Catherine Brown

Catherine Brown is CEO of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. She is completing a PhD by practice-related research at Swinburne University through the Faculty of Business & Law and the Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy.

Catherine is committed to maximising philanthropy’s role in supporting positive change. After initially working in commercial law, Catherine spent 11 years holding in-house legal and CEO roles within the not for profit sector. She then consulted to many leading Australian foundations and not for profits on governance, organisational development and strategy, as well as related legal issues, before taking on her current role in 2011.

Catherine has a particular interest in innovation and in community philanthropy, stemming from 2000 when she advised the Sidney Myer Fund on the establishment of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.

Catherine has held Board roles in a range of sectors including health, women’s affairs, cemetery trusts and education. She is the author of Great Foundations a 360° guide to building resilient and effective not for profit organisations (ACER Press, 2010).