Our people are the heart and soul of the Foundation.
We have a small but effective staff team, strongly supported by a Board of 10 volunteer directors. Our capacity is also enhanced by volunteers who work with staff to deliver our programs.
Directors bring experience, skills, networks and a commitment to the inner north. Terms are fixed and public applications are invited when vacancies arise.
Board
Carolyn Phiddian
Chair
Carolyn is a broadband industry strategist focused on the development of a vibrant digital economy and reducing the digital divide. She particularly feels there is a need for broad community access to, and understanding of, technology and for people to have control of their data privacy and security. She is a long-term resident of the Inner North of Melbourne.
Carolyn is a global expert in the creation and operation of nationwide telecommunications networks. Carolyn has over 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry in Australia and internationally.
Carolyn has a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Electrical and Electronic engineering from the University of Melbourne and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michael Howard
Director
Michael is a commercial lawyer with particular experience in governance, education and construction. He is a volunteer lawyer with Fitzroy Legal Service’s Night Service, a past Director of the Allan T Marriott Foundation and a past Secretary of Filmoteca, Melbourne’s Spanish and Latin American film association.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.
Nicholas Tsiaras
Director
Nicholas is a qualified accountant. He grew up in Brunswick, is a resident of Thornbury, and has owned an accountancy firm on Sydney Road for the past 20 years.
Nicholas was a director of Football Victoria (the governing body for Soccer in Victoria) for 4 years and brings deep local networks. He is the life member of local sports clubs, and is a passionate Carlton supporter.
Philippa Day
Director
Philippa’s professional experience spans the Australian and international corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. She managed a large volunteer workforce for Red Cross Victoria and worked as a fundraiser for UNICEF NZ. She is currently Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, for Sustainability Victoria.
Between 2016-2021 Philippa served on Merri-bek Council’s Reconciliation and Human Rights Advisory Committees and co-founded the grassroots Moreland Reconciliation Initiative (now Merri-bek Allyship Network). Philippa is Chair of Reynard Street Neighbourhood House, has volunteered with a wide range of not-for-profits and been a respite foster carer since 2020.
Nic Vogelpoel
Director
Nic Vogelpoel is a consultant specialising in program and partnership design, implementation, and evaluation. For more than 15 years, he has focused on engagement with leading government agencies and philanthropic foundations; senior management and operations focused on scaling and implementing programs in complex settings; and developing impact measurement systems.
Sarah Pollitt
Board Associate
Sarah Pollitt is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Clinical Family Therapist who is currently a Senior Manager at Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) and working in Private Practice at In Dialogue supporting Individuals, Couples and Families.
Sarah has lived, worked, raised her family and studied in Darebin, Yarra and Merri-Bek for the last 25 years.
Sarah is excited to be joining our Board Associate Program to learn more about the role of Boards in the not-for-profit sector, as well as being strongly aligned with the Foundation’s values of supporting local positive social change and building community partnerships.
Rachel English
Deputy Chair
Rachel English has worked in fundraising, service delivery and granting. She is currently a philanthropic advisor at Mutual Trust, assisting families with their giving and strategies. Rachel is also a Director of the English Family Foundation which focuses on driving transformational change through partnerships with early stage social enterprises.
Making philanthropy more accessible and appealing is a key interest of Rachel’s. She is co-chair of NEXUS Australia, a global network uniting young investors, social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to accelerate change; and is a committee member for the Australian International Development Network (AIDN). She is a Moreland local and joined the Inner North Community Foundation board in 2020.
Siu Chan
Director
For more than 20 years, Siu has played a critical role in shaping the cultural life in the inner north and championing the arts as an everyday experience.
Siu began her career at the North Richmond Community Health Centre, one of the early promoters of arts as central to health and wellbeing. She has worked for community organisations, the Next Wave and Melbourne International Arts Festivals, 3MBS Classic FM and local government.
Professor Jo Barraket AM
Director
Jo is Professor of Policy Studies and Director of the Melbourne Social Equity Institute at the University of Melbourne. Jo is Australia’s leading researcher of social enterprise and a regular advisor to governments, for purpose organisations and bodies such as the OECD on policy and practice issues related to social innovation, social impact and the social economy.
Kevin Breen
Director
Kevin is a well credentialled company director with nearly 30 years experience across a range of sectors. He has acted as a director on various IntoWork Australia boards since 2000 including chairing several subsidiaries within the IntoWork Group.
Kevin was instrumental in establishing the Inner North Community Foundation and was a founding director and later chair of the Foundation. In his substantive career, Kevin was a senior executive in local government whose responsibilities encompassed corporate governance, corporate planning, regional economic development, community services, land use planning, major projects and intergovernmental relations.
Justin Griffin
Director
Justin is a local lawyer and Principal at AWE Legal.
An Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law with the Law Institute of Victoria, he has over 30 years’ experience advising insurance industry clients, managing major litigation, negotiating complex claims and interpreting policy wordings.
With this deep legal and regulatory experience, Justin brings valuable governance insight to the Foundation, supporting strong decision-making and risk management.
Justin lives in Westgarth, and is actively involved in community sport.
Daniel Shields
Board Associate
Daniel has called Darebin home for the past 15 years, where he lives with his wife, teenage son and their much loved cats and dog.
Daniel is currently working at Banyule City Council as the Social Enterprise Lead. He has spent the past four years in operations and impact roles in the social enterprise and not-for-profit sectors after making a career change from the corporate world.
Daniel's work focuses on fostering inclusive communities and expanding access to employment for people facing barriers.
Staff
The Foundation employs staff with experience in philanthropy and place-based community development, and deep Northside connections.
Ben Rodgers
Executive Officer
Ben Rodgers is the Executive Officer of the Inner North Community Foundation, a local organisation that works for a better inner north community, starting with those not getting their fair share.
Since 2008, they have been growing community funds, making grants and bringing people together around a shared vision for a thriving, inclusive community.
Ben has worked for not-for-profit groups in Melbourne and overseas for over 20 years. Having lived in the Inner North for most of his life, Ben is motivated by the area’s tradition of local people responding to local challenges in meaningful ways.
Ben loves living in Coburg, where he can be found on his bike or at a local park with his family.
Contact Ben via email: [email protected]
Thanh Coutts
Operations Manager
Thanh brings over 20 years of expertise in change management, project leadership, and business solutions across the tertiary education and not-for-profit sectors.
Her career has been defined by a passion for solving complex problems, driving continuous improvement, and fostering collaboration among diverse teams and stakeholders.
With a natural ability to connect with people and a good understanding of organisational dynamics, Thanh has consistently delivered impactful outcomes in environments undergoing transformation.
Outside of work, Thanh enjoys the vibrancy of living with her family in the inner north. In her spare time, she finds joy in outdoor adventures, creative craft projects, and losing herself in a good book.
Contact Thanh via email: [email protected]
Bianca Maciel Pizzorno
Grants Manager
Bianca came to the foundation with commercial and not‑for‑profit experience from the legal, political, and philanthropy sectors. She has particular experience with political campaigning and advising. Bianca is passionate about empowering community in the inner north to respond to both local and global challenges, through sustainable community driven projects. Her ultimate goal is to collaborate with you to build a better inner north, and hopefully a better world.
Bianca lives with her family in Preston, where her children attend school. When she’s not working, you are likely to find Bianca gardening with her children or supporting her children with their various sporting activities.
Contact Bianca via email: [email protected]