Peter Brown

Formerly Executive Director, Fifteen Foundation (Australia)

Currently Executive Director, Save The Children Fund

Initially established by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in the UK, the Fifteen Foundation (Australia) is a unique and innovative not-for-profit charity, whose mission is to take in disadvantaged, marginalised and unemployed young people and provide them with training opportunities in a structured and supportive environment within the restaurant industry. Fifteen provides our young people with a unique opportunity to develop sustainable futures as the next generation of awesome young chefs, by giving them as good a start in the hospitality industry as is possible, inspiring in them a passion for and knowledge of great locally grown Victorian produce and an understanding of the hard work, passion and dedication it takes to become a great chef. Fifteen is now regarded as one of the highest profile and most successful social enterprises in the world, with restaurants in London, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Melbourne.

 
Peter Brown is formerly  the Executive Director of Fifteen Foundation (Australia). Initially established by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in the UK, the Fifteen Foundation is an innovative not-for-profit charity, whose mission is to take in disadvantaged, marginalised and unemployed young people and provide them with training opportunities in a structured and supportive environment within the restaurant industry. Fifteen is now regarded as one of the most successful social enterprises in the world, with restaurants in London, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Melbourne.

Peter has had extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, having served as both a Board member and as an executive. Prior to coming to Fifteen Peter was the CEO of The People and Parks Foundation, a national charity established to connect people to the natural environment in order to improve human health and wellbeing, and build a stronger relevance of parks in people’s lives.

Before moving to The People and Parks Foundation Peter was the General Manager of the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, an animal welfare charity that runs the largest animal hospital in Australia, providing quality animal care to people of limited financial means. Although the Lort Smith Animal Hospital is an animal welfare organisation it also has a significant social welfare agenda.

Prior to taking up his position at Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Peter was Lecturer in Wildlife and Park Management at Deakin University for sixteen years. Peter was the inaugural co-ordinator of the Park Management degree program at Deakin University, developing the Bachelor of Park Management, in close collaboration with Parks Victoria.

Peter's partner Annie Volkering is General Manager (Sustainable Infrastructure) for Parks Victoria, and they have two young children, Nicholas and Madeleine. Peter's interests include fly fishing, fly tying, natural history, camping, photography, reading and not surprisingly food.

Peter is a:
Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP 2004) (Leadership Victoria), Chairman of the indigenous health charity AMRRIC (Animal Management in Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities), Member of Museum Victoria’s Animal Ethics Committee, Member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), Member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Reintroduction Specialist Group – Oceania Region, Nominated Category Judge for the Banksia Environmental Foundation Awards, Judge for the Victoria Regional Achievement & Community Awards, Judge of the Premiere’s Sustainability Awards (Community Award), and former Chairman of the Committee of Chairs of Animal Ethics Committees (a committee established by the Victorian Bureau of Animal Welfare, Department of Primary Industries).

Peter shall be speaking at Make An Impact on Saturday afternoon