SoFA Board

Mr. Paul Coronel
Director, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Commerce, prev Member of Society of CPAs

Paul has 40 years’ experience in a variety of roles and industry sectors; originally a construction engineer in the heavy industrial sector, then a profit centre manager for an Australian multinational in the building material sector, then a consultant, manager, and partner in major professional service firms PA Australia and Ernst & Young, delivering performance improvement and corporate rescue services to private industry and government. 

Founded Benchmarking PLUS, a specialist professional services firm, in 1998.

Joined NEM Australasia in 2011 as a partner.

Appointed SoFA Board 2005.

David Buxbaum
Director, BS (Math/Business), MBA
Contact person by email

David Buxbaum is a Sydney-based consultant to the non-profit industry. Since entering the non-profit field in 2000, David has directed the finances and operations of several non-profit organizations during periods of transition. Prior to 2000, David worked in investment banking for 15 years with postings in New York, London and Melbourne, focusing on the biotech and health care industries. David has an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a BS in Math/Business from Wake Forest University.

David joined the SoFA Board in 2012.

Sebastian Rosenberg
Director, Bachelor Arts (ANU), Master of Public Administration (Uni of Canberra), PhD Candidate (University of Sydney)
Contact person by email

From 2005 to 2009 Sebastian was Deputy CEO of the Mental Health Council of Australia. Prior to this Sebastian had 17 years experience in Commonwealth and ACT Health Departments including at Parliament House. Since 2008, Sebastian has worked as a Senior Lecturer at the Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney and is currently undertaking a PhD focusing on the development of a National Mental Health Report Card.

Sebastian was an expert facilitator to the NSW Taskforce in 2011 to establish a Mental Health Commission and is a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Prevention and Community Health Care Committee and the Sydney University Health Policy Network.

Senior Lecturer, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney

Associate, Menzies Centre for Health Policy

Associate, ConNetica Consulting

SoFA Board member since 2012.

Ms. Elizabeth Gillies
Director, General Manager, Centre for Ethical Leadership, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne; BComm (Melb); Grad Dip (Management) (VU); Masters Public Policy (Deakin)

Liz Gillies has had over 20 years of experience in a range of fields that complement the grant making process, including positions at multinational corporation Hoechst Australia, the Victorian Farmers Federation, Deakin University and the Parliament of Victoria.  Areas of expertise include public relations, industrial relations, lobbying and advocacy, senior management and strategic planning roles in higher education and prior to joining the HMS Group, three years as political advisor to a state politician.

Liz is an active member of the Agora, a Victorian Think Tank established to foster collaborative partnerships between the government, corporate and the not-for-profit sector and was an appointee to the Victorian Government’s Strategic Framework on Mentoring for Young People Expert Reference Group.

Appointed to SoFA Board 2008. 

Also Board Member of Uniting Care Community Options, Board Member of Public Galleries Association of Victoria, and Member of the Development Committee of the Towards a Just Society Fund.

Dr. Clare Harding
Chair, Bachelor of Arts (double honours, University of Otago), Master of Studies (Oxford University), Doctor of Philosophy (Oxford University)

Clare was a co-founder and director of a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organisation, the aim of which was to run ethical business enterprises and to return all net profits to the community. Clare therefore brings to the SoFA Board several years’ experience in bringing together the small business and community sectors within a social entrepreneurial framework.

Appointed Board member of SoFA 2008, Director The Number 8 Group Ltd, 2006-2008.

Appointed Chair of SoFA Board 2011.

Clare has also worked as a management consultant with McKinsey and Company, and as Project Director of Strategic Projects in Victoria's Department of Health.

Caroline Crosse
Executive Director
Contact person by email

Caroline has worked in the field of rehabilitation and employment support for people with a mental illness for 25 years and was very involved in the introduction of the Clubhouse model of psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation to Australia.

Caroline was the co-founder of Social Firms Australia which commenced operations in 2005

"SoFA’s visits to the site and their interviews with employees and support workers have provided us with a better insight into managing employee’s reactions to work related instructions and situations."
Momentum Personnel
“When unemployed young people find jobs their mental health improves”
Morrell S, Taylor R, Quine S, et al. A cohort study of unemp
"…mental disorders are the largest source of disability and the third largest source of burden (exceeded only by cardiovascular disease and cancer) in Australia"
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/.../r

Social Firms Australia ltd
ABN: 90 110 698 489

10/49 Smith St Fitzroy Vic 3065
P: 03 9445 0373 F: 03 9445 0375