Vanessa Lister

Chief Executive Officer

With close to 20 years’ experience in leadership roles, Vanessa is committed to serving marginalised and vulnerable communities. Her most recent roles held CEO and General Manager titles spanning aviation, corporate services, and vocational education & training sectors.

As a Volunteer herself Vanessa understands the drive to make a difference, so she invested most of her career in raising the bar of performance in the NFP sector. She intentionally sought and found appropriate ways to transfer her extensive governance, strategic planning, and operational experience to the not-for-profit sector.

Originally hailing from a heterogeneous, disadvantaged South African ethnic group and her experience as a migrant has shaped Vanessa’s commitment to building strong community connections through Volunteering and supporting underserved communities.

A Member of IML (Institute of Managers and Leaders – Australia and New Zealand), Vanessa’s qualifications include Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Diploma in Management, Certificate IV in TAE (Training & Assessment) and Public Relations.