One Girl farewells Sarah Ireland and celebrates all she has achieved as CEO!
During her time as Chief Executive, Sarah Ireland has led One Girl with love and a deep passion for the work we do.
Elvis was on the money when he said ‘Values are like fingerprints. Nobodies are the same but you leave them all over everything you do’ — Sarah’s are everywhere!
To be transparent, collaborative, positive and always willing to learn and challenge the status quo became our mantra under Sarah’s leadership and it’s those principals that now underpin everything that we do — what a legacy!
Sarah also modelled for One Girl what feminist leadership could really look like, encouraging cooperation rather than competition and leaning on the ideas and skills of the whole team rather than the leadership of one or a few powerful individuals. She also did it in a dress so much that we almost forgot what she looked like not in uniform!
Sarah Ireland for Do It In A Dress, which took over parliament house in October 2019 with the help of Ali Copper, Samantha Ratman, Tim read, Ellen Sandell, Tania Maxwell and Fiona Patten to show that anyone can Do it in a Dress and together, we can change the world, one girl at a time.
At the end of her first year as CEO, Sarah published a reflection:
‘Growing up, my view was that CEOs were men. Generally white and middle-aged men. Generally high-flyers with BMWs who traded on the stock market before they brushed their teeth in the morning. I didn’t think I fit the traditional CEO mould. But over this year I’ve realised that’s what gives me an edge. I have a different set of experiences and perspectives that make not fitting into this traditional CEO construct a strength!’
And with that strength, Sarah carved out a new mould, developing our first multi-year organisational strategy that would be our roadmap to success! She rolled out an entirely new set of HR policies and procedures — where none had existed before — to make sure staff would be properly supported in our roles and paid accordingly for them.
She spearheaded a new inclusive approach to parental leave for One Girl which was one of the first of its kind, and in 2018 she was named one of Pro Bono Australia’s ‘Impact 25’ — an award that recognises the inspirational people in our social sector who do amazing and often unsung work.
But certainly not unsung on our watch! We sing because Sarah helped set One Girl up for success, bringing the organisation into a new and mature phase ready to take on the world and truly harness the power of education to drive positive change for communities we work with — one girl at a time.
Sarah (second from right) and International programs Director, Erica Berthelsen with two program participants during a visit to One Girl’s programs in Sierra Leone.
‘I want girls and young women who hear me speak or read something I have written to be able to see themselves in my place. Imagine themselves in my chair. Believe that it’s possible. So the next young woman who looks at a CEO job launches herself into leadership with gusto – KNOWING she is enough. When I got the job, one of my friends sent me a text that said ‘Another lady is a CEO in the world – who knows where that might lead?!’ It’s true. Who knows?’
— Sarah Ireland
We’re excited to find out who our next leader will be but we can rest assured we’ll find the right person for the job because thanks to Sarah’s leadership, we know who we are and what values we stand for.
And good values are like magnets – they attract good people!
So although it’s farewell for now, Sarah remains a beloved member of the One Girl family and we look forward to cheering her on in whatever adventure comes next!
“My time as One Girl CEO has been one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I have learned so much from the passionate staff, volunteers and supporters who enthusiastically believe that when you educate a girl, everything changes.
I have witnessed fierce determination in the girls and young women who grab the opportunities education has given them! Their willingness to share knowledge in order to lift up even more girls is a baton I have taken up and hope to pass on in my next journey.
One Girl is a special organisation — believing that change can take place when you put values at the centre of everything you do, when you focus on the positive, and when you believe that everyone has the strength and power to create change.
One Girl is entering into an exciting new phase in its journey and I’m so excited for the next person to join this fantastic organisation. So while I am leaving the role of One Girl CEO, I will not be leaving the One Girl family. In fact, I will be very loudly cheering from the sidelines, and you might just see me in a dress …”
– Sarah
Sarah Downie, One Girl’s Interim CEO, will continue to confidently steer the One Girl ship as she has so expertly done during Sarah Ireland’s parental leave period, ready to deliver it into the hands of our incoming leader!
