilson, Tania Wolff, Woodbridge Capital, Working Dog Films, 5Point Foundation and many more. Thanks to each and everyone and to anyone we may have missed.

“MY JOURNEY WITH IGNITING CHANGE HAS BEEN ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE – FEELING, KNOWING, LEARNING, UNDERSTANDING, RESPECTING, BUILDING BRIDGES. IT DEMANDS THAT EVERYONE SITS AS EQUALS….WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED IS AN AMAZING, RARE THING.”

— Jane Vadiveloo, Children’s Ground, Alice Springs

 

“THEY TRESPASS THE BOUNDARIES OFTEN SET BY FEAR AND TRADITION AS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THIS IS THE MOST FERTILE TERRITORY FOR IGNITING CHANGE”

— Karl Lokko, Former Gang Leader Turned Activist, Poet Infulencer & Public Speaker