Renée Carter is the CEO of Adopt Change and a passionate advocate for the well-being of children and young people, with a focus on children with an experience in the Australian child protection system.

Renee leads a team of Adopt Change Changemakers nationally, with major activities including the annual #THRIVE National Permanency Conference; the government-funded My Forever Family NSW program to recruit and support carers; campaigns including ‘A Home for Every Child’; MyPacks first night backpacks for kids entering care; Empower Change for providing education support to children in care; along with engagement with community, government, child welfare sector; and regularly sought to speak with media about child welfare, trauma informed care, permanency and adoption.

Renée has held roles on advisory committees including as a member of the Institute Advisory Group for the independent research centre – Institute of Open Adoption Studies (The University of Sydney); various government and cross-sector advisory groups and taskforces; and was previously Vice Chair of NSW Committee on Adoption and Permanent Care (COAPC).

She is a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors, with a background in communications and executive management, along with board level experience in corporate and not-for-profit sectors. Her experience includes three years as Chair of charity Child Abuse Prevention Service (CAPS), an organisation focused on early intervention, education and support of families and communities; and Managing Director of corporate, investor and creative communications specialists Designate Group.

Renée is committed to influencing child welfare policy and practice to deliver timely and effective outcomes for children so they can have better childhood experiences and a brighter future.