Wendy Scaife has two signs on her door. One says, ‘Tell me, what is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ (Mary Oliver). The other reads, ‘Life is an adventure in giving’ (Anon).
Perhaps they explain why Wendy has been involved in the non-profit and philanthropy sector for more than three decades.
As leader of QUT’s long serving teaching and research centre for the community sector, Wendy has researched the many ways that people give, especially in a planned versus spontaneous way – and why people do and don’t give. She serves on philanthropic grants committees and international research boards and heads the Judging Chair of the national Workplace Giving Awards. Wendy led the Management Committee of a local community organisation for more than a decade and was also CEO of a health non-profit. She was honoured this year to receive Fundraising Institute Australia’s inaugural Arthur Venn Lifetime Achievement Award for consistent excellence and best practice through actions, leadership and intellect.
