Our team

Simon Freeman is the Chief Executive Officer of the Judith Neilson Foundation and the Judith Neilson Family Office. Simon has over 15 years’ experience across philanthropy and private family offices, and has been closely involved in the formation, management, and strategic development of a number of major Australian foundations, including four years as the inaugural CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

During his time in philanthropy, he has overseen the allocation of over $350m worth of funding commitments to a range of causes. A Chartered Accountant, Simon moved to Australia from the UK in 2004 while working for Deloitte and has worked for a variety of financial institutions in the banking and investment management industry. He is also a volunteer Director of Whitebox Enterprises, a leader in the development of large-scale jobs-focused social enterprises in Australia.

Upenyu Mawande oversees partnership and program management for the Judith Neilson Foundation’s Southern Africa portfolio. Passionate about improving the lives of the world’s poor and addressing systemic inequity, she brings over 16 years’ experience in team leadership and program management within the international aid, development, and not-for-profit sectors.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Upenyu leverages her cross-cultural experience to design, implement and assure the quality of programs in over 46 African, Asian, Pacific and Latin American countries. These programs span resilience and livelihoods, climate adaptation, gender, education, peace and protection, health, and WASH, ranging from small projects to large multi-country, multi-stakeholder initiatives across emergency response and long-term development. Upenyu has worked with over 300 partner organisations and served on committees for international development peak bodies in Australia and New Zealand. She is currently the co-chair of the Australian International Development Network advisory committee and a voluntary board member of Plan International Australia.

Candice looks after the Foundation’s partnerships and programs in Australia, fostering relationships with individuals and organisations working to address critical issues facing marginalised women and girls. Candice has spent over 15 years working in impact driven roles, spanning the not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors in Australia, and the European Union’s External Action Service in China.

Born in Mexico to Belgian parents, Candice grew up in the US and Belgium, and has lived and worked in six countries across four continents. With master’s degrees in law and human rights, her career has been guided by a passion for social justice and sustainable development. Candice believes in taking the time to listen deeply and find common ground. She sees her role as being essentially a bridge builder, in the belief and understanding that tackling big issues in a complex world cannot be done in isolation.

Titus brings 17 years of experience in international development, with extensive leadership experience in designing and managing multi-country programs through their cycle. He has a strong background in developing regional and global influencing strategies, capacity development initiatives, and conducting research and evaluation of projects. He brings expertise in economic policy, natural resources economics and governance, climate change, and social policy.

In his most recent role, Titus served as acting Director of Programs at Open Society Foundations (OSF) where he developed a new program focused on Resource Futures. Prior to this, he was Division Director at OSF Africa, overseeing economic and social equity programs across the continent, from Johannesburg and later Dakar. He has also held roles at Oxfam, Transparency International, UNFPA, and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Based in Sydney, Titus champions locally led initiatives and works to advance educational and economic equity, environmental stewardship, and community development programs, aligning with the Foundation’s mission in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abi leads the Judith Neilson Foundation’s innovation portfolio. She is focused on communities and organisations working to create more equal, more joyful, more empowered society – one that works for people and planet. Abi has spent a decade at the intersection of innovation, philanthropy, international and locally-led social change. She has worked across Australia, sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Asia, in roles in the public, private and third sectors.

Abi is motivated by work that makes a difference to the lives of others – whether that’s Sydneysiders or Londoners, people in need of humanitarian assistance, communities experiencing inequality and poverty, or entrepreneurs and innovators. Her publications include: Managing Humanitarian Innovation: The Cutting Edge of Aid; How to Scale: Tactics to enable the Adoption of Innovation; and contribution to a definitive political study, the Great British Election of 2015. Abi lives in Sydney and loves to travel, to run and learning to look after her garden.

As Chief Operating Officer at the Judith Neilson Foundation, Peter has overall responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the organisation as it embarks upon an ambitious phase of growth. With extensive experience in planning and executing risk-aware growth strategies, Peter brings expertise from his work within the financial services, asset management and startup innovation ecosystems.

Peter has led business performance monitoring and assessment across six continents, driven continuous improvement initiatives across the Asia Pacific region, and helped unite a global ecosystem of capital allocators from 96 countries to accelerate social and environmental impact. Peter is passionate about problem solving and presenting new strategic initiatives to founders and executive teams, to help bring impact strategies to life. Peter believes that capital, people, creative thinking and a bias for action can drive exponential impact for people and planet.

Rosie Makepeace oversees communications, strategic planning, and coordination to ensure the Foundation’s initiatives are aligned, effective, and impactful. With over 18 years of experience in international development and strategic communications, Rosie has worked on programs focused on governance, inclusive economic growth, and social equity across Asia, the Pacific, Africa, and Australia.

She has worked closely with governments, communities, and donors to deliver initiatives that drive meaningful change and strengthen systems. Rosie brings a deep commitment to collaboration and strategic engagement, supporting the Foundation’s efforts deliver sustainable and measurable outcomes.

Jade is a Program Officer in the East Africa portfolio at the Judith Neilson Foundation. She has experience in philanthropic fundraising within the non-profit sector, focusing on locally-led projects that build resilience to crises and climate change. At ActionAid Australia, Jade collaborated with local partners and Australian networks to secure funds that supported women’s leadership in emergency preparedness and response across the Pacific, Asia and Africa.

Jade serves as Secretary to the Board of the Nusa Tenggara Association, supporting rural farming communities in Indonesia with initiatives in income generation, education, WASH and capacity building. Passionate about gender equity and peace building, Jade is dedicated to exploring how strategic philanthropic giving can drive systems change contributing to a world where all can thrive. Jade’s working languages include French and English.

Sascha is a Program Officer in the Innovation & Ideas portfolio at the Judith Neilson Foundation. Passionate about social justice, equal opportunity, and sustainable solutions, she works closely with partners, beneficiaries and teams to drive meaningful change and strengthen systems.

Previously at the Minderoo Foundation, Sascha worked on diverse initiatives, including centring human rights in artificial intelligence development, advocating for the eradication of modern slavery, addressing humanitarian crises, supporting fire and flood affected communities in Australia, and enhancing First Nations entrepreneurship and employment opportunities. Sascha brings empathy, curiosity, and enthusiasm to her role, contributing to the Foundation’s mission of uplifting vulnerable communities.

Nitol is a Program Officer in the Australia Program portfolio at the Judith Neilson Foundation. Born and raised in Bangladesh, Nitol has over eight years of experience in the development and humanitarian sectors, working with social enterprises, NGOs, the UN, and diplomatic mission. She brings expertise in program management, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting.

In her recent role at the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh, Nitol managed aid and non-aid programs funded by the Australian Government, contributing to social development and economic growth. Previously, she supported the Rohingya Humanitarian Response in Cox’s Bazar, focusing on women’s empowerment, primary education, and skills development through locally-led solutions. With a strong academic background in development studies and a commitment to equity, Nitol is dedicated to advancing the Foundation’s mission of empowering disadvantaged women and girls to thrive and contribute to a just society.

Nicoletta is a Program Officer in the Southern Africa portfolio at the Judith Neilson Foundation. With over four years of experience in international development, she has contributed to community development programs across sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific, spanning diverse fields including environmental health, maternal, neonatal, and sexual and reproductive health, social justice, education, and gender equity.

In her recent role at FREO2 Foundation, Nicoletta focused on maternal and neonatal health, addressing gaps in medical oxygen access to reduce infant and childhood respiratory mortality in low-resource settings. She gained expertise in program management, health system strengthening, and stakeholder engagement. Currently pursuing a Master of Global Health at the University of Sydney, Nicoletta is committed to addressing social determinants of health—such as gender equity, economic empowerment, and environmental stewardship—through locally led, community-designed solutions. She believes holistic, intersectional approaches are key to achieving equitable and sustainable progress in international development.