Dene Gambotto caught up with Arabella Gibson after she was announced as the new CEO for The Gidget Foundation

Congratulations Arabella on your appointment as The Gidget Foundation’s new CEO…

Thank you - I’m delighted to be joining the Gidget Foundation as it continues to grow from strength to strength. I firmly believe that sharing our message with new mums and dads is absolutely vital with today's fast paced lifestyle, where high expectations are felt far and wide.

I am really pleased to be able to utilise my business skills for this role and, having a personal connection with Gidget’s family, means my passion to make a real difference to people’s lives feels even greater.

Tell me more about the work of The Gidget Foundation?

The Gidget Foundation is a not for profit organisation, chaired by Obstetrician Dr Vijay Roach. It exists to promote emotional wellbeing for expectant and new parents and to raise awareness of perinatal anxiety and depression amongst women and their families, their health providers and the wider community to ensure that those in need receive timely, appropriate and supportive care.

Pregnancy brings joy along with challenges. The Gidget Foundation recognises the importance of emotional wellbeing and the need to provide services to support parents. Previously known as postnatal depression, anxiety and depression during pregnancy and early parenthood (the perinatal period) affects almost 100,000 Australians each year, or 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers.

Our community needs to know that it’s ok to feel anxious and low and this is something we at the Gidget Foundation can help with through our free counselling and professional support at Gidget House.

Gidget was the nickname of a vibrant young mother who took her own life while suffering postnatal depression. She hid her suffering from even her loving family and friends. They created the Gidget Foundation determined that what happened to Gidget would not happen to others.

Today, the Gidget Foundation helps hundreds of expectant parents and their families each year through its free psychological services at Gidget House in North Sydney and the Emotional Wellbeing Program for pregnant women at North Shore Private Hospital and the Mater Hospital. The Foundation provides training for health professionals, supports research, develops resources and has established workplace awareness programs to help prevent perinatal anxiety and depression.

On making the move from Corporate to a Not For Profit– why now in your career?

Having spent much of my career working in dynamic and challenging (but often ruthless!) corporate environments, this just felt like the right fit for me for the future. It gives me the opportunity to use both my business skills and life experience to drive the Foundation forward and achieve some key goals for our cause.

I also have a close personal connection with Gidget’s family and the reality is that this will always drive my passion to ensure we take the Gidget Foundation from strength to strength.

Furthermore, the flexibility of a role like mine is necessary for where my young family is at in life so that part was just a no-brainer for me!

What advice would Arabella would you give to senior marketers who may be considering a move to Not For Profit themselves?

The NFP arena is attracting private sector career professionals now more than ever. Given the sector is the 2nd largest employment segment in the country, there are very real opportunities for speedy career advancement in the NFP sector that the private sector simply can’t offer.

Ultimately, assess where you are at in your career: Are you challenged? Can you use your skills to a huge benefit for a cause you believe in?

What kind of flexibility do you need? Can you ‘jump the line’ and advance your career in a way you may not be able to in the private sector?

If the role offers these types opportunities, then it may well be the perfect move.

How can people get involved with The Gidget Foundation?

The Gidget Foundation relies solely on philanthropic donations. The annual Ladies’ Lunch fundraiser and bloke’s Rugby Lunch, as well as several new initiatives on the Gidget Foundation’s 2017 fundraising calendar, will be announced over the coming months. To get involved or to donate,

please visit gidgetfoundation.com.au or call 1300 851 758

iknowho recruited this position on a pro- bono basis as a way to support the incredibly important work of The Gidget Foundation. Each year our Managing Director Dene Gambotto recruits a handful of roles pro-bono – do you know a NFP looking to recruit a Senior Marketer who could do with our services? Then email Dene directly dene@iknowho.com.au