Boards with Purpose

In this episode of Boards with Purpose, Phil speaks with Lisa Yen (Chair, Basketball NSW) and James Sutherland (CEO, Golf Australia) about the unique governance challenges and opportunities facing Australian sport. From grassroots participation to elite competition, they explore how sporting organisations balance passion with professionalism, navigate federated governance structures, and keep communities connected through sport. The conversation highlights the critical role sport plays in wellbeing, inclusion and social connection, while also unpacking the realities of running increasingly complex organisations powered by volunteers, boards and limited infrastructure. 

Lisa and James share practical insights into board composition, strategy, stakeholder management and the importance of role clarity between directors and operational teams. They discuss emerging pressures including facility shortages, child safeguarding responsibilities, integrity frameworks and growing participation demand across both basketball and golf. The episode also examines how strong governance, clear purpose and diversity of thought can help sporting organisations thrive, while offering valuable lessons for directors and leaders across the broader not-for-profit sector.
Key takeaways from this episode:
Sport plays a vital role in building healthier, more connected and more inclusive communities across all generations and backgrounds.
Strong governance is essential at every level of sport, from grassroots clubs run by volunteers through to national sporting bodies.
Federated sporting structures work best when organisations maintain a clear focus on serving participants and local communities.
Passion for sport is valuable on boards, but it must be balanced with commercial thinking, governance capability and strategic oversight.
Clear strategy and purpose help sporting organisations make difficult decisions, align stakeholders and manage competing priorities.
Volunteer administrators are the backbone of many sporting organisations, making governance education and support increasingly important.
Role clarity between boards and operational management is critical to avoiding confusion, overlap and governance risks.
Participation growth is creating major infrastructure challenges, with both basketball and golf facing shortages in facilities and access.
Child safeguarding and integrity frameworks require zero-tolerance approaches, clear escalation processes and strong governance leadership.
Diversity of thought on boards strengthens decision-making and helps sporting organisations evolve to meet future challenges.
Learn more about Basketball NSW. 
Find out more about Golf Australia.
Find key resources for those in the NFP space in the AICD Not-for-Profit Resource Centre.

In this episode of Boards with Purpose, Phil speaks with Martin Laverty, CEO of Aruma, and Virginia Bourke, Chair of Mercy Health, about the evolving landscape of care governance across aged care, disability, healthcare and early childhood sectors. Together, they explore how governance has matured in response to rising community expectations, regulatory reform and the lasting impact of Royal Commissions.
The conversation highlights the shift from compliance-focused oversight to a more holistic, person-centred approach—where quality care is defined not just by safety, but by dignity, choice and lived experience. Martin and Virginia unpack the growing expectations on directors, including the need for care governance literacy, stronger engagement with frontline services, and the ability to balance financial sustainability with high-quality care outcomes.
They also discuss the challenges of measuring impact, building the right organisational culture, and navigating increasing complexity in a highly regulated environment. With practical insights on board practice, information flows and the importance of constructive challenge, this episode offers a timely perspective on what it takes to govern well in the care economy today.
Key takeaways from this episode:


Care governance is still maturing - hospitals lead, aged care is progressing, while disability and childcare are still developing—especially in defining outcomes.
Quality care now means person-centred care - beyond safety, it includes dignity, choice, and quality of life (including the "dignity of risk").
Director accountability has significantly increased - regulation, scrutiny, and legal exposure mean directors must be more proactive, informed, and engaged.
Care governance must equal financial governance - boards need the same rigour for care outcomes as they apply to financial performance.
All directors must be care governance literate - not just clinical experts—every director must understand enough to ask the right questions.
Measuring outcomes is the biggest challenge - the sector is still moving from activity metrics to meaningful measures of impact and wellbeing.
Culture is central to care quality - poor culture drives failures; strong governance frameworks must actively monitor and shape culture.
Boards must balance compliance and improvement - heavy regulation must be managed alongside innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
Assurance relies on the right information and questioning - boards must focus on insights, outliers, and action—not just volume of reporting.
Strong relationships and real-world insight matter - trust between board and executives, plus direct exposure (e.g. site visits), are critical to effective governance.
Learn more about Mercy Health Australia: https://www.mercyhealth.com.au/ 
Learn more about Aruma: https://www.aruma.com.au/ 
Find key resources for those in the NFP space in the AICD Not-for-Profit Resource Centre.

In this episode, Phil sits down with Rachael McLennan, co-founder of People for Purpose, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on succession planning in the not-for-profit sector. Together, they explore how rising community expectations, increased regulation and greater scrutiny are driving a more intentional approach to board and executive succession. Rachael highlights the shift from informal, relationship-based appointments to strategically aligned recruitment grounded in purpose, skills, diversity of perspective and future needs. She emphasises that effective succession planning is not a moment in time, but a continuous, forward-looking discipline embedded in strategy.
The discussion also examines what high-performing boards are doing well — from setting clear term expectations and aligning director "superpowers" to strategy, to using robust board reviews and nominations committees to drive accountability and improvement. Rachael reflects on the importance of strong chairs, healthy board culture, and honest conversations about CEO succession, internal bench strength and risk appetite. Looking ahead, they consider the impact of AI, remuneration pressures, evolving workforce expectations and the growing complexity of leadership in the sector. The episode offers practical insights for boards and executives committed to building sustainable, future-ready governance in an increasingly demanding environment.
Learn more about People for Purpose: https://peopleforpurpose.com.au/
Find key resources for those in the NFP space in the AICD Not-for-Profit Resource Centre.

In our debut episode of Board with Purpose, we sit down with Zoe Black, Founder & CEO of Happy Paws Happy Hearts, and Mark Osborn, 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. 
Learn more about Happy Paws Happy Hearts: https://www.hphhfoundation.org/ 
Thank you to Impact Culture Australian for their assistance in this episode of Boards With Purpose. https://impactcultureaustralia.com.au/ 
Find key resources for those in the NFP space in the AICD Not-for-Profit Resource Centre.

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.