Oaktree is led by passionate young changemakers across the country
Meet the Inspiring Individuals Fuelling Oaktree's Vision
Our Board Members
Vanh Mixap
Vanh is a social and emotional intelligence coach, facilitator, and entrepreneur committed to fostering inclusivity and self-leadership. Founder of Yes Everyone Matters (YesEM), a social venture promoting cross-generational collaboration and innovative education, Vanh works to ensure everyone feels heard and respected. YesEM offers development programs and creative inclusion initiatives, emphasizing equality and empowerment for all voices.
Nikki Bartlett
Nikki, a dedicated Oaktree volunteer from 2011-2015, boasts over a decade of expertise as a measurement, evaluation, and learning specialist in international development. Operating across the Asia Pacific, her diverse background spans youth empowerment, education, governance, natural resource management, and health advocacy. Committed to equity and inclusion, Nikki amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, striving for meaningful change and social justice.
James Poulton
Gemma Cooper
Gemma, an adept Business and Strategic Advisor with over 15 years in Australia's Non-Profit and for-Purpose sector, brings extensive experience supporting organizations from inception to growth. Joining the Oaktree Board in late 2022, she concurrently serves as a Board member for Eat Up Australia, showcasing her commitment to contributing to impactful initiatives within the community.
Manasi Kogekar
Manasi Kogekar, an Oaktree Board member since September 2022, brings over 12 years of experience in the international aid and development sector. Passionate about challenging norms, she advocates for inclusive grassroots programs. Manasi has successfully supported organizations in Asia and the Pacific, securing funding for programs promoting the rights and empowerment of women, children, youth, and people with disabilities.
Our Executives
Charli English
CEO
Passionate about advancing youth education and environmental sustainability, Charli is committed to making a genuine difference in the lives of people experiencing disadvantage. Charli initiated her career within the Australian Government and graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of International Relations in 2021. Through volunteering with organisations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations, her values alignment with the for-purpose sector grew. For the past four years, Charli has been actively involved in the Not-for-Profit sector, eager to contribute to systems change. Charli's exposure to developing transitional pedagogical programs that educate young people in Early Childhood Education and her years of experience leading advocacy campaigns across the charitable sector has enabled her to become the next CEO of Oaktree at 23 years old. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge with Oaktree whilst continuing to learn from our partners and volunteers to create meaningful change for young people across the Asia-Pacific Region.
Lawrence Phillips
Chief Financial Officer
Lawrence, part of Oaktree since June 2021, has held various roles in the finance team. He is currently pursuing a master's in economics and also works as a part-time youth worker. Passionate about international development, Lawrence strongly believes in empowering youth to drive change in their communities and is dedicated to advancing Oaktree's mission.
Lucie Tolhoek
General Manager - Risk & Compliance
Focusing on the pillars of decolonisation and youth-to-youth solidarity, Lucie is excited to continuing working with the fantastic team at Oaktree to support youth-led organisations in the Asia-Pacific region with small, flexible grants to implement sustainable development projects in their communities. In 2023, Lucie presented a panel discussion at the Australian Council for International Development’s Annual Conference which focused on how young people can effectively advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in order to decolonise, disrupt, disrupt, and dream within systems that often forget voices of young people. Lucie holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and Asian Studies) degree and is currently completing her Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne. She is particularly interested in the intersection between the non-for-profit sector and the Australian legal system, and how this can bring about more positive impact and change for young people.
