Produced by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Boards with Purpose is a monthly podcast creating meaningful connection within Australia's diverse not-for-profit sector.
Every episode features CEOs, founders, executives and non-executive directors in conversation with Phil Butler, the AICD's NFP Sector Lead. They share their purpose-driven governance insights and experiences to guide, inspire, and inform those working within or alongside the NFP sector.
Tune in every month to be inspired, strengthen your governance impact, and stay connected to the leaders shaping Australia's not-for-profit community.
Founder-Led to Future-Ready: The Governance of Founder-Led Organisations (with Hannah Andrevski, Founder & CEO, Roundabout Canberra and David Pointon, Co-Founder & CEO, The Men's Table)
Host Phil Butler interviews Hannah Andrevski and David Pointon about navigating the governance evolution of founder-led not-for-profit organizations for sustained future impact.
7 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Joining Forces: The Governance of NFP Mergers (with Elizabeth Wighton, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin and Victoria Adams, Partner, For Purpose Investment Partners)
Host Phil Butler interviews Elizabeth Wighton and Victoria Adams on navigating the governance complexities of not-for-profit mergers for sustainable impact.
2 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
Director Remuneration in the Not-for-Profit Sector (with Jenni Hutchins, CEO, Warrigal)
Host Phil Butler interviews Jenni Hutchins, CEO of Warrigal, about navigating director remuneration in the not-for-profit sector, emphasizing good governance and balancing purpose with evolving responsibilities.
20 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Introducing: Director Download
Host [Host Name] interviews AICD policy experts and Australia's leading governance specialists on contemporary governance practice and future trends.
5 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Governing the Invisible: AI, Cyber Risk and Technology Oversight for NFP Boards (with Jagdeep Singh, Board Director, Consultant and Former CTO)
Host Phil interviews Jagdeep Singh, Board Director, Consultant and Former CTO, about how NFP boards can effectively govern AI and cyber risk for meaningful oversight.
1 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT
Governance in Sport: Passion, Purpose and Performance with James Sutherland, CEO, Golf Australia and Lisa Yen, Chair, Basketball NSW
Host Phil interviews Lisa Yen, Chair of Basketball NSW, and James Sutherland, CEO of Golf Australia, about navigating sport governance challenges and fostering community connection.
1 May 2026
Care Governance for Directors: Balancing Risk, Quality and Accountability in Today's Environment (with Virginia Bourke, Mercy Health Australia and Martin Laverty, Aruma)
Host Phil interviews Virginia Bourke, Chair of Mercy Health Australia, and Martin Laverty, CEO of Aruma, about evolving care governance, balancing risk, quality, and accountability for directors.
6 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
Succession Planning that Actually Works: Building Future-Ready Boards (with Rachael McLennan, People for Purpose)
Host Phil interviews Rachael McLennan, co-founder of People for Purpose, about building future-ready boards through strategic succession planning for sustainable governance.
26 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Measuring Impact Without Losing Heart: Healthy Compassion in Action (with Zoe Black and Mark Osborne, Happy Paws Happy Hearts)
In our debut episode of Board with Purpose, we sit down with Zoe Black, Founder & CEO of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, and Mark Osborne, the organisation's chair, for a powerful conversation on the challenge of measuring impact in a not-for-profit organisation.
Authentic, candid and full of practical insight, we delve into:
How impact data informs governance, board decision‑making and strategic planning
The importance of CEO wellbeing, including Zoe's transformative three‑month sabbatical
Balancing impact and sustainability in a changing NDIS landscape
Scaling a purpose‑driven model across diverse communities
Building board capability and culture for long‑term success
Zoe and Mark generously take us inside the Happy Paws Happy Hearts organisation and board, sharing its journey of impact measurement so far.
Here are just a handful of many noteworthy takeaways:
Traditional output metrics fall short. A robust Theory of Change fundamentally reshaped how Happy Paws Happy Hearts understands and delivers impact.
Measuring impact requires trauma‑aware approaches that avoid retraumatising participants while still capturing meaningful outcomes.
Thoughtful impact reporting can strengthen participant agency, giving beneficiaries tools to advocate for themselves in complex support systems.
Embedding impact into organisational strategy demands board commitment—integrating it into dashboards, conversations and decision‑making processes.
Purpose‑driven organisations must carefully balance scale and sustainability without compromising the integrity of their mission.
Effective governance requires navigating shifting NDIS reforms, regional growth pressures, and a clearly defined risk appetite.
Leadership wellbeing is critical; conversations about burnout, sabbaticals and "healthy compassion" reveal what it takes to sustain impactful work over the long term.
13 Oct 2020
Verity Hawkins and Graeme Innes on mergers in the NFP sector
Mergers have added complexity in a sector that is driven by purpose. NFP Sector Leader, Phil Butler is joined by Verity Hawkins GAICD and Graeme Innes AM GAICD to discuss their own experiences in leading mergers in the sector, and the challenges that that lie ahead.
8 Sept 2020
Pat Sparrow on the urgent need for reform in aged care
Aged Care & Community Services CEO Pat Sparrow talks about the role of aged care in society, how the sector is coping with the challenges of COVID-19, the board/CEO relationship, emerging models of care, and the urgent reform needed in the sector.
28 Jul 2020
Katherine Raskob and Rick Millen on standing out from the crowd when fundraising
Charitable giving is evolving. How do you stand out in a crowded funding environment?
Katherine Raskob, CEO of Fundraising Australia, and Rick Millen, UNHRC director, discuss how boards can support the fundraising function in the evolving NFP landscape.
13 Jul 2020
Geoff Carter on rethinking your mission
Governance consultant Geoff Carter urges boards to lift their gaze from crisis mode. Now's the time to rethink your NFP's mission and how you achieve it.
29 Jun 2020
Anne Skipper on the strategic reset ahead
Experienced business leader Anne Skipper AM FAICD talks about the ‘strategic reset’ required in the NFP sector including the mindset shift needed and the operational challenges that boards must face to ensure a sustainable future in the sector.
9 Jun 2020
Roslyn Jackson on the financial challenges facing NFPs
The COVID-19 crisis has stretched many NFPs financially. Roslyn Jackson FAICD discusses the challenges facing the sector, including cash flow, solvency issues and funding.
Roslyn is the Chair of Health Education Services Australia, Deputy Chair of Capital Health Network and a director of Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. She is also Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the National Blood Authority.
31 May 2020
Jane Seawright on COVID-19's impact on NFPs
Jane Seawright is the Chair of Netball Queensland, as well as a director of Racing Queensland and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. In this debut episode of NFP Matters, she discusses how COVID-19 has impacted the arts and sport, how it has changed board dynamics, whether crisis plans were adequate and whether we might see a new era of co-operation in federated NFPs.
Inside a recent episode
Founder-Led to Future-Ready: The Governance of Founder-Led Organisations (with Hannah Andrevski, Founder & CEO, Roundabout Canberra and David Pointon, Co-Founder & CEO, The Men's Table)
Published 2 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So I think it's just good for any organisation, particularly based on my own lived experience, but if we have a look at any organisation – If the organization can last beyond its founders or founder, it's kind of succeeded in that legacy way. There's an opportunity for it to continue to deliver its purpose beyond the people who had the initial vision. So that's what I want for the men's table is for this thing to continue well after I'm gone. And so, yeah, there has to be succession planning for the founder, co-founder. And therefore, yeah, building the right structures. I mean, a practical example for us is, okay, yeah, what does it look like to have the CEO in our organisation who's not on the board, whereas you've already done that, Hannah? […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
