Alex Fitzgerald

Director & Programs Coordinator

Alex first connected with the Magic Moments Foundation in 2006 as a volunteer with the Gold Coast Basket Brigade. Drawn by the incredible community spirit, she returned year after year, helping to pack hundreds of food baskets and deliver them to families overwhelmed with gratitude. After moving to Melbourne in 2014, Alex joined the Melbourne Basket Brigade committee, and since 2019 has led as head coordinator quadrupling the programs reach throughout Victoria. Together with a passionate team of volunteers, they now build and distribute up to 3,000 food hampers, wrap 2,500 children’s toys, and pack around 800 “Sleeping Rough” packs for those experiencing homelessness. 

Alex is a Development Director in the residential real estate sector and also leads as Chair of a progressive real estate organisation driving change in decarbonisation, housing attainability, and the development of future leaders. She brings a vibrant, people-first approach to everything she does, with an infectious energy and a firm belief that every detail matters and every person counts. Her passion for making a difference shines through in every challenge she takes on.

Simon Thurston

Director

Simon Thurston is the Chief Strategy Officer of The Youth Impact Foundation, where he leads the Organisational Development, Measurement, and Policy.

He has extensive experience in learning and development and organisational development and change. He previously worked as part of a Global Learning and Development team, having project managed, designed, and deployed both face-to-face and digital learning in over 15 languages and into over 75 countries. Simon has a comprehensive background in facilitation, having led corporate learning in four countries and countless coaching, train-the-trainer, and specialised workshops.

Simon is passionate about coaching and elevating others to reach their potential and facilitating opportunities for others to recognise the impact they can have on the world around them.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations, human resource management, and Geography with honours from the University of Waikato and a Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology from the University of Western Australia.

In his spare time, Simon enjoys reading, ultramarathon running, and playing board games with friends.

Tess Clifford

Director

Since 2010 Tess has held various commercial property roles working in institutional industrial, office and retail markets including ISPT, ESR, Colliers International and Coles Property.

Tess has a deep understanding of investment drivers and strategies to maximise asset value through development. Through her various roles, Tess has been involved with the full life cycle of high quality commercial property assets including acquisitions, investment management, and development.

Tess’ current role is with ISPT as Senior Development Manager Industrial working to oversee the development of prime grade logistics and warehousing within Victoria.

Tess currently sits on the Property Council of Australia Industrial and Logistics Committee – Victoria, Magic Moments Foundation Board, and is a co-chair of Melbourne Basket Brigade. Tess has been a key contribitor to Melbourne Basket Brigade since 2020.

Simone Neilsen

Treasury & Director

Simone Neilsen is a Chartered Accountant and senior finance professional with over a decade of experience across commercial finance, construction, business advisory and aged care.

Most recently, Simone was Commercial Finance Manager at Australian Unity, supporting large-scale aged care operations with financial governance, forecasting and performance oversight. Prior to this, she spent nearly six years at Probuild Constructions, progressing through senior management accounting roles to Group Financial Controller, where she was responsible for complex financial reporting, controls and executive-level decision support.

Alongside her professional career, Simone has been a long-standing volunteer and supporter of both the Brisbane Basket Brigade and Melbourne Basket Brigade, contributing her time and financial expertise to community-led initiatives supporting families doing it tough.

As Treasurer of Magic Moments Foundation, Simone brings strong financial discipline, transparency and commercial rigour to ensure the Foundation’s resources are well managed and directed to maximum community impact.

Cory Andrews

Previous Marketing Coordinator & Director 2007 – 2024

Cory first became involved with the Magic Moments Foundation back in 2003 when she, along with a small group of passionate like-minded friends, resurrected the Melbourne Basket Brigade. Their goal that year was to feed 50 families. By the end of a 42 degree sticky Melbourne day, one week before Christmas, they had fed over 110 families. From here she was hooked.

Since then Cory has coordinated the Melbourne Basket Brigade for 12 years and worked on the Event Managment Team for the Youth Program since its inception in 2009. In 2006 she took on the role of National Basket Brigade Coordinator and in 2007 was asked to chair the foundation, which she did through to 2015. 

With a Bachelor of Business (Marketing & International Trade) from Swinburne University and many years of working both in Australia and overseas for large through to small firms, Cory brings to the foundation not only a passion for the projects but a wealth of business experience which she is equally passionate about. As well as being a Director on the board of the Foundation, Cory currently runs 2 family businesses in the Animal Boarding Industry and is supported by a wonderful husband and an amazing young daughter.

 Sharon Finucan

Previous Director 2007 – 2024

Sharon is the driving force in Magic Moments Youth Development Programs. Passionate is an understatement for how Sharon feels about helping young people to realize their true potential and to be the best possible person they can be. She joined the Magic Moments Board in 2007 as our Youth Program Coordinator and is responsible for the fantastic program we have operating today.

She is a qualified and experienced trainer. As well as working in the training field, she mentors secondary school students who need a little assistance to find their way. As well as doing all this she finds time to run her own small business in retail and is supported by her wonderful husband.

Jules Bowden

Previous Director 1998-2024

Jules has been with Magic Moments almost since the start having joined the foundation in 1998, joining the Sydney Basket Brigade and on the board as a Director in 1999. She is passionate about helping to raise the conscious level of our planet through growth and contribution. Jules was the driving force behind the Sydney Basket Brigade from 1999 for six years. She moved into helping Australian Youth in 2001 with a vision that is now being achieved through the Youth Leadership and Business Summits. Our Grandies Gifting Program came about because she saw a need in the community and Jules is not the type of person to look the other way when someone is in need.

Jules is a prime example of walking your talk and an excellent role model – not just for young people. Professionally she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. Jules other passion (apart from her family) is her business. True Colours PEOPLE Solutions has reinvented the recruitment process, using a method which measures sub-conscious strengths, driving over 80% of behaviour, allowing the right people to be hired.

Jules has a background in Business Development, Host Beneficiary and Client Relationship Management, with a successful track record of over 20 years in sales, marketing and coaching. Training in the UK, U.S., London and Israel – and providing excellence in Sydney since 1998. Jules is a Certified Trainer of NLP, a Performance Coach with a strong background in NLP techniques and Positive Psychology.

Jenny Varley

Previous Director 2016 – 2024

Jenny joined Magic Moments in July 2016 although she has been aware of the Foundation and its programs over the years through her association with Julie Bowden. A chance conversation with Jules, when Jenny was considering what she could do to give back, saw Jenny join the Board to oversee Finance and Corporate Governance. She is passionate about leading MMF to set and implement the Finance and Corporate Governance framework that will allow MMF to remain a viable, sustainable and scaleable organisation that grows to increase the number of people it can reach and help across all its programs.

Jenny is a qualified accountant and has over 35 years’ experience in finance, corporate governance and HR. She currently works full-time as Assistant Company Secretary and HR Manager for a global reinsurer. She is also a Justice of the Peace and a Civil Marriage Celebrant. In her spare time (!), Jenny loves spending time with family, traveling, reading, sewing and pottering with plants. Fortunately, she has a VERY supportive husband.

Andy Skidmore

Previous Director 2023 – 2026

Andy is the CEO of The Youth Impact Foundation. When Andy was 21, he founded the Not-for-Profit organisation Burn Bright, a social enterprise with the mission of increasing the wellbeing of young people through leadership and character-building programmes and national camps based on an evidence-based theory of change centred on wellbeing science and positive psychology. Andy also serves as The Managing Director of the National Leadership Forum, an annual leadership event for Young people aged 18-26 in Parliament House in Canberra.  As a result of these ventures, Andy has impacted Over 100,000 young people In Australia and Internationally.

While completing his Master of Science in Coaching Psychology at the University of Sydney, Andy was part of a working group of 10 youth mental health-focused charities. They were tasked with discussing ‘how might they collaborate better together’, leading to him founding The Youth Impact Foundation.

Andy believes in a community and people-first approach to living out his vision for the not-for-profit sector is to see more reliance, cooperation and resource sharing to ensure not-for-profits are more sustainable in making a difference in the lives of all Australians, which compliments his ambition to help others build relationships and community so young people are known, loved and can see their value and influence on the world around them.  Andy firmly believes leadership is accessible to everyone – not just those with a badge or appointed in leadership roles.