Facilitators

Governance for Social Impact is delivered by highly credentialed facilitators with extensive experience leading and working in the non-profit sector.

Online courses are facilitated by Adjunct Associate Professor Shamal Dass, Jane Hunt, Doug Taylor or Suzie Riddell.

Adjunct Associate Professor Shamal Dass

Shamal joined JBWere in 2012 and leads the Philanthropic Services and Family Advisory business. In addition to broader executive and leadership roles, his responsibilities include the provision of tailored advice to for-purpose organisations and private clients in areas

ranging from the governance, management, leadership, capacity building, structuring, sustainability, and organisational strategy.

Prior to joining JBWere, Shamal worked within the financial services and trustee industries gaining significant experience in advising high net worth individuals on their philanthropic structures, managing trusts and foundations (including PAFs), and constructing charitable foundation investment portfolios.

Shamal is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, University of NSW Business School. He co-created and co-teaches the Governance for Social Impact course.

Shamal’s research, writing and teaching is focussed on the development on frameworks that enable all participants in the social impact ecosystem (for-purpose organisations, philanthropists, governments, and corporates) to deliver better outcomes for beneficiaries.

Shamal serves on a volunteer basis as Board Chair of the Australia Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), Non-Executive Director on the Board of Two Good Foundation, Non-Executive Director on the Board of Earthwatch Institute Australia, Member of the Centre for Social Impact Advisory Committee, Future of Work Advisory Panel (AHRI) and JBWere Charitable Endowment Fund Investment Committee

Jane Hunt, Chair of Collaboration for Impact

Jane is the Chair of Collaboration for Impact, NED of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and incoming NED of the Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation. She is also a Schwab Foundation Social Innovator.

As a leading thinker and practitioner in social entrepreneurship and systemic change, Jane has made a significant impact over the past 20 years at CEO, Executive, and Board levels, working across a range of sectors and issues. She has been at the forefront of social innovation, focusing on children and families, women’s economic participation, homelessness, and youth initiatives. Jane has mobilised leaders across government, business, philanthropy, and the for-benefit sectors, driving collaborative efforts to address inequality.

In 2012, Jane’s contributions to social innovation were globally recognised when the Schwab Foundation honoured her with the prestigious Social Entrepreneur Award and granted her a seat at World Economic Forum events.

Four years later, Jane founded the Front Project, a pioneering organisation focused on creating systemic change in early learning in Australia to improve developmental outcomes for all children, particularly those experiencing disadvantage.

Her previous roles include serving as the CEO of Adopt Change, the inaugural CEO of Fitted for Work, and the Strategy and Operations Manager at Mission Australia.

Most importantly, Jane is a recent graduate of the SILA program! She was part of the second cohort in 2022 and knows the ins and outs of the program firsthand.

Doug Taylor, CEO at The Smith Family

Doug Taylor was appointed CEO of The Smith Family in August 2021. He has built a 30-year career in the social sector with national and international experience in leading innovative social impact initiatives in partnership with the not-for-profit, government, philanthropic and corporate sectors

Prior to joining The Smith Family, Doug was the Deputy Executive Director at Uniting NSW and ACT. He has considerable experience in strategy and in managing large and complex organisations serving people experiencing disadvantage through human services, community and economic development, education, philanthropy, and social enterprise.

Doug’s passion for creating positive and lasting impact is evident through his Board appointments which include Western Sydney University (for whom he is also a Community Fellow), Wayside Chapel and previously, Chair of Warakirri College (a school for disengaged young people in Western Sydney) and Director of WorkVentures and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation. He is also a member of the Centre for Social Impact Advisory Board (with whom he facilitates the Governance for Social Impact course), and Chair of the National Strategy for Volunteering Council.

Doug has completed post graduate studies in management, attended the Stanford Executive Non-Profit Leadership Program and is a graduate of the Australian Institute for Company Directors.

Suzie Riddell, Head of Evidence and Impact at The Smith Family

Suzie Riddell is Head of Evidence and Impact at The Smith Family and an experienced CEO and Non-Executive Director with more than 15 years’ leadership experience across the social impact sector.

Suzie previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Social Ventures Australia (SVA), where she led a national organisation of more than 100 staff working to improve outcomes for children, families and communities. As CEO, she worked closely with the Board on strategy, risk and performance, and oversaw significant organisational transformation, innovation and growth.

Suzie brings deep governance experience through her service as a Non-Executive Director across multiple organisations, including Community Council for Australia, The Observership Program, YWCA NSW and Holdsworth Community.

Her governance roles have spanned strategy, mergers, joint ventures, social enterprise growth, advocacy and sector stewardship. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Company Directors Course and a member of AICD.

Throughout her executive and governance career, Suzie has worked at the intersection of governance, strategy and impact, helping organisations clarify purpose, strengthen performance, manage risk and influence systems. She is particularly known for joining the dots across complex systems, building trusted relationships across government, philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector, and prioritising for impact.

Suzie holds a Bachelor of Business (Honours) from the University of Technology Sydney (University Medal) and a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.