FGII x LEAF Network joint session (June 2025)

Donna Loveridge - Director, Impact Strategy and Evaluation, Latitude15

Donna Loveridge works with investors, philanthropy, businesses and governments to design and implement impact strategies and evaluations and strengthen monitoring and evaluation / impact measurement and management capabilities.

With interests in inclusive and sustainable economies and finance, Donna has worked across a wide range of initiatives globally from impact investing, entrepreneurship and investment readiness, systems change, enterprise development and investment / business enabling environments. 

She holds a Doctor of Education in program evaluation, is a member of the Australian and American evaluation associations and currently also works part-time at the University of Melbourne researching stewardship and sustainable finance.

Lauren O’Shaughnessy - Global Director of Impact, Macquarie Group Foundation

Lauren O’Shaughnessy is passionate about making an impact through philanthropy and has spent nearly 20 years working in the philanthropic sector for corporate foundations at Macquarie Group, Clayton Utz and AMP, and in the not-for-profit sector at MS Research Australia.

Lauren is currently Global Director of Impact for the Macquarie Group Foundation and is responsible for measuring the social impact of the Foundation’s global grantmaking and social impact investing activities and leading the Foundation’s efforts around becoming a more equitable grantmaker. Outside of work, Lauren is Deputy Chair of Milk Crate Theatre and is a Raise Foundation youth mentor.

Liz Branigan - Director, Knowledge and Practice, Philanthropy Australia

Liz leads Philanthropy Australia’s Knowledge & Practice portfolio. She has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of a purposeful, evidence-based, whole of organisation approach to Philanthropy Australia’s members’ professional development and learning.

Liz also occupies the complimentary role of Program Manager of the Learning & Evaluation for Australian Funders (LEAF) network – a collaborative national initiative to build the measurement, evaluation and learning capability of Australian funder organisations. In this role she designs and delivers evaluation capability building activities that empower funders to evaluate their social impact, partner investments, grant programs, and sustainability.

Liz is an award-winning adult educator and researcher, with 25+ years of leadership expertise in the higher education, VET and for-purpose sectors. She is a skilled facilitator and curriculum expert, specialising in capability development. She has a PhD in social anthropology, two post-graduate qualifications in education, and a Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy – as recognition of her global impact in professional learning. She is a passionate, experienced Board Director, including being one of the founders of The Luke Batty Foundation.

Michelle Di Fabio - Program Director for the Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII), Philanthropy Australia

Michelle leads the Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII) at Philanthropy Australia. The FGII launched in 2023, is designed to support market-building initiatives for foundations and charitable funders interested in starting or currently undertaking impact investing.

Michelle is experienced in strategy, program delivery, education and impact investing. Michelle has held roles including Head of Strategy for Hostplus Superannuation, Relationship Manager for the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and is the Founder and Director of Strategic Global Advisory (SGA).
Michelle is passionate about education and collaboration, and a lecturer in Impact Investing (Sustainable Investment) at The University of Melbourne.
Michelle qualified as a Chartered Accountant at PwC and is an alumnus of The University of Melbourne, University of Manchester and Oxford University, where she was awarded a leadership scholarship to study the Social Impact Investing Programme at the SAID Business School. Michelle is a board member of Dodgeball Australia, National student body Financial Management Association of Australia (FMAA) and former Alumni Deputy Chair at The University of Melbourne.