Board of Directors

Marty Gauvin - Chairperson

Marty Gauvin is the former Group Managing Director of Hostworks, a provider of critical application management services to a range of large media and online clients. For the past eight years Marty has also been involved in the assessment and structure of a range of Commonwealth Government innovation programs, including a review of the National Innovation System and membership of the committee administering venture capital programs. Marty joined the Inspire Board in August 2008 and brings a unique perspective on ways to foster, develop and reinforce innovation.

Mark Mentha - Chairman

Mark Mentha is Founder and Partner of KordaMentha, one of Australia’s leading specialists in business recovery and structuring. Prior to this, Mark enjoyed a 22-year career with Andersen. He has been a Director of Inspire since 2004, and has served as Chairman of the Board since November 2006.

John Doumani - Director

John Doumani is the Managing Director of Fonterra Australia and New Zealand. John's previous roles include President of Campbell’s/Arnott’s International, Managing Director of Meadow Lea Foods, and 13 years with Johnson & Johnson working in Australia, UK, Italy and the US, culminating in his role as Managing Director of Johnson and Johnson Pacific. John has been a Director of Inspire since September 2005.

Paul Gilding - Director

Paul Gilding is an independent advisor and commentator on business, sustainability and climate change. He was previously the CEO of Ecos Corporation and former Global Head of Greenpeace International. Paul is a Founding Director of Inspire and served as Chairman of the Board from January 2003 to November 2006.

David Gold - Director

David Gold is the CEO of Igloo Zoo Pty Ltd and has been an active entrepreneur in the technology space working with or founding companies such as Looksmart, dstore and Azure Wireless. Credited with being one of Australia's Internet pioneers, David has been a Director of Inspire since April 2000.

Jack Heath – Executive Director

Jack Heath is the Founder and Executive Director of Inspire. Prior to this, Jack worked in Government, including roles as a speechwriter to Federal Ministers and a Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Paul Keating. He was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to the community in 2003, received the Equity Trustees National Non Profit CEO Award for Innovation in 2004, was a NSW Finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards in 2005, and is the 2007 Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. He has been a Director of Inspire since 1997.

Jan Owen AM - Director

Jan Owen AM is the Executive Director of Social Ventures Australia. Prior to this, Jan was Founder and inaugural Chief Executive of the CREATE Foundation.  She has more than 25 years experience in the for purpose sector, including establishing and operating numerous organisations and cross-sectoral partnerships. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime (1996). Jan also serves on the Board of Social Firm Australia, the CREATE Foundation and the International Board of Advisors of the Medical Knowledge Foundation. Jan has been a Director of Inspire since 2003.

Matt O’Connor- Director

Matt O'Connor is a recent graduate of a Bachelor of Psychological Science and the youngest ever Director of the Inspire Foundation. Matt has been involved with Inspire for several years as a Youth Ambassador and has participated in a range of activities including a 3 week road trip to speak about Reach Out, presentations to schools, professionals and the public and interviews with both print and radio. He is extremely passionate about mental health promotion and the role of education as a preventative strategy for assisting young people’s mental health and well-being.

Elizabeth Shaw – Director

After serving as the Chair of the City of Perth Youth Advisory Council and leading several other youth organisations, Beth was selected to be Australia’s 2008 Youth Representative to the United Nations. Beth spent 5 months travelling around the country consulting with over 5,000 young people before presenting her findings at the UN General Assembly in New York. Beth currently works as a solicitor at the State Solicitor’s Office in Perth and is the Chair of Young UNIFEM Australia’s Perth Chapter, which is focused on engaging young people in gender and development issues.