Our People

Meet the Queensland Social Enterprise team

The Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC) is the peak body for social enterprise and purpose-led business in Queensland. We represent, support and advocate for organisations that use business as a force for good; delivering jobs, services and solutions that create measurable social, cultural and environmental impact for Queensland communities.

QSEC works at the intersection of enterprise, government and community. We strengthen the social enterprise ecosystem by amplifying the voices of our members, shaping policy and funding settings, building capability, and connecting enterprises to opportunities that help them grow and sustain their impact.

Our role is both practical and strategic: supporting individual enterprises to thrive, while working systemically to ensure social enterprise is recognised, resourced and embedded across Queensland’s economy. At our core, we believe that business can, and should, play a powerful role in shaping a fairer and more resilient Queensland.

Our team brings together diverse experience from across the social impact ecosystem. We work alongside social enterprises, government and partners to strengthen the sector and create lasting outcomes for Queensland communities.

Leadership and Operations
Chief Executive Officer

Adele Laughton

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Adele is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history spanning the Social Enterprise, Not-for-profit and Agriculture sectors. She brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on leadership to her roles, driving strategy development, revenue diversification, sustainability frameworks and impact measurement.

Steering Queensland Social Enterprise Council, Adele focuses on driving social innovation through strategic leadership and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems. She advocates for policy that benefits both communities and the economy, while building strong connections between the social sector and government. Alongside her executive roles, Adele is a Non-Executive Director of Ability Agriculture, a charity creating pathways for people with disability across the agricultural workforce.

When not at work, Adele can be found at the beach, reading or travelling with her partner and two children.

Sector Engagement Lead

Naomi George

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Naomi brings a strong background in customer experience, business engagement, and local economic development. Before joining QSEC, Naomi worked in local council as a Customer Experience Communications Officer, helping to deliver the organisation’s CX Strategy and strengthen community connections. She later served as a Project Officer for Local Business and Investment, supporting small business growth, facilitating partnerships, and driving local economic outcomes.

Naomi is passionate about building meaningful relationships that help businesses and communities thrive. As a former small business owner herself, she understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities that purpose-driven enterprises face.
When not at work, you can find Naomi hanging out at Brisbane’s best coffee spots.

Member Experience & Impact Data

Jeremy Lefever

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Jeremy is an experienced customer experience and data professional with a strong track record of leadership across large public sector organisations and the SME landscape.

Prior to joining the social enterprise sector, Jeremy held senior roles with Services Australia and Queensland Rail, where he led customer experience and insights initiatives to improve service delivery and engagement at scale. He now applies this expertise to support social enterprises driving social and environmental impact, bringing a commercial lens informed by his MBA and data-driven approach to strategy and performance.

Outside of work, Jeremy is a proud father of four and a keen distance runner.

Board of Directors
Chair

Kate Taylor

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Kate is the Director of Industry Engagement - Health and Social Impact at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where she leads a team dedicated to building high-impact research partnerships, securing funding, and translating innovations into real-world solutions.

With 15 years of experience in technology transfer, business development, and commercialisation, she's worked across health, agriculture, defence, education, and creative industries, bridging the gap between research and industry. She also brings both technical expertise and commercial acumen to accelerate innovations.

Kate is I’m passionate about the power of research to create positive change and making sure great ideas don’t just stay ideas, and Beyond QSEC and QUT, is the Chair of Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia (KCA) and holds two QUT-affiliated board roles.

When not at work you can find Kate in her pool.

Vice Chair

Nathan Spruce

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Nathan brings more than 20 years of experience managing language schools and an apprenticeship training company across Britain, Europe and America.

Since relocating to Australia in 2011, Nathan has built a strong career in senior leadership roles across employment services, training, and commercial social enterprise. He commenced with Impact Community Services and has since held executive-level roles spanning employment, enterprise development, and innovation.

Nathan is currently General Manager, Innovation, where he leads the design and delivery of new impact-driven models across Impact’s portfolio of enterprises, including Bundaberg social enterprise New Image Laundry.

When not at work you can find Nathan tinkering in the garden, with a nose in a book, magnet fishing or learning a new useless skill.

Board Director

Fiona Jose

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Fiona Jose belongs to Kuku Yalanji and Zenadth Kes peoples of Cape York and the Torres Straits and is Chief Executive of the Cape York Partnership Group – a First Nations organisation driving a comprehensive reform agenda tackling entrenched disadvantage and improving the lives of Indigenous families in Cape York.

She oversees a broad portfolio spanning education, employment, health, social impact and economic development—translating policy into practice to enable families to take responsibility, seize opportunity, and drive long-term change. Under her leadership, Cape York Partnership has grown to ten entities and enterprises, including Djarragun College, Cape York Girl Academy, Bama Services, Ngak Min Health, and the award-winning Pama Platform.

Nationally, Fiona is one of ten First Nations leaders advancing the Empowered Communities initiative—shifting decision-making and accountability to local Indigenous communities. She also holds executive directorships across Cape York Partnership entities and serves on several national and regional boards.

Board Director

Ed Ross

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Ed is a qualified carpenter, holds a diploma of Business (Agriculture), the co founder of TradeMutt Pty Ltd and is a founding director of the This is a conversation starter foundation Ltd

Born and bred in Longreach Queensland and growing up on sheep and cattle stations, Ed has always been a hands on type operator. Spending majority of his schooling life in boarding schools in both Toowoomba and Brisbane. During his years at boarding school he enjoyed the inter house competition as well as cricket and debating. Finishing their with the Agricultural science award and vice house captain he tried his chances at working on one of the largest cattle stations in the world, Lake Nash.

Spending 2 years in both stock and weaner camps and learning valuable skills like mustering cattle at a large scale as well as how to shoe horses and drive heavy vehicle machinery, he decided to further his education at Marcus Oldham college in Geelong. He graduacted after one year with a Diploma of Agribusiness at a Distinction level.

Returned then to Lake Nash in a leadership capacity, as Leading hand in the stock camp before finishing up in September of 2014 to move back to Brisbane to begin a mature age carpentry apprenticeship.

In Brisbane, Ed met his now business partner Daniel Allen and spent 3 years working together for a local residential builder before leaving and starting TradeMutt pty ltd.

Ed is now married and lives with his wife and sausage dog in Toowoomba. He is a huge Rabbitohs supporter and enjoys time away from work with family and friends.

Board Director

Elizabeth Lette

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Elisabeth is a senior executive with a breadth of experience in financial management, corporate services, risk management and governance; strategy and policy development, reform and implementation; procurement and commercial delivery; consultancy and accountancy practice.

As the founder and Director of EML Advisory, she provides independent procurement advice and assurance. Drawing on 30 years of practical, real-world experience having held roles in Chartered Accountancy, multi-national private sector organisations, Olympic and Commonwealth Games Organising Committees, large State government departments and the for-purpose sector.

Elisabeth loves learning, relish working alongside those who are curious and support growth in my teams and clients through mentoring, coaching and leading classroom training.

When not at work you can find Elisabeth outdoors, swimming with her mates at the local swim squad or jumping waves at the coast.