Organisations | Catholic Connect | 18 July 2024
Catholic Connect
18 July 2024
Company Boards: Creating advocacy and engagement from within
Panel presenters
Margaret Bounader
Margaret, the inaugural Chair of Mercy Ministry Companions, has been a non-executive director since 2009 with a diverse background in sectors including education, health, aged care, and community services. She is well-versed in both civil and canonical governance within the Catholic sector, having served on the boards of Mercy Health, Mercy Health Foundation, and the Finance Committee of Mercy Education. Currently, she is a member of the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Catholic University.

With 25 years in international trade and investment, Margaret’s career includes roles in industry strategy, governance, business development, and marketing, both domestically and abroad. Her tenure at Austrade involved collaboration with Federal and State Ministers, providing her with a deep understanding of public sector governance. She has also held diplomatic roles as Trade Commissioner in Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Margaret is a strong advocate for women, deeply inspired by the Sisters of Mercy and co-founder of the Women in Global Business program.
Charles Reis
Charles joined the board of Mercy Community Services Ltd in December 2023 and was appointed Chair in February 2024.
He has held executive leadership positions in listed public companies, government organisations and the not-for-profit sector. He has worked in senior leadership roles leading teams focussed on global strategy development, business performance and service delivery. He is Co-Chair and Company Secretary of the Saltbush Family Centre (Kildare Ministries), supporting families with children with disabilities, women escaping domestic violence and disadvantaged families.

Charles also recently chaired the successful Save Flinders Pier environmental campaign. He is a Committee Member of the Mornington Peninsula Coastal Advisory Group; and member of Bayside Council's Advisory Committee for the Billilla mansion and parklands in Brighton.
Corinne Proske
Corinne is a Board Director of the Catholic Development Fund Melbourne and the Chair of the CDF People and Culture Committee in addition to being the Chair of the Difference Incubator, a social purpose enterprise. By day, Corinne is the CEO at Trust for Nature. A social change maker, Corinne has helped shape the impact investing, and social economy landscape in Australia through critical roles with Jobsbank, Impact Investing Australia, Good Shepherd Microfinance, NAB and others.

A Churchill Fellowship (2009), and MoneySmart Award recipient (2013) with a Master’s in Environmental Science, Corinne has a passion for making a difference and a long-standing commitment to nature—getting out and about as much as possible to camp, run and (tentatively) surf.
Workshop overview
Company Boards: Creating advocacy and engagement from within
Amid rising cost of living, escalating government budget constraints, and mounting social and political pressures, the demand on organisations to deliver better outcomes has never been greater. To meet this crucial demand, it is critical that boards explore strategies to drive collaboration; encourage cross-pollination of ideas; leverage their networks to support advocacy outcomes; and find ways to share expertise with like-minded organisations.
 
This workshop will explore various critical aspects of board governance, with a particular focus on driving collaboration for greater impact. We will discuss best practices for good governance, and strategies for maximising impact through close collaboration between executive leadership teams and the board.
Some key criteria that we will be exploring includes:
Facilitating Discussion and Idea Exchange  
Encouraging Idea Sharing: What measures promote an atmosphere conducive to board members sharing their insights and expertise?  
Implementing Collaborative Strategies: How can boards and executive leadership collaborate more effectively to drive innovation and progress?  
    
Leveraging Collaboration for Impact  
How can boards drive collaboration with like-minded organisations for greater impact?
What strategies harmonise the board's vision with the organisation’s overarching objectives for increased effectiveness?
 
Empowering Board Advocacy  
Cultivating Commitment: What methods can be employed to enhance board members' dedication to the organisation’s mission?
Active Advocacy: How can board members effectively champion the organisation’s interests?  
 
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion on the Board  
Building Diversity: How can we ensure our board reflects a wide array of perspectives and experiences?  
Forward-Thinking Selection: What criteria should guide board member selection to create an inclusive and future-oriented board?  
Agenda:
- Lunch
- Welcome
- CDF Prayer
- Around the room participant / organisation introductions
- Facilitator introduction of panelists
- Panelist Introductions
- Facilitated panel discussion
- Q&A - around the room
- Summary - next steps
Want to join the conversation? Register your interest to attend
CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Bunbury and Ballarat. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed at here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.
