James Toomey
CEO
Social Ventures Australia
SOCIAL IMPACT JUROR
James Toomey is Chief Executive Officer at Social Ventures Australia, Australia’s most innovative social impact organisation. Most recently he was a Deputy Secretary in NSW Department of Communities and Justice and prior to that CEO of Mission Australia. He is motivated by the possibility that human service systems can create the conditions for people to change their lives. James’ experience is that maladapted systems can trap people and communities in dependency, and he seeks to challenge the complacency that leads to that.
He has a strong track record of leading and initiating collaborative projects such as The Possibility Partnership, The Constellation Project and the End Street Sleeping Collaboration. As a qualified social worker, he has worked in the front line of child protection and youth justice in the UK.
James has qualifications and experience over an extensive social sector career focussed on delivering impactful services in the UK and Australia. He holds an MSc in Social Work, and an MBA and is a GAICD, and has sat on a number of non-profit boards.