FIA recruits two experienced marketers to board

Two experienced marketers have joined the board at the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) as part of a new four-member crew announced this week.

The Smith Family’s head of marketing, Lisa Allan, and St Vincent Curran Foundation CEO, Shanthini Naidoo, are two of the latest board appointments, which come into effect immediately. They’re joined by MS Queensland executive GM supporter impact, Dan Lalor, and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute strategic fundraising manager, Rebecca Miller. All will serve two-year terms.

FIA is the representative body for the fundraising sector with members across charities and not-for-profits plus providing services to this sector.

Allan has 20 years’ experience across customer, brand and product management, and has raised more than $150 million for charities over the past 10 years. Her resume includes working for both The Smith Family for more than 10 years in marketing and campaign manager roles, as well as marketing management at WWF and Flexirent. Allan also previously worked in advertising and creative services for US-based retail company, The Picture People (formerly Expressly Portraits).

Naidoo has been CEO of the St Vincent’s Curran Foundation, which fundraises for St Vincent’s Health Network and its private hospitals in Sydney and Griffith, NSW, for more than seven years. Before this, she worked as assistant director of the National Gallery of Australia, and head of fundraising at Taronga and Western Plains Zoo. She was also previously director of development and marketing at the Sydney Opera House and worked in marketing management for the Rugby World Cup and the ABC.

Lalor has been in the not-for-profit sector for the past 10 years, working in fundraising and supporter roles for the likes of the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, and led the Ride to Conquer fundraising event series from 2012-2014. He joined MS Queensland in 2014 and has overseen an array of fundraising events and strategies. He sits on several committees including Wildlife Wonders experience and Conservation Ecology Centre.  

Miller is another professional with extensive fundraising experience, working in state and national roles for the likes of The Royal Society for the Blind, Guide Dogs SA/NT, Leukemia Foundation and RSPCA. She’s been a board member of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (Sahmri).  

FIA CEO, Katherine Raskob, said she was delighted to welcome these talented fundraisers to the board.  

“The last year has been a challenging time for all Australians, and the fundraising sector is no different. These new members bring a great skill set, expertise and experience to ensure that FIA is well placed to continue its vital role in protecting, promoting and advocating for the fundraising sector,” she said.  

FIA’s retiring board members are Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation executive director, Jennifer Doubell; Donor Republic co-founder, Marcus Blease; and UNHCR deputy national director for Australia, Trudi Mitchell.    

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