AEGN

The 2010-11 AEGN Board members are listed below. The AEGN welcomes member participation. Please let us know if you are interested in joining the Board or one of our subcommittees or working groups.

Jill Reichstein Reichstein Foundation AEGN Chair

Jill has been on the Board of the Reichstein Foundation since the early 70′s; first as a trustee and then as Chair. Jill was involved in the earlier version of Philanthropy Australia, the Association of Philanthropic Trusts, holding the role of chair for two years. Jill is very active in trying to grow social change philanthropy and has supported many versions of women donor groups. Jill is passionate about the environment and knows that other donors are also, but can find it hard to know where to start. She hopes the AEGN can be a source of information and inspiration to other donors interested in the environment.

Martin Copley Spinifex Trust

Martin is the founder and a trustee of the Spinifex Trust. He has been involved in philanthropy for 12 years, principally as a donor to the environment and music education and performance. He has a passion for Australian mammals and has worked tirelessly to help protect them when he realised that so many of them were on the brink of extinction. Martin has been involved with the AEGN since its inception. Martin has several other interests including the commercialisation of solar power technology and building sustainable communities.

Simon Herd The Myer Foundation AEGN Treasurer

For many years Simon has had an abiding interest in philanthropy. He has been a member of The Myer Foundation since 1997 and was appointed a director in 2003. Simon has also been involved with a number of other philanthropic foundations and organisations connected to the sector; including working with Dr Rhonda Galbally in helping launch OurCommunity.com.au, a resource for community groups seeking information on grants. Simon wrote an honours thesis in his law degree, on the topic of ‘The Public Accountability of Philanthropic Foundations.’ In August 2007 Simon left his position as a lawyer in order to pursue a Masters of Business specialising in the philanthropic and not-for-profit sectors.

Sue Mathews The Mullum Trust AEGN Public Officer & Secretary

Sue Mathews became a trustee of the Mullum Trust in 1996. Her mother Rivkah established Mullum in the 1980s to fund environment and education. In 1998 Sue’s brothers Steve and Danny joined as trustees, and collectively they decided to focus the trust exclusively on environmental issues – as they are acutely aware of how under-funded environment is compared to other areas funded by philanthropy, and how urgent is the need for more funding for climate change and biodiversity in particular. Climate change is Sue’s particular obsession – but she also thinks it’s important to keep a sense of humour and hope at the same time as focusing on these scary and depressing things. In 2008 Sue went to the United States Environmental Grantmakers Association Fall Retreat as an AEGN member. She sees the AEGN as an organisation that can both help increase the level of environmental funding and the effectiveness of our granting and that of others with similar interests. Sue convenes the AEGN’s Climate Change Working Group.

Dr Colin Brown Diversicon Environmental Foundation

Diversicon Environment Foundation started in 2003, with Colin and his wife Pam as Trustees. They have assisted organisations such as Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Bush Heritage and Gondwana Link in setting aside land where conservation was the primary purpose – they also believe that an active research program is essential to this endeavor, as it’s not possible to achieve effective conservation without identifying the barriers and threats to good long term outcomes. Colin aims to raise the profile of the environment in the minds of people at all levels of society, saying ‘I would like to be a part of the awakening of our society to the realisation that the health of the natural world takes precedent over having more things. ‘ Colin believes the AEGN provides a great forum to learn what others are thinking and doing and to join in projects that otherwise would pass by unseen and unify and amplify the total efficacy of environmental funding.

Max Bourke AM The Thomas Foundation

Max has been with The Thomas Foundation since its inception in 1996 and has been personally involved in philanthropy for many decades – having facilitated and expanded philanthropy and corporate sponsorship while CEO of the Australian Heritage Commission and Australia Council for the Arts. A lifetime of working around Australia and watching the deterioration in our biota and landscapes has inspired Max to work on environmental issues. Max is keen to work with the AEGN to encourage new philanthropists and to expand the field of environmental philanthropy.

Anne Grindrod BA GAICD

Anne Grindrod is chairman of the John T Reid Charitable Trusts. She has worked in the not-for-profit sector in the areas of early intervention, education and the environment. Anne has a personal interest in sustainability, biodiversity and community climate change education. One of the oldest family foundations in Australia, the John T Reid Charitable Trusts are national philanthropic funders. Trustees encourage collaboration between organizations and look to fund organizations to develop capacity and long term vision in areas of community need. Funding is balanced between rural, regional and urban projects.

Dr Barry Traill Wild Australia Program

Dr Barry Traill is the Director of the Outback Australia Program for Pew Environment Group – Australia, which works to obtain protection for large wilderness areas in Australia, both on land and sea. Prior to joining Pew in 2007 Barry led many successful conservation campaigns and projects for Australian state and national organisations over the last 25 years. He has also worked extensively within the philanthropic sector in Australia, having served on the environment committee for The Myer Foundation and is currently a board member of the Tracker Foundation, his family’s foundation.

Previous Members

Mark Wooton – Poola Foundation
Henrietta Marrie – The Christensen Fund
Steve Mathews – Mullum Trust