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Farewelling Emma Woolley and Steve Rothfield

Profile of Claudia Belllote
Written by Claudia BelllotePosted on 7/7/2021
Farewelling Emma Woolley and Steve Rothfield

In June 2021 we farewelled two long-serving Directors on the Australian Communities Foundation Board, Emma Woolley and Steve Rothfield.

Emma and Steve have been valuable collaborators and contributors for nine years, with both joining the Board in July 2012. With both having extensive expertise in their respective fields, ACF has benefited enormously from their generosity and willingness to share their knowledge.  

Harnessing her professional expertise in law and estate planning, Emma masterfully delivered the first estate planning workshop to the Community of Giving which was enthusiastically received by all. She has also been instrumental in developing our bequest program and policies. Throughout her time on the Board and chairing the Professional Advisers committee she brought wit, intellect and humour to every meeting and interaction.

As Emma describes it, she grew up in a family with a strong sense of community and this transferred to her as she grew up.

“I consider myself lucky in the lucky country to have come across ACF first through the professional advisers committee and then into the board for the last year nine years”

“My father was a television presenter and said yes to just about everything anyone asked him to do in the community,” she explained “From opening school fetes, contributing financially and even judging spaghetti eating competitions.”

This sense of giving back to the community was ever-present for Emma, and when she moved to Australia 18 years ago, she made a point of seeking out opportunities to contribute and give back.

“I consider myself lucky in the lucky country to have come across ACF first through the professional advisers committee and then into the board for the last year nine years.”

Emma sees her time at ACF as “inspiring, important and actually fun for the most part” and says she does not feel sorry about retiring because it enables the Board to make way for new voices with different perspectives: “there is nothing sad about moving on to welcome them in,” Emma said.

Though stepping down from the Board, Emma will still be working on projects with various team members at ACF and her family sub-fund will ensure we do not lose her knowledge and support. As Emma sees it, she will also always be available to “judge spaghetti eating competitions”.

Steve has been a supporter of ACF for many years, first establishing a sub-fund with his partner, Jackie in 2007.

Both Steve and Jackie are inspiring philanthropists, not only through their giving, but also through their commitment to supporting grassroots organisations and important community issues with a particular focus on First Nations self-determination.

“I have felt a great inspiration and admiration for the passion and commitment of our staff, the Board, our donor community and our not-for-profit partners”

Steve’s professional expertise is in finance and business management, and he is guaranteed to be the person who asks the tricky questions but in a thoughtful way. As Steve sees it, “my great stroke of fortune was to be part of the incredible development of ACF as an organisation with growing relationships, services, advice and influence over my time as Director”.

He elaborates further by saying “all of this with one purpose: to provide better and more effective support to the donor community and our not-for-profit partners which has then increasingly benefited a wide range of causes and communities in Australia”.

Steve’s dedication and articulation of the voice of the donor has been invaluable and we appreciate his support and willingness to always be an objective sounding board.

When reflecting on his time at ACF, Steve believes the ‘engine room’ for positive change is always people and their relationships.

“I have felt a great inspiration and admiration for the passion and commitment of our staff, the Board, our donor community and our not-for-profit partners,” Steve said. “It has been a privilege to witness how people with great heart and minimal resources can work together to achieve the most amazing things to improve the lives of others in a myriad of ways.”

“I have felt very affirmed to see the positive impact we can all make, if we have a clear focus and can work collectively.”

Like Emma, we won’t be saying goodbye to Steve completely because his engagement with ACF will continue through his ongoing support of the database transition project.

We wish both Emma and Steve every success and will continue to see them at giving community events in the future.                        

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We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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