Family Foundations Peer Network (May 2025)

Carl Nilsson-Polias - Program Manager, Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation

Carl is the Program Manager for Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation, where he has overseen arts and culture funding and mental health funding for the last four years. He comes to philanthropy after many years as an artist and administrator in theatre, working for companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre. He is currently completing an Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School and is a board member of Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership.

Paul Wheelton AM KSJ - Managing Director- Wheelton Group of Companies

Paul started life in Kyogle Queensland in 1956 as the youngest of 4 children.  His parents, who were “10 pound Poms” understood the value of education and borrowed the money to send him to a private school.

While at University he started part time work under the guidance and watchful eye of Bob Ansett, the founder of Budget Rent a Car. Paul worked his way up through the company and was Chief Accountant and Group Manager for Administration and Finance for the Budget Corporation over a 13 year period. For the last 30 years he has been Managing Director and owner of one of the largest Budget Rent a Car Franchise Group in Australia.

15 years ago, with the knowledge that he had built a strong and loyal management team, he moved into the charitable field and now spends the majority of his time working in the “Not for Profit” sector.

Paul was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 2009 for his active contribution to a range of children’s charities, and was further admitted as a Member of the Order and Inducted as a Knight of St John of Jerusalem (KSJ) in 2017 for his Philanthropic work. The latter in relation to The Northern Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Claire Mannion - Foundation Manager, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation

Claire is currently Foundation Manager at VFFF where she works with the Fairfax family and the team to support organisations and individuals who are Backing Young People, primarily in rural and regional communities. 

Prior to joining VFFF in 2020, Claire's career spanned management consulting, the not-for-profit sector, and most recently, corporate philanthropy. She held philanthropic roles with the Fossil Foundation, Perpetual, the icare foundation, and Macquarie Group Foundation.

Claire grew up in country NSW and has taken the opportunity to live, study, and work in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Hong Kong. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting/Commercial Law) and a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from the University of Sydney.

Minna Boyle - Foundation Manager, Jaramas Foundation

Minna is the Foundation Manager at her family's foundation, Jaramas Foundation, which was set up by her parents in 2008 and has a primary focus on climate and nature. With a background in law and business operations, Minna took on the role at her family's foundation last year and has been working to formalise the foundation's strategy and engage her 3 younger siblings more deeply in the process.

Jess Perrin - Foundation Director, Eureka Benevolent Foundation

Jess Perrin is the inaugural Foundation Director of the Eureka Benevolent Foundation (EBF), a family foundation established in 2007 by Belinda Hutchinson and Roger Massy-Greene. EBF focuses on early childhood and education, and on disadvantage in the developing world, seeking to influence and empower lasting change. The foundation’s strategy is to give a small number of larger, long-term grants to support catalytic change in our focus areas. 

Jess is a seasoned partnerships and philanthropy executive, with over 18 years’ experience delivering social impact programs globally. Her career has spanned for purpose organisations, the private sector and the United Nations. Most recently, as Head of Social Innovation and Digital Inclusion at Infoxchange, and prior to that as Head of Global Programs at the Thomson Reuters Foundation in London. She holds a Masters of International Communications and Development from the City University of London and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ingrid Albert - Executive Director, Alberts/The Tony Foundation

Ingrid is executive director and member of the fifth generation at Alberts, a 139-year old family business backing pioneers to create a vibrant and sustainable future for all. She leads Alberts philanthropic arm, The Tony Foundation, which partners with pioneers harnessing the transformative power of music to improve life outcomes of young Australians. 

The Foundation embraces a responsible investment approach across its corpus through multiple investment strategies including positive and negative screens, stewardship, impact investing, and catalytic capital.

Ingrid also manages Alberts marketing, with a focus on leadership and advocacy initiatives, and is involved with Impact Ventures, investing in early-stage start-ups addressing equality, healthy minds, sustainable environment, and vibrant culture – four impact themes incorporated across Alberts operations.

Prior to Alberts, she built her strategy and marketing career working locally and internationally in Switzerland and Dubai for FMCG company CPW (a joint venture between Nestle and General Mills). An Alberts board director and Foundation investment committee member, Ingrid is a graduate of AICD and a committee member of Philanthropy Australia’s Foundations Group for Impact Investing.

As the Director of Engagement for NSW and ACT, Bella leads strategic engagement efforts with members, fostering collaboration across the region. She is deeply passionate about the philanthropic and not-for-profit sectors and serves as a Board Observer for the Australian Endometriosis Foundation (formerly known as Endo Articles). 

Bella is also an active member of NEXUS, a global community of emerging philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and allies from over 70 countries, dedicated to enhancing philanthropy and social change.