After an extensive nationwide search, the Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation Board of Directors is very pleased to announce the appointment of Renée Coffey as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation.

Renée comes to us from the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation – Australia’s largest scholarship program – where she was Deputy CEO. She is an accomplished leader with more than 15 years’ experience leading complex not for profits; complemented by an additional seven years in the public service.

When we asked Renée what attracted her to Kookaburra Kids, she explained that she is passionate about empowering young people with the skills and knowledge needed to build the lives they want and has spent most of her career working hard to offer those opportunities. Renée continued, “I am incredibly excited to be joining Kookaburra Kids following our 20th anniversary and a few years into the national expansion of this transformative program. Having spent the last 13 years working to support and enable the expansion of another, high-quality national charity – I am excited to be able to use my skills to take the important services of Kookaburra Kids to even more young people across Australia. I look forward to working with AKKF’s funding partners, phenomenal senior leaders, the talented broader team and an army of dedicated volunteers.”

Kookaburra Kids Board Chair Patricia Reid shared, “Renée brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience to Kookaburra Kids including extensive experience in policy, fundraising, organisational change and risk management together with proven successful growth leadership experience. We are thrilled to be able to announce this appointment and look forward to Renée joining the organisation on April 19, 2023”.

Please join us in welcoming Renée to Kookaburra Kids to lead the next chapter of the organisation’s growth. We are planning opportunities for our valued stakeholders to meet Renée over the coming months and would like to take this opportunity to thank our wider team, especially those who donate financial assistance and volunteer their time to create positive mental health outcomes for the growing cohort of young people benefitting from our programs.