Chair transition at Community Foundations Australia
Community Foundations Australia is delighted to announce that Stacey Thomas will step into the role of Chair in October, succeeding outgoing Chair Ben Rodgers.
Having joined the Board in 2022, Stacey will transition from her role as Deputy Chair to commence her tenure as Chair at the AGM in October 2025.
Stacey is the Chief Executive Officer at Wyatt Trust, Australia’s oldest philanthropic trust, and was founding CEO of Foundation SA, a statewide community foundation established in 2021. In her executive roles and sector leadership, Stacey brings a deep commitment to social equity and inclusion. At Wyatt Trust she led a pioneering truth-telling journey, openly reckoning with the Trust’s colonial history as part of its reconciliation efforts. Under her leadership, the Trust also embedded a Lived and Living Experience approach across its grantmaking and program design practices, sharing the groundbreaking learnings widely with the field. Stacey’s vision and leadership style – marked by curiosity, humility, and a commitment to genuine power-sharing – make her an ideal leader for the community foundation network at this pivotal moment.
“I am honoured to take up the role of Chair at Community Foundations Australia,” said Stacey. “Communities know what they need — our role is to listen, to share power, and to ensure all people have the voice and agency to shape their own futures. I look forward to building upon the work of current and past board members and to continue to support our members and partners to realise this vision.”
As the team and Board welcome Stacey, we bid farewell to outgoing Chair Ben Rodgers, who has led the organisation from its early days, known then as Australian Community Philanthropy, into a new landscape of opportunity.
With a DGR category for community foundations now in effect, and Community Foundations Australia pioneering its field catalysing strategy, Ben said his three terms as Chair had been deeply satisfying.
“Across Australia, people come together for the greater good. From Buderim to Benalla, and from Fremantle to the Fleurieu, it’s been inspiring to learn from others, to build on what’s come before, and to play a part in our network reaching this inflection point,” Ben said.
Community Foundations Australia CEO Ian Bird says, “Community Foundations Australia is now at the leading edge of Australia’s community philanthropy revolution, and community foundations now find themselves in a new era. This is in no small part due to the critical role Ben has played over the last nine years, guiding the organisation and its membership network throughout transitions and growth. The team and Board are all immensely grateful for his generous and thoughtful leadership.”
You can read more about Stacey’s experience and qualifications here.