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Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
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Lisa Allan appointed The Smith Family's Head of State and Territory Operations

Media releases

14 November 2024

Lisa Allan has been appointed as the new Head of State and Territory Operations. Lisa currently serves on the executive team as the Head of Fundraising, a role she has held for the past seven years, where she has demonstrated exemplary skill, proficiency and expertise as an executive leader.

The Smith Family expresses our deep gratitude to Leonie Green, who is retiring, for her outstanding contributions as the current Head of State and Territory Operations. Leonie has led that team with distinction and laid strong foundations for Lisa to build on. Lisa is already an integral part of The Smith Family’s executive team. She is strongly aligned with our purpose and vision and our fundamental goal to deepen the impact of our work with children, young people and families.

Lisa is already committed to supporting and enabling this outcome. She is a proven executive and team leader who achieves outcomes that deliver real and lasting benefits to our stakeholders.

Lisa’s familiarity with, and contribution to, our organisation’s strategy and operations means she not only offers continuity as she moves into her new role, but also that she will start productively from day one. Her well-honed skill set combines expertise in data usage and an aptitude for identifying trends and insights, as well as a track record in empowering teams, embracing new ideas and perspectives, and successfully overseeing continuous improvement. These are valuable skills given The Smith Family’s focus on deepening impact and growing our reach.

Lisa will formally assume leadership of the State and Territory Operations team on Monday 3 February. There will be a phased handover process beginning in mid-December during which Leonie will continue as Head of Operations to allow Lisa time to meet the new team and get across her new portfolio.

The Smith Family is currently recruiting for a new Head of Fundraising who will bring motivating, energising and empathetic leadership skills and the right mix of expertise such that they can competently step into this results-oriented role.

For the interim period, Philanthropy Group Manager, Josh O’Rourke, and Marketing Group Manager, Louise Woods, acting in the role at various times until a successor is appointed.

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au