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Through ​my research and board and advisory work with nonprofits, startups, and government, I help organizations and policymakers address today's social challenges.
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Skills & expertise
 
Informed by my scholarly, board, and executive background, I offer skills in business strategy, revenue diversification, and stakeholder engagement to support organizations in achieving growth and impact through innovation. ​​​
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My experience includes building commercially viable digital and physical audiences, developing nonprofit sustainability, and scaling startups.​​
 

In my teaching and research, I draw from a varied academic, board and executive career in four countries across three continents. This background is underpinned by postgraduate qualifications in governance and business, undergraduate degrees in literary studies and accountancy, and a teaching diploma in drama,

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Teaching experience

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  • Guest Lecturer, The University of Texas at Austin, United States

  • Guest Lecturer, UC Berkeley, United States

  • Head Judge, Australian Marketing Institute, Australia

  • ACT Government Board Traineeship Mentor, Australia

  • Mentor, UChicago, United States

  • NutraSweet Sponsor and Advisor of the UChicago New Product Lab,  United States

  • Debating Coach, Marsden High School, New Zealand

 

Research experience

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  • Honorary Industry Fellow, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

  • Three scholarly papers published and one under submission, all conducted during my PhD studies

  • Editorial Board Member of Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

  • Member of the Alliance for Social Impact and of the Trust, Ethics, and Governance Alliance at The University of Queensland, Australia

  • Board Representative at sector conferences (conference write ups and board presentations), Australia

  • Management Consultant, Sarah Richardson Consulting Pty Ltd, Australia

  • Commissioning of consumer research, United States, France, Australia 

  • Government Researcher (Health, Transport, Education x2 summer internships), New Zealand​​​

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About my consultancy

 

​Established in early 2004, my boutique agency provides management, marketing, and sales consulting for small to medium sized organizations in nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors. The consultancy offers business advice to boards and executives who may not have a full-time senior marketer, sales manager, or HR professional, or who are looking for an objective outside review.

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Current positions

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  • Director, Sarah Richardson Consulting Pty Ltd

  • Editorial Board Member, Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

  • Industry Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

  • AusCam Freedom Project Board Chair

  • Charley's Chocolate Advisory Board Member

  • Victoria University of Wellington Regional Ambassador & Committee Chair

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Previous governance roles

 

Start ups & government

  • ProPortion Foods Advisory Board Member

  • First Vintage Director​

  • Northern Beaches Council Audit/Risk/Improvement Committee Member

  • ACT Public Cemeteries & Crematoria Director & Audit/Governance Committee Member

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Nonprofits & community organizations

I have also been a board member and/or served on a committee spanning governance/nominations, strategy/policy, finance/risk, marketing/fundraising, and people/culture in a variety of nonprofits over the last decade. These include Community Options Australia, Australian Institute of Architects , Omnia Inclusive Australia, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, UniSport Australia, Judo Federation of Australia, Parkinson's Australia, Ethics Centre, Workability, and the Australian Association of National Advertisers.

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And I was a University of Chicago global mentor and founded the Alumni Club of Perth and served on the Rotary Fundraising Committee & Website Marketing Committee.

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​Memberships

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  • Australian Institute of Company Directors (Fellow, GAICD)

  • Governance Institute of Australia (Fellow)

  • Women on Boards (WOBsx Adjunct Chair)

  • Australian Marketing Institute (Fellow, CPM, Awards Judge)

  • Australian Fulbright Alumni Association

  • NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants (past)

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Qualifications

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  • PhD, Business, The University of Queensland, Australia

  • Nonprofit Performance Measurement, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA

  • Company Directors Diploma, Australian Institute of  Company Directors, Australia

  • MBA (honours), Strategy/Marketing/Finance, The    University of Chicago Booth School of Business, USA

  • BCA, Business/Accounting, Victoria University of  Wellington, NZ

  • BA, Literary Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ

  • CPA Diploma & CMA Diploma, Institute of Chartered Accountants, NZ

  • Teacher’s Drama Diploma, Trinity College, UK

Executive highlights

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  • 25 years of general management, strategic planning, and commercial experience in nonprofits and for-profits in Australia, France (with Scandinavian and North American responsibility), the United States, and New Zealand

  • Nonprofit leadership roles as Wesley Mission Head of Digital and Ethics Centre Head of Marketing & Communications

  • As a Perth newcomer, built consulting networks from ground up through target marketing, professional associations’ involvement, differentiation, and customised service; and created a successful boutique business with diverse clients, high return, and revenue stream in a downturn​

  • Personal involvement in turnaround from Voluntary Administration through new company ownership to sustained strong profitability and revenue growth as Head of Commercial at a medium sized family owned importer and producer of craft products distributing to many small retailers and large chain stores across Australia

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