Our story

Stacey Thomas is one of Australia’s most respected leaders in philanthropy. Her deep knowledge of the sector, together with her personal values of equity and social justice, and a preternatural instinct for collaboration, underpin her leadership at Foundation SA.

“I love the community foundation model because it can give identity to groups of donors who work together to support such varied causes and issues in our society”, Stacey says in relation to the establishment of Foundation SA. “The Wyatt Trust could see a gap in people’s ability to give at scale to impact community and Foundation SA provides the perfect solution”.

While philanthropy is often described as a balancing act between head and heart, Stacey knows that creating lasting impact requires both.

“Working in the sector exposes you to so much you would never have normally had the opportunity to see,” she explains. “Sometimes it is very confronting, and other times it’s incredibly heart-warming; either way it’s an absolute privilege”.

“I’ve experienced first-hand the benefits of engaging my family in community giving through a family sub-fund. I love speaking to the kids about their areas of interest and aligning this to our granting”.

Stacey previously held roles at the Fay Fuller Foundation, Myer Family Company and Telstra Foundation. She is a Director at Philanthropy Australia, the country’s peak body for philanthropy.

Community-mindedness and positive impact are the hallmarks of Sophie Doyle’s career. Even while working for one of the country’s biggest law firms, Sophie’s left a lasting legacy by establishing the company’s SA/NT Foundation, workplace giving and staff volunteering programs. She is also a co-founder of MumKIND, a SA-based charity that supports families experiencing family violence.

During her time at Philanthropy Australia, Sophie managed the peak body’s membership programs in SA and WA, developing strong networks within the non-profit and philanthropic sectors.

“I love that working in philanthropy gives me the ability to get people thinking about giving,” Sophie says. “Everyone can make an impact, but often people don’t know how to start.”

In her role at Foundation SA, South Australia’s state-wide community foundation, Sophie intends to help even more people experience the rewards of giving.

“I can’t wait to share the opportunities our new community foundation creates for donors and the non-profits supporting our community,” she says.

“Inspiring people to think about giving back to their local community and seeing the joy this brings is why I do what I do”.