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Executive Director, Fifteen Foundation (Australia)

Peter Brown is the Executive Director of Fifteen Foundation (Australia).  Initially established by Jamie Oliver in the UK, the Fifteen Foundation is an innovative not-for-profit charity, with a mission to take in disadvantaged, marginalised and unemployed young people and provide them with training opportunities in a structured and supportive environment within the restaurant industry.  Fifteen is now regarded as one of the most successful social enterprises in the world, with restaurants in London, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Melbourne. 

Peter Brown has a strong history of working in community based organisations. Prior to joining Fifteen Foundation, he was the CEO of The People and Parks Foundation, a national charity established to connect people to the natural environment in order to improve human health and wellbeing, and build a stronger relevance of parks in people's lives.  

Before moving to The People and Parks Foundation Peter was the General Manager of the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, an animal welfare charity that runs the largest animal hospital in Australia, providing quality animal care to people of limited financial means.  Although the Lort Smith Animal Hospital is an animal welfare organisation, it also has a significant social welfare agenda. 

Prior to taking up his position at Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Peter was Lecturer in Wildlife and Park Management at Deakin University for sixteen years.  Peter was the inaugural co-ordinator of the Park Management degree program at Deakin University, developing the Bachelor of Park Management, in close collaboration with Parks Victoria.  

Peter's partner Annie Volkering (WCLP 2006) is Deputy General Manager (Parks) for Parks Victoria. The couple has two young children, Nicholas and Madeleine.  Peter's interests include fly fishing, fly tying, natural history, camping, photography, reading and not surprisingly food. 

Peter Brown talks about:

Using his extensive experience in the not for profit sector, Peter Brown delivers passionate presentations about the strategies Fifteen Foundation uses to engage very marginalized youths with a myriad of problems in training.

Peter Brown's expertise and dedication to social welfare has been highly recognised.  He is a: Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP 2004) (Leadership Victoria)  Chairman of the indigenous health charity AMRRIC (Animal Management in Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities), Deputy Chairman of the environmental education charity the Gould Group, Nominated Category Judge for the Banksia Environmental Foundation Awards, Judge for the Victoria Regional Achievement & Community Awards, Judge of the Premiere's Sustainability Awards (Community Award), Member of Museum of Victoria's Animal Ethics Committee, Member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), Member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Reintroduction Specialist Group - Oceania Region,  and former Chairman of the Committee of Chairs of Animal Ethics Committees (a committee established by the Victorian Bureau of Animal Welfare, Department of Primary Industries).