Latest news and updates from the Menzies Foundation on leadership, community, and social impact.
Leadership is often described as the ability to make difficult decisions. What is less frequently acknowledged is how many decisions leaders now face are impossible to resolve cleanly. In an age of constraint, leaders increasingly confront choices where every option carries cost. There is no neutral path. No outcome that leaves everyone unharmed. Some decisions […]
When Every Option Carries Harm Read More »
Revealing Australia’s Leadership Development Ecosystem Australia invests significantly in leadership development, yet the field remains fragmented, undefined and poorly understood. A new White Paper, Revealing Australia’s Leadership Development Ecosystem: Strengthening collaboration across research and practice, invites a different way of seeing the field — not as a single industry, but as a dispersed and interconnected
Revealing Australia’s Leadership Development Ecosystem Read More »
The Menzies Leadership Foundation is pleased to announce Gandel Foundation as a key funding partner in the next phase of Reimagining a Civil Australia, supporting the development of the systems, partnerships and shared learning needed to strengthen civility, social cohesion and leadership for the greater good. Launched in Ballarat in February 2026, Reimagining a Civil
Gandel Foundation backs national initiative to strengthen civility in Australia Read More »
The Menzies Leadership Foundation is partnering with the Aspen Institute Socrates Program on a global initiative exploring what effective, purpose-led leadership looks like in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. The partnership will bring together diverse, cross-sector leaders in Australia and internationally to examine some of the most important questions emerging at the intersection
What Does It Mean to Lead in the AI Era? Read More »
The Menzies Leadership Foundation has convened a group of Australian civil society organisations to contribute collectively to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. With support from the Scanlon Foundation and independent facilitation by Tanck, the process brought together organisations working across community philanthropy, ethics, welcoming and belonging, place-based change and public policy. Through
A collective contribution to Australia’s social cohesion Read More »
Across Australian education, workforce sustainability has become an urgent concern. Teacher shortages, staff retention, workload pressures and leadership burnout are increasingly shaping conversations about the future of schools. Much of the response has understandably focused on attracting more people into the profession, filling vacancies and strengthening workforce planning. These are essential priorities. But they address
Why Workforce Sustainability Is a Leadership Challenge Read More »
Complex environments rarely offer leaders a clear path. Information is incomplete. Conditions change. Decisions create unintended consequences. Different people hold different views of both the problem and the solution. Leaders cannot always wait for certainty before acting. So what guides them? This is one of the questions being explored through the ANU Leadership & Complexity
When the Path Is Unclear, Purpose Becomes an Anchor Read More »
What happens when leadership no longer comes with a title, position or institutional protection? In Episode 5 of Purpose: Leading into the Future, former diplomat and Chief of Staff to Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jo Tarnawsky, reflects on one of leadership’s most difficult tests: what it means to act with integrity when systems become unsafe,
Leadership Beyond the System Read More »
The Menzies Leadership Foundation and Global Voices have selected Arya Moodley, Ashton Shurey and Pooja Zinzuwadia to represent Australia at the United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee in New York, 5–9 October 2026. The Sixth Committee is the principal forum through which the General Assembly considers questions of international law. It is where states debate
At the Edge of the Law: Meet Australia’s Sixth Committee Delegation Read More »
Australian health and medtech innovation has enormous potential, but too often the pathway from early promise to global scale remains difficult to navigate. HESTA’s anchor investment in Synthesis Capital marks an important step in strengthening the capital pathways, specialist support and ecosystem conditions needed to help high-potential ventures grow. Synthesis Capital has been established as
Mobilising capital to help Australian health innovation scale Read More »
Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity.
Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.
Sarah has more than 18 years’ experience in communications and marketing leadership across a range of sectors.
Communications strategy and organisational growth is a continuing theme in Sarah’s career. Most recently, she leads the development of a Leadership Movement, evaluated by Menzies Viral Co-efficient Model; a contribution to the NFP.
Sarah’s early career centred around best practice in marketing and communications which later culminated into the establishment of her very own agency. This work extensively spanned across PR, traditional media, event management, strategy, digital marketing, graphic design and business development consultancy.
In 2019, Sarah joined the lean and robust team at the Menzies Foundation. She has since crafted the Foundation’s narrative and communication strategy. The development of this strategic communications platform is essential for ‘movement building’ and requires a strong strategic, management and communication skills set. Sarah has brought so much to this important work, which sits at the forefront of communication practice.
Sarah continues to contribute to the NFP sector through her commitment to Purpose; as she reflects on her own leadership, builds her own leadership capability and contributes to the greater good.
LinkedIn | sarah.jenkins@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0401 880 071
Rohan has 15 years’ experience in facilitating cross-sector collaborations to address complex social and health challenges. He has worked with the World Economic Forum in Australia, led an international conflict resolution field team in Nepal, and directed a 10-year £40m initiative to reduce health inequity in London.
Most recently, Rohan was Major Grants Development Manager at the Ian Potter Foundation. He refined the foundation’s major grants strategy, and co-developed a series of large scale initiatives, including joint philanthropic-government funding for a new national organization to support place-based approaches across Australia.
Rohan has held several non-executive roles, including with an international NGO and with London Funders, the peak body of independent foundations in London. He holds several qualifications including a graduate degree in innovation and strategy from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
When Rohan isn’t exploring Melbourne’s creeks with his partner and 6yo daughter, he’s working on his currently weak Australian accent (after 15 years in the UK).
LinkedIn | rohan.martyres@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0404 505 954
A marketing and communications specialist with over 20 years experience in government, corporate and consumer marketing, Trudy brings her adaptive and organisational project management skills to the Menzies Foundation team.
With a BA degree in Public Relations, Trudy began her career with the City of Melbourne and in magazine publishing, before moving into marketing communications consulting. She has worked in strategic marketing leadership roles with retail brands and enjoys juggling many projects and tasks simultaneously. Her skills were further enhanced when managing her own communications business representing industries across private education, financial services, aviation, government and the health industry.
Trudy is passionate about leadership and all people being encouraged to reach their full potential through research and educational initiatives and opportunities throughout Australia. A skilled and accomplished writer and editor Trudy is enthusiastic about bringing her variety of skills to the Menzies Foundation team.
LinkedIn | trudy.morrison@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0402 361 878
Liz Gillies has had over 25 years experience in a range of fields focused on initiatives for social impact. She has held roles in multiple sectors and academia.
In 2018, Liz was appointed CEO of the Menzies Foundation which aspires to build a leadership movement that supports Australians to pivot to purpose, build their leadership capability and contribute to the ‘greater good’.
Liz joined the Melbourne Business School in 2009 and was instrumental in establishing the Asia Pacific Social Impact Centre (APSIC) and The Centre for Ethical Leadership. In November 2011 she was appointed as research fellow to lead a partnership focused on strategic philanthropy which culminated in the release of the reports: Philanthropy: Towards a Better Practice Model (2018) and the Philanthropy: The Continued Journey to Real Impact and better Practice (2021).
Liz has extensive governance experience, having served on the Board of the Publish Galleries Association of Victoria, Social Firms Australia, Uniting Care Community Options, United Way Australia and the Development Committee of the Towards a Just Society Foundation. She is currently on the Philanthropy Reference Group of Barmal Bijiril and a Director of Philanthropy Australia.
LinkedIn | liz.gillies@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0416 112 703
Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity.
Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.
