February 2022
10th February 2022
Today Collaboration for Impact is thrilled to welcome Anna Powell as the new CEO of CFI. Anna comes to CFI with a leadership track record in international development, philanthropy, cross-sector collaboration, systems innovation, and impact measurement. Anna is a natural and fitting successor, being a senior respected systems change practitioner with a deep commitment to social change, Reconciliation and equity. CFI’s cofounders – Kerry Graham and Liz Skelton – have planned this transition for the past 12 months and are delighted and confident about CFI’s future impact under Anna’s leadership.
Anna reflects:
“I have seen first hand the huge contribution CFI has made over the last eight years. CFI has played a critical role in shaping the way social change happens in Australia. Often humble, often in the background, always striving to embody its commitment to deep collaboration to create enduring change in communities around the country.
I am honoured to lead CFI into this next horizon. This is a time when it is clearer now more than ever that many of our current and dominant systems are not serving. We are experiencing the waves of uncertainty and fragility across our communities and with this is coming a heightened awareness that we must radically shift how we work if we are to truly create sustainable systems.
Our focus in this next horizon is to bring together the wisdom, knowledges and practices of how systemic change happens here in the lands of Australia. To form and amplify movements that embody and generate sustainable and equitable systems.”
After 8 years establishing CFI to be Australia’s leading capacity builders for systems change, Kerry Graham and Liz Skelton will continue as Directors taking up stronger governance roles. Both will still be supporting systems leadership and collaborative practice with CFI, delivering learning programs, and working on how to accelerate the adoption of systems change in Australia.
“Our role has always been about having ‘custodianship’ of a vision, purpose and practices. We’ve had the privilege of being able to lead, shape and develop CFI to contribute to social justice. This custodianship is now held by the CFI system, which brings great possibility and renewal. We leave these roles with enormous pride and hope for what lies ahead and look forward to supporting impact from our different roles.”
We thank Liz and Kerry for their enormous contribution and leadership in starting and growing CFI.
Collaboration for Impact’s team and Network, led by Anna, look forward to working with our partner organisations, communities and networks as CFI grows into its next, exciting phase of impact.
Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Anna as CFI’s CEO.
CFI Board
Liz Skelton (Chair), Kerry Graham, Kyrstie Dunn, Regina Hill and Sean Leong
Image credit: Natasha Mulhall
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