Elaine Henry OAM

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Elaine Henry OAM

Chair, National Breast Cancer Foundation

Non Executive Director, CEDA

Non Executive Director, Public Interest Journalism Foundation

Director, Australian Government's Financial Literacy Board

Chair, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

Current Positions

Chair, National Breast Cancer Foundation

Non Executive Director, CEDA

Non Executive Director, Public Interest Journalism Foundation

Director, Australian Government's Financial Literacy Board

Chair, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

Previous Positions

Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Council (NSW)

Chief Executive Officer, The Smith Family

Elaine Henry has been the Chief Executive of two iconic Australian non-profit organisations over the last 25 years, initially with the Cancer Council (NSW) which developed from a small statutory authority into a world acclaimed cancer control agency.

She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1994 and a Doctorate of Letters from the University of NSW in 2006 for her eminent service to the community and community health, particularly her contribution to the control of breast cancer.

From 1997 until the end of 2010, Elaine was CEO of The Smith Family where she led a major transformation of the organisation, which was founded in 1922, to use the power of education to disrupt the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

During her career, Elaine has sought to influence public policy development by working on numerous and diverse Committees and Boards at the state, national and international levels and this work has continued since she stepped down from her executive role at the end of 2010.

She now serves on more than ten Boards/Committees in the non-profit and government sectors including the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, which has a membership of over 1500 organisations.

Her interests in the health and wellbeing of our nation are reflected in her membership of the Advisory Boards of the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Global Foundation both of which have a focus on measuring Australia’s economic performance and social progress.

Elaine has received many awards for her work; in 2009 she was honoured by Research Australia with their Lifetime Achievement Award. She was recognised as one of the Australian Financial Review’s BOSS True Leaders in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

Elaine is a member of Chief Executive Women, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Social Ventures Australia. She continues to present on leadership and social innovation in particular, and to comment on contemporary issues in the media as she has done for over 30 years. For the past five years, Elaine has been an Australia Day Ambassador.