Charity council leader joins guest speakers

One of the nation's most powerful figures in the charity organisation sector is set to make an appearance at a nonprofit marketing event to be held in Melbourne.

The chair of the federal government's Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council Linda Lavarch will be a key guest speaker at the inaugural Third Sector Expo 2012, to be hosted at the Hilton on the Park from April 6.

As a research fellow at the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS) at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Lavarch has a long history with charity organisations and the issues they face in delivering support to the community.

The ACPNS was the first fully accredited member of the Nonprofit Academic Centres Council - an organisation that is dedicated to the promotion of research and education in the fields of philanthropy.

As such, Lavarch's association with both the research centre and its strong industry ties place her in a position to deliver nonprofit managers with some sterling advice on technological developments, business environments and the new legislative changes that will shape the sector for years to come.

The former politician also served as Queensland's first female attorney-general and currently heads the boards of a number of nonprofit organisations - including the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation and the Coast2Bay Housing Group.

Her presentation at the Third Sector Expo 2012 will focus primarily on the current challenges faced by the industry as a whole and will include time for discussions on the future direction that charities and community groups will need to take in order to flourish.

With unparalleled insight into the likely impact of the Australian Taxation Office's decision on delivering a unified definition of 'charity' for corporate purposes, attendees are sure to leave the session with a better understanding of the future of the nonprofit sector.

In addition to this eminent speaker, the exhibition has also confirmed the attendance of internationally renowned nonprofit expert Dr John Brothers.

The senior fellow of Executive Leadership at the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, Brothers has over 20 years of experience in guiding the policies and procedures of both local and national philanthropic organisations.

Also a published author, the professor has applied his considerable knowledge on how community groups and charities can remain flexible and adapt to changes in economic circumstances and technology developments.

The combination of these two eminent experts in nonprofit strategy makes the Third Sector Expo 2012 an important event for charity professionals across the board.