It might seem VERY early in the year to be making such a bold statement but no matter what else happens – 2018 has already been a huge year for One Girl. We’ve got some big news we can’t wait to share - we’ve just appointed a new CEO!
If you know anything about One Girl you’ll know we’re a passionate lot. Anyone who joins the team isn’t just starting a new job – they’re joining the One Girl family. So a new CEO - well that’s a mighty big addition to the family!
Sarah began her career as an ABC journalist, before managing operations for various international NGOs, which saw her work in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Tunisia. Before taking on the CEO role at One Girl, she was most recently the Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Save The Children.
And she also holds Masters in International Relations (Peace and Conflict Studies) and International Law. Yep, impressive doesn’t even begin to describe her.
Beyond her qualifications and incredible experience - Sarah also brings with her a deep passion for girls’ education and a vision to see One Girl grow to a leading women and girls-focused charity that will impact and transform thousands of lives across Africa.
Sarah will be sharing more about her journey and what has brought her to One Girl in a special International Women’s Day blog - so keep an eye out for that next week on Thursday March 8!
Building on a vision
When our two co-founders, Chantelle Baxter and Dave Dixon, turned their vision of empowering girls through education into a passionate movement of change-makers - they created a whole new kind of charity. Starting with their tiny team of two working out of their own living rooms, they built a fast-growing charity that now reaches thousands of women and girls through our education programs. That same energy, drive and determination still defines One Girl today, and though we’ve grown in size (and thankfully moved on from makeshift living room offices), we’re still as passionate as ever about our mission to educate girls. Making the transition from our two extraordinary co-founders to our next CEO was one of the biggest challenges the organisation had faced. Enter, Morgan Koegel. Morgan was able to provide exactly the kind of leadership we needed to make a smooth transition and continue our growth – so much so that last year was our biggest year yet! We grew our community and raised more funds than ever before, which enabled us to reach even more women and girls with life-changing support. We celebrated some huge and unexpected wins and it was an unbelievably exciting time. Sadly for us, life has taken Morgan in a new direction and late last year she made the decision to move on from her role as CEO. We’re committed to sharing our journey with you - and not just the “rainbows and unicorns” version of the journey - but, as we say in our manifesto, the good, the bad and the ugly. And to be honest, for a time we were unsure of what the future would hold. But after a few months of recruiting and hard work from our Board, we found the perfect person to join us as CEO. An incredible leader who we are beyond excited to introduce you to - Sarah Ireland!
New horizons
As we started our search, we knew we needed someone with extensive knowledge of international development, experience in managing growing teams, and of course the passion to work for a world where ALL girls, no matter where they’re from, have the opportunity to access education. And Sarah brings that experience in spades – with over 10 years of working across the humanitarian and development sectors in a variety of roles. She’s a specialist in humanitarian response, advocacy and policy and has worked on the frontlines during some of the worst conflict and natural disaster crises in recent years, notably in the Philippines, Iraq, Syria, and Myanmar - leading teams of international and national aid workers and coordinating large-scale emergency responses.
Sarah began her career as an ABC journalist, before managing operations for various international NGOs, which saw her work in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Tunisia. Before taking on the CEO role at One Girl, she was most recently the Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Save The Children.
And she also holds Masters in International Relations (Peace and Conflict Studies) and International Law. Yep, impressive doesn’t even begin to describe her.
Beyond her qualifications and incredible experience - Sarah also brings with her a deep passion for girls’ education and a vision to see One Girl grow to a leading women and girls-focused charity that will impact and transform thousands of lives across Africa.
Sarah will be sharing more about her journey and what has brought her to One Girl in a special International Women’s Day blog - so keep an eye out for that next week on Thursday March 8!
Some things will never change
From the very beginning, at One Girl we’ve been so lucky to have the leadership of extraordinary passionate people, and Sarah’s arrival continues that tradition. But it also signals the start of a new phase. As we continue to grow, there’ll be more changes on the horizon. But in amongst the new faces, bigger programs, and even different campaigns, there are some things that will never change. Number one of course is our single-minded commitment to educating and empowering women and girls.One Girl is bigger than any one person, it’s bigger than our team, and it’s more than a single campaign - it’s a true movement. A movement made up of passionate, everyday people just like you, who want to see a world where women and girls are creating change in their communities. Where girls are empowered to become leaders. Where they are given the opportunity to reach their full potential.So thank you for your ongoing commitment to our mission, and to your unwavering passion for girls’ education. We’d love you to join us in welcoming Sarah as our CEO and stay tuned for more exciting news, updates and stories as we continue to change the world, one girl at a time.
