UFF People
United Future Foundation was founded by two passionate and driven people, Annabelle Chauncy and Dave Everett, after their experiences in Africa over the past few years. Annabelle and Dave are currently in Uganda, starting the initial stages of the school's construction after finalising the land purchase in mid 2010. UFF is also continuing to raise funds in Australia to support their ongoing vision and progress in Uganda.
UFF currently has six board members, including the founders. We would like to thank Chairman Mark Riley for his dedication and commitment to United Future Foundation. Mark has been a part of UFF since the initial stages of planning and has been a huge asset to our organisation. Mark is retiring from the Board of UFF as he has growing business commitments and will be welcoming a new baby into his home. We wish Mark all the very best for the future and thank him for his huge contribution and support over the past 3 years.
We would like to welcome Darren Perry into the position of Chairman of the Board of United Future Foundation. We are looking forward to his upcoming contributions towards the organisation. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to Mr Will Britten to our Board. Will is the former CEO of Black Rock Australia. Will brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the corporate world and will be assisting with UFF’s investments and raising our corporate profile.
UFF would also like to thank Rikke Bukh for the valuable contribution to UFF's board over the past years. We wish Rikke all the best in all future endeavorurs.
We are seeking committed and passionate people who feel that they may be able to contribute to UFF’s long term goals. If you have relevant experience, please contact Annabelle or Dave with an expression of interest. Read the biographies of all our board members below.
Founders
Annabelle and Dave bring a huge range of skills, experiences, education and passion to their work with UFF. They are motivated by a clear goal to realise change in the developing world. UFF is realistic about the complexity of global poverty, knowing the issues from first-hand, real experiences in Uganda and from the distance of a university classroom.
UFF believes strongly that issues must be addressed with honesty and transparency if there is any chance to implement worthwhile and sustainable projects. Annabelle and Dave have teamed up because of their jointly held belief that education is a key factor in mobilising communities and inciting development in Uganda.
Co-Founder : Annabelle Chauncy
Annabelle was brought up on a farm in Canyonleigh, a rural area of NSW. She attended high school at Frensham in Mittagong. After high school Annabelle studied a combined Arts/Law degree at Sydney University, majoring in English and Government & International Relations. She graduated from her degree in 2009.
Annabelle travelled to Kenya in 2007 for a three-month community and teaching program. This consisted of a variety of work from medical camps, pharmaceutical distribution, working in a shelter for street children, teaching English to primary children and conducting weekend community seminars. This program was cut short due to unforeseen election violence in Kenya and she was forced to move location to Uganda. Annabelle spent the rest of her time working in school building, teaching and orphanages in Jinja, Uganda.
Returning to Australia in March 2008, Annabelle was dedicated and motivated to create realistic change in Africa. In particular she recognises the pivotal role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty. Inspired to continue her work in Uganda, Annabelle returned for another 2 months in June 2008, to build a greater understanding of the education systems and ways to improve them. She returned a third time from November 2008-March 2009 to gain experience leading a volunteer school building project in Northern Uganda with the Australian organisation “Hands of Help”.
Co-Founder : David Everett
David was born in South Africa and lived in Botswana until he was two years old before moving to Sydney. He grew up in Castle Hill and attended William Clarke College in Kellyville, finishing the HSC in 2003. Dave left for Kenya on a 4 month trip in July 2007, and stayed for 10 months, finally returning in April 2008 because he loved the work and life there so much.
He was involved in a wide range of projects, from small operations such as the distribution of mosquito nets, through to larger operations including the installation of an irrigation system, establishment of bore holes and cattle troughs and other income generating projects.
Since being back in Sydney, David has graduated from his undergraduate degree in Development Studies at Macquarie University, and is currently studying for his Masters in this area. David is inspired to make a difference in the lives of impoverished people, and knows the journey is not going to be easy. He has a realistic attitude to the obstacles that will be faced, but is determined to work with other people to achieve change through set goals.
The Board
Darren Perry
Darren joined the board of UFF in 2009 because he was impressed by the enthusiasm and vision of its founders Annabelle Chauncy and David Everett. Darren is well known in business circles as a senior partner at Freehills, where he runs a commercial employment law practice and also plays a significant role in the firm's pro bono activities. Darren was born in Sydney and was educated at Barker College and the University of Sydney. He is passionate about the provision of the best possible education to all children around the world.
Matt Day
Matt joined UFF in 2009 after providing pro bono work on the architectural plans for the educational centre. Matt brings expertise in the building and construction industry, particularly in sustainable and environmental design.
Matt is a Director of Day Bukh Architects, and has a Bachelor of Science (Architecture) and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Sydney. He has 11 years experience in this industry, and spent 7 years practising in Denmark. He possesses a broad range of experience in urban planning, public, heritage and residential practice. Matt has won 5 international competitions for public building. He was also a member of the winning team of Europan 7, a European housing competition for architects under 40 years of age. Most recently, he won an urban design competition for the renewal of the foreshore areas of Hillerod Castle, Denmark.
Jack Elliott OAM
Jack joined UFF in 2009 as a representative of our partner organisation, Rotary. Jack is the Treasurer for Rotary Australia World Community Service and is committed to handling the finances of UFF in a transparent and organised manner. He is also an Order of Australia recipient.
Will Britten
Will joined UFF in 2010 and is the former CEO of Black Rock Australia. Will brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the corporate world and will be assisting with UFF’s investments and raising our corporate profile.
Mark Riley
Mark joined UFF in 2008 after meeting Annabelle and Dave to discuss their business plans and objectives. He brings a wealth of business experience, as well as a passion for development and non-profit ventures.
Mark is formally trained in Business Management and Marketing, and has held executive roles including National Sales Manager for Levi Strauss Australia and General Manager (Wholesale) for Sheridan Australia. Since 2000, Mark has owned a sales, marketing and logistics consultancy with a focus on product development into Asian markets. In 2006, Mark got a taste for the non-profit world, working on an event to support the work of young designers. In 2007, he was appointed the CEO of SurfAid International, a humanitarian aid organisation that works to improve the health, well-being and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to the international surfing community.
Mark has recently retired from the board of UFF, and we would like to thank him for his invaluable advice and guidance in getting UFF off the ground. We wish Mark all the best in his future endeavours.