Social Futures is a leading community service organisation with 48 years experience working to achieve positive social change in our communities.

At Social Futures we work to build inclusive communities where everyone is valued and supported. We support people to thrive by connecting them to the support they need when they need it. We work with communities, organisations and government across key focus areas of homelessness, housing and employment, youth and family, mental health and wellbeing, disability inclusion, sector support and seniors in community.

Our vision

Thriving people, strong communities.

Our purpose

To achieve positive social change in our communities.

Aboriginal family of 4, hugging and smiling on beach

What we do

Connection is at the heart of everything we do. It is by connecting our participants to their communities, to services and to culture that we support them to thrive.

Our focus on connection is supported by comprehensive wrap-around services and a network of strong referral pathways. We have a diverse skills base and have developed a practice that is person-centred, culturally responsive, trauma-responsive and evidence-based.

Our values

Integrity

Integrity

Do what is right

Learning

Learning

Get better at what we do

Inclusion

Inclusion

Everyone matters

Pat Grier - social futures board member headshot

Pat Grier, AM

Chair

Pat Grier has extensive experience in the health care sector as well as sales, marketing and general management. In 20 years as CEO of Ramsay Health C...are he grew the organisation to become Australia’s largest private hospital operator with more than 100 hospitals internationally, 30,000 staff and a turnover of $3 billion.

His early career included senior management roles at Reckitt & Colman and S.C. Johnson & Son as well as General Manager at Revlon Australia. He received the Member of the Order of Australia in 2010.

Pat has previously served on a number of boards, including ten years as Chairman of the Private Hospitals Association.

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Keith Sloan

Keith Sloan

Member

Keith Sloan served on the staff of the Southern Cross University Business School for some 23 years. He has more than 40 years of research, consulting ...and teaching experience in the areas of international finance and economics, investment analysis, portfolio management, and corporate finance and over 10 years board experience with listed, unlisted and not-for-profit boards. In his role as a professional economist Keith became acutely aware of widening divergence in the quality of life experienced by people living in this wonderful part of Australia and sees his work with the Social Futures board as making a small contribution to redressing these imbalances and building a stronger regional community.

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Leanne Coventry - social futures board member headshot

Leanne Coventry

Member

Leanne has been in the financial services industry since 2002. She has built strong relationships with a variety of Aboriginal companies, people and c...ommunities across eastern Australia.

Leanne is passionate about financial education and having trusted and connected relationships and has used her professional experience to provide practical support and opportunity to regional, remote and urban Australia through her current role as Manager of Indigenous Business at Westpac.

With expertise in transactional banking solutions for all industry but in particular the not-for-profit sector, she was awarded one of the bank’s Bicentennial Service Honours in 2017.

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Penny Cox - social futures board member headshot

Penny Cox

Chair of the Finance Committee

Penny’s diverse career has spanned journalism, property management and IT. In her current position as Head of Sales and Account Management for Inlog...ik, she is a sought-after keynote speaker at financial seminars on the topic of finding solutions to improve efficiency and accountability in expense management for not for profit and commercial organisations.

Penny brings her experience working with more than 100 not for profit clients and her passion for social justice to the Social Futures Board, with the hope of making a unique contribution to our organisation which, she believes, makes such a difference to people’s lives.

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Kirstie - social futures board member headshot

Kirstie McClean

Deputy Chair

Kirstie has more than 20 years’ experience in marketing and strategy including strategic marketing, branding, marketing communications, digital and ...consumer behaviour. She has worked with organisations including Fairfax Media, DDB Australia, Omnicom London, McDonald’s Australia, Mercedes Benz UK and Royal Mail UK, as well as not-for-profits and local, state and federal governments.

Kirstie currently provides marketing consultancy and teaches in postgraduate and undergraduate degrees in marketing and strategy. Kirstie is an experienced Non-executive director, and has a Master of Commerce from University of NSW, and a Bachelor of Economics from University of Sydney.

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Margarita Escartin

Margarita Escartin

Member

Margarita brings her experience in engagement and community enrichment with Indigenous and remote communities to our Board. Her deep understanding of ...the issues they face includes the importance of education, access to services, and sustainable employment as pathways to positive social impact.

With a background in law, Margarita has worked in a government funded legal service; established a successful Indigenous law practice in a national firm; and founded a consulting practice in Australia and internationally. Her pro bono work for Indigenous communities has assisted them maximise economic participation outcomes from projects on their traditional lands.

More recently, Margarita has engaged in broader stakeholder management and social performance activities; and the development and implementation of social and impact investment frameworks and programs.

Margarita believes respectful and inclusive engagement, transparency and strong governance lead to deep and enduring relationships, founded on shared visions for change.

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Chris Leech - social futures board member headshot

Chris Leach

Chair of the Quality & Risk Committee

Chris has 39 year’s experience in the disability sector at the federal and state levels. He is a former Deputy Secretary for Disability in NSW. He b...rings extensive experience working in senior roles in aged care, community care, corporate services, child protection and housing.

Chris managed the transfer of NSW disability services to the NDIS and contributed to the development of the landmark Disability Services Act.

He is also on the Board of the Northern Rivers Conservatorium of Music and has previously been a member of a number of government boards, including most recently the NSW Mental Health Advisory Board.

Chris joined the Social Futures board in 2019.

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Trishoxford - social futures board member headshot

Trish Oxford

Member

Trish is General Manager of Indigenous Business & Community Engagement with Australian Unity focused on the economic development of Indigenous people,... business and community. She has more than 20 years’ experience working in human services roles within state government from front line service provision to senior executive leadership.

In 2018 after joining Westpac’s prestigious Equilibrium Program she transitioned into the financial sector. Trish is a proud Ngemba woman, from Bourke NSW. She is passionate about empowering community to be economically independent.

She has previous experience on a number of boards from large not-for-profits to local sporting clubs.

Trish joined the Social Futures board in 2019.

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Joe Hedger

Joe Hedger

Member

Joe is a partner in a major consulting firm and leads the group focused on working with clients and First Nations communities to solve complex problem...s.

He is a proud Bundjalung and Yorta Yorta man and is highly respected for bringing the latest trends in strategy, technology and innovation to empower clients and First Nations communities to be future fit in an increasingly complex, disrupted and competitive market.

Joe also leads the growing work on First Nations climate and sustainability and is a recognised thought leader in this space. He also contributes to innovative, thought-provoking issues of national and global importance to inspire new conversations and disruptive thinking.

What excites Joe every day is being able to re-imagine and reshape a nation that centres First Nations’ wisdom, creating a clever and enduring legacy of making the world of our clients, our people and our communities better.

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