Renée Carter

Chief Executive Officer

Renée Carter is the CEO of Adopt Change and a passionate advocate for the wellbeing of children and young people. She leads a team of Adopt Change Changemakers nationally, with major activities including the #THRIVE National Permanency Conference; My Forever Family NSW; Yesvember A Home for Every Child campaign; MyPacks first night back packs; Empower Change; along with engagement with community, government, child welfare sector; and regularly sought to speak with media about child welfare, permanency and adoption.

Renée is a member of the Institute Advisory Group for the independent research centre, Institute of Open Adoption Studies (The University of Sydney); a member of various government and cross-sector advisory groups and taskforces (including in NSW: Leaving Care / After Care Sector Advisory Group; Court Ordered Contact Reference Group (re: Mothers in Custody); Covid-19 Child Wellbeing Taskforce/Sub-committees); and was previously Vice Chair of NSW Committee on Adoption and Permanent Care (COAPC) and member of Re:Think Orphanages Working Group Australia.

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 creative corporate and investor 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.

Founder

Deborra-lee Furness is an internationally acclaimed actress as well as a passionate supporter of children and defender of their human rights across the globe. Deborra-lee’s humanitarian work for children is a driving force in her life.

It is her passion that children all over the world be given every chance to live a fulfilled life and achieve their full potential. As founder of National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM) and Adopt Change in Australia, Deborra-lee has been a driving force for improving adoption programs, procedures and legislation, and raising awareness and understanding of the issues of vulnerable children.

She is Patron of the Lighthouse Foundation for displaced children in Melbourne Australia; World Vision Ambassador, Patron of the Bone Marrow Donor Institute for children with leukemia; Patron of International Adoptive Families of Queensland; she sits on the board of World Wide Orphans Australia and is newly appointed on the board of the UN Women for Peace Association in New York. Deborra-lee has been honoured extensively both in Australia and internationally for her work to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable children.

For her advocacy work she has been honoured by World Wide Orphans in New York, The Joint Council USA and in 2013 was given the prestigious award of Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption in Washington DC. Harlem Village Academies honoured Deborra-lee and her husband Hugh for their philanthropy work in 2012. She was presented with 2014 International Humanitarian Award in Utah by Mentors International. She was named NSW Australian of the Year 2015. Also in 2015, Deborra-lee was honoured in Washington as Advocate of the Year by Kidsave.

Deborra-lee is the co-founder of the newly launched Hopeland organisation which is a US-based platform driving awareness around the issue of vulnerable children. The mission of Hopeland is to ensure children belong in loving families. Hopeland is about family strengthening and community empowerment and driving creative solutions for vulnerable and abandoned children globally.

Board Director

Professor Paul Chandler, a proud Bidjigal man, was born into poverty in 1962. His Nanna and Aunty instilled a love of learning from an early age and Paul was the first person in his family to finish primary school. Through working as a paperboy, blacksmith and catching fish and seafood he paid his way through School and then Sydney University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science with 1^st class Honours in Psychology and Masters in Education at Sydney University in 1987. Now working in a surf shop and teaching in a local high school, he completed a Masters of Science (in Psychology) and PhD in cognition and learning at UNSW. In 1993, he became the first Aboriginal to receive a PhD from UNSW. He was immediately offered by the Federal government an Australian Research Council upon completion of his PhD which won every award available in NSW, Australia and overseas. As a teaching academic, he was one of the Faculty’s most popular lecturers and was invited around Australia and overseas to provide many teaching and research engagements. Paul went on to serve two terms as Head of the School of Education at UNSW. He remains one of the highly cited educational researchers in the world. Paul was formally recognised as one of the top 10 Scientists in Australia in 2007 by the Australian Research Council.

Paul joined the University of Wollongong (UOW) as Dean of Education in 2007, becoming the first Aboriginal Faculty Dean in Australia (sadly for Australia there has never been a second Aboriginal Faculty Dean). Paul completed two terms as Dean and transformed the Faculty into a teaching and research powerhouse that is now rated first in the country. During this time Paul and Michelle, became foster carers for two siblings, aged 2 and 6 weeks, which they describe as the most joyous moment of their lives. The Chandler family went from 4 to 6 overnight, and the two young children became immersed in community, family and University life.

Inspired by the power of the early years of life, Professor Chandler was the intellectual architect and visionary behind the $44 million Early Start Project and moved into the role of Executive Director of Early Start throughout the planning stages until the project was formally established. He remains the Foundation Chair of Early Start which sees 250,000 families come through its doors each year. He also remains on the Advisory Board of the $300 million Digital Child Project.

Paul was then appointed Pro-Vice Chancellor (Inclusion and Outreach) at UOW where he oversaw their Aboriginal Centre (WIC), their Inaugural Aboriginal Strategy and Reconciliation Action Plan.

Today, life for Professor Chandler has come full circle. Paul retired from UOW in 2020 and moved into semi-retirement. Now semi-retired Professor Paul Chandler is back at UNSW and works on numerous Government and private boards where he feels he can bring about positive social change. He Chaired the My Forever Family NSW Advisory Committee (a program operated by Adopt Change) for 3 years and now is a Board member of Adopt Change.

Founder and CEO of Worldwide Orphans Foundation

Dr. Jane Aronson was born in Brooklyn in 1951 and grew up on Long Island. She attended Hunter College in New York City and taught school for ten years.

At thirty-one, she fulfilled her life’s dream to become a physician and entered medical school. She graduated from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1986 and did a pediatric residency and chief residency in New Jersey, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Columbia Presbyterian /Babies Hospital in New York City. Between 1992 and 2000, she was the Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Director of the International Adoption Medical Consultation Services at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, New York.

Since July 2000, Dr. Aronson has been in private practice as Director of International Pediatric Health Services, in New York City. She is Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and has evaluated well over 4,000 children adopted from abroad as an adoption medicine specialist; she has traveled to orphanages in Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, China, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Latin America.

Since 1997, she has conducted research and provided education in orphanages abroad through her 501(3) (c) foundation, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO). WWO documents the medical and developmental conditions of children living in orphanages abroad in order to identify their immediate healthcare needs and to advocate for their well-being through the Orphan Ranger Program. This program acts as a “peace corps” for orphanages by commissioning university students and healthcare professionals to live and work in orphanages. They are proficient in the native tongue and work in conjunction with staff to improve the nutritional and emotional health of abandoned children. Since 1997, Dr. Aronson has funded Orphan Rangers in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, India, Ecuador, Viet Nam, China, Serbia, Montenegro, and Ethiopia. WWO has been granted NGO status in Viet Nam and Ethiopia and has embarked on training programs for physicians in both countries to care for HIV-infected orphans.WWO currently treats orphans with HIV/AIDS in both countries.

She has been featured in many newspapers and magazines, such as The New Yorker on July 17, 2000, People on November 12, 2001, May 2, 2005, August 1, 2005, and most recently, November 7, 2005; other features were in The NewYork Times in Jane Brody’s Science Times/Personal Health column on July 22, 2003 and then Jill Brooke’s feature on adoption and home design on July 22, 2004. She is a recipient of the Congressional Angel of Adoption Award in September 2000. She is the adoptive mom of two sweet boys, Ben, from Viet Nam and Desalegn, from Ethiopia.

Journalist and TV Presenter

Celebrating over three decades at the network, Network 10’s Entertainment Editor Angela Bishop, has established herself as a prominent identity within the Australian and international entertainment media.

Angela’s reputation and credibility is such that she is often called upon by international broadcasters to report on events happening within Australia. Angela has reported on Michael Jackson’s Sydney wedding to Debbie Rowe, the wedding of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban and covered Princess Diana’s 1996 tour of Australia where she was invited to interview the Princess.

Her biggest interview to date was with Oprah Winfrey during her Ultimate Australian Adventure. She also scored a rare interview with Borat, the alter ego of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, that went viral.

In 2014, Angela wrote and presented a behind the scenes look at hit comedy show Modern Family who were filming down under for a special holiday episode and in 2018, she was invited to The Bold and The Beautiful Los Angeles studios to reprise her role as JJ, who she first played when the show filmed in Australia.

Angela’s renowned work ethic, integrity and professionalism sees her regularly invited to interview the stars and creators of music, film and television all over the world. Her extensive list of celebrity interviews includes Audrey Hepburn, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Drew Barrymore, Angelina Jolie, Susan Sarandon, Jack Nicholson, Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Robin Williams, Elton John, Rihanna, Britney Spears and Mick Jagger.

Angela can be seen covering the major red carpet events around the world including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. She is also called upon by movie companies to host Australian premieres and media conferences.

Angela joined Network 10 as a general news reporter in 1989 and in 1994, she was appointed 10’s Entertainment Reporter. As well as filing stories for 10 News First, Angela regularly reported on Good Morning Australia with TV legend Bert Newton, and in 1998 became one of the founding cast members of The Panel.

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Deborra-lee Furness

Renée Carter

Alfre Woodard

Nicole Warne

Nia Vardalos

Jack Thompson

Lisa Sthalekar

Meg Ryan

Marie Osmond

John O’Neill

Brad Murphy

Mark Nixon

Dr Shellie Morris

Hugh Jackman

Catherine McDonnell

Mariska Hargitay

Emily Hikaiti

Ellia Green

Sandra Sully

Tom Imbesi

Phoebe Garland

Louise Ransome

Zufi Emerson

Daniella Park

Sallianne Deckert

Helen McCabe

Paul Chandler

Joel de Carteret

Joe Hildebrand

Dr. Tom Bourdon

Latika Bourke

Helen Baker

Bianca Dye

Jonah Bobongie

Eric Bailey

Melissa Doyle

Victoria Buchan

Dr Jane Aronson

Angela Bishop