Ms Vanessa Fowler OAM (Co-Chair)
Vanessa Fowler is Chair of the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation (the Foundation). Little did she know that in 2012 her life would take such a drastic turn in horrific circumstances following the murder of her sister, Allison. Vanessa has been a guiding force in the formation of the Foundation and is instrumental in coordinating the annual Strive To Be Kind Day in schools, businesses and community groups where she encourages others to share messages of kindness and respect.
Vanessa and her family are on a journey to educate and raise awareness of domestic and family abuse, and has turned a tragic family circumstance into making a difference in the community. The Foundation educates people to recognise the signs of domestic and family abuse and coercive control, and how to become an effective bystander, using tactics to intervene effectively.
Vanessa was named as the 2019 Ipswich Citizen of the Year and the Queensland Winner of the Pride of Australia Medal. In 2021, she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to community organisations and the Foundation has been inducted onto the Queensland Government’s Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Honour Roll.
As well as her work with the Foundation, Vanessa is an advisor to a number of groups including the University of Queensland Vice Chancellor’s Sexual Misconduct and Prevention Advisory Group, Queensland Equal and Together Alliance, Southern Queensland Diocese of the Anglican Church—DFV Working Group, the Queensland Government’s Respectful Relationships Education Advisory Group, and the Queensland Government’s Integrated System Services Response Advisory Panel.
Vanessa inspires others through her resilience, determination and compassion, ensuring that other families do not experience the same heartache and challenges that her family has endured over the last 10 years. She is passionate about empowering people to consciously contribute to the world around them by creating safe, equal and inclusive environments.