Shaping the future of leadership in the for-purpose sector

19th June 2025

About the event

The 2025 event will now be the third event in the series, bringing together CE's, decision makers, Boards and senior and emerging leaders to delve into the contemporary challenges we face. As one of the largest employment sectors in the Australian economy, the value and impact that community organisations bring to society, governments and the Australian people is clearer now than ever before.

We will come together again at Uniting Communities U City building for this interactive conference, where our exciting line-up of speakers and panellists, including high-profile keynotes and experts at the forefront of research, will share their knowledge on capacity building and opportunities for innovation.

Our 2025 program addresses the theme: ‘Mobilising capital for good’ the strategic use of our assets now and into the future'

This event is a must for all organisations committed to social outcomes in South Australia.

Join us for a deep dive into impact investing, impact measurement, creative business models that leverage strategic investment and a provocative look at how we integrate these concepts in our local context.

Register now

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Meet the speakers

Ben Smith

Ben is responsible for Paul Ramsay Foundation’s impact, sustainable and responsible investing across its endowment and funds. Alongside his role at PRF, Ben is the Vice Chair, and Chair of the Investment Committee, for NatWest Social and Community Capital. Ben also Chairs the Investment Committee for NAB’s impact investment fund. Furthermore, he holds the position of Adjunct Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, Flinders University, and is Chair of Australia’s Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII).

Prior to joining PRF, Ben was Head of Impact Investment at Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – the UK’s largest impact investing foundation. Ben previously established UnLtd’s – the UK’s largest early-stage social enterprise supporter – impact funds management division and first funds. Other notable activities in the space include co-authoring the CFA UK’s Impact and Investing Certificate, co-Chairing the UK’s Social Impact Investors Group and lecturing on Social Finance at Cranfield University and University of Westminster.

Ben Hamer

Dr Ben Hamer is a renowned sociologist and accredited futurist, who was recently awarded the number one thought leader for the Future of Work in the Asia-Pacific by Onalytica.

Ben has undertaken work and research around the world, including time spent leading critical projects at the World Economic Forum as well as being a Visiting Scholar at Yale University. He is an Adjunct Professor at Edith Cowan University’s School of Business and Law and a Non-Executive Director for the Australian HR Institute, where he was appointed as the youngest Non-Executive Director in the organisation’s history, as well as being on the Board of Netball NSW, which includes oversight of both the NSW Swifts and Giants professional netball teams.

A sought-after media commentator and keynote speaker on future trends, Ben is the host of the ThinkerTank podcast, which is all about the trends shaping the way we will live, work and play in the future.

Elaine De Gruyter

Elaine is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She is also a current Visiting Academic at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne. Her research seeks to understand the role of innovative financing in improving social outcomes.

Elaine completed her PhD at the Centre for Health Economics at Monash University. Alongside her PhD, Elaine worked at the Australian National University undertaking research on innovative financing in social policy. Prior to academia, Elaine was a Senior Economist/Manager at EY’s Economics, Regulation and Policy practice, where she was seconded internationally (China, New Zealand) and to various Australian government departments. Elaine has also held various roles in the Australian public health system including research and service development.

Jessica Harmsen

Jessica Harmsen is the host of the ABC's nightly TV news in South Australia and an award-winning journalist and producer.

Jess has over two decades experience in broadcast and digital journalism, with specialties in business and political reporting.

On screen and on stage, she's interviewed newsmakers, thought-leaders, politicians and celebrities, guiding conversations and eliciting fascinating stories.

Jess has spent many years as a mentor within SA's media industry and is also a voice and presentation coach.

Nat Cook

Nat Cook is the South Australian Minister for Human Services and Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well. She has been an elected Member of Parliament since 2014. She was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development in the previous Labor government. Nat is a lifetime local of Adelaide’s southern suburbs, a fierce advocate for her local constituents and a dedicated mum.

Nat’s passions lie in health and disability care, ending homelessness, and making our families and communities fairer and safer places in which to live. Having spent nearly 30 years as a Registered Nurse in specialty areas such as intensive care and brain injury rehabilitation, Nat is honoured to hold the title of Adjunct Associate Professor with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia. After losing their son Sam to a violent and unprovoked one-punch assault in 2008, Nat and husband Neil formed the Sammy D Foundation to educate young people about the consequences of violence.

On becoming the Minister in 2022, Nat committed to a proactive and collaborative approach to delivering improved policy and services for marginalised South Australians. In 2024, Minister Nat Cook added the portfolio, Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, where she will focus on improving the lives of senior South Australians and promoting the benefits of an age-diverse, accessible workplace and community.

Maria Palumbo

Maria is a highly accomplished leader in the State's housing and community services sector. Known as 'a business head with a social heart,' she has made a significant impact in affordable housing over her 25-year career.

In executive roles for the Department for Families and Communities, she led strategy, funding, and regulation of community and affordable housing, as well as reforms in homelessness and domestic violence. As CEO of Common Ground Adelaide, she developed key housing projects, including a $15.5 million apartment building for single parents and a $10 million unit development for Aboriginal people sleeping rough – both the first of this type in SA.

Maria later led the largest housing transfer in SA as Director of Housing Strategy at Renewal SA. She became CEO of Junction in 2017, leading a period of significant expansion. Under her leadership, Junction's turnover reached $51 million in 2022/23, a 45% increase from 2017/18, and she established a $500 million affordable housing pipeline.

A single mother of three, Maria is dedicated to uplifting others. She was a finalist for SA Telstra Business Woman of the Year in 2019 and won UDIA SA’s Women in Leadership Award in 2021.

Stacey Thomas

Stacey is the CEO of The Wyatt Trust, Australia’s oldest philanthropic foundation with a vision of a South Australia free from poverty.

Stacey was also the Founding Chief Executive Officer of Foundation SA – South Australia’s newest community foundation and previously, the Fay Fuller Foundation. She has worked with families and foundations to achieve philanthropic and investment goals for twenty years.

Stacey holds a Master of Business majoring in Philanthropy and Social Investment. In addition to her role as a Director of Philanthropy Australia, Stacey is also a Director of Community Foundations Australia and serves on a number of other boards and advisory committees.