People
“All human beings are entrepreneurs. When we were in the caves we were all self employed ... finding our food, feeding ourselves. That's where human history began ... As civilization came we suppressed it. We became labor because they stamped us, 'You are labor.' We forgot that we are entrepreneurs."
Muhammad Yunus - world leading banker and economist, leading ambassador of microcredit (small loans that have major effects on third world entrepreneurs)
Chutzpah bases its activities around the business principles that are taught in our courses, with ethical entrepreneurship at the centre. We have a passion not only for for entrepreneurship but also for the transformative effects of enterprise education - especially amongst those young people who may not fit easily into traditional forms of education.
Andrea Travers
Manager
In her extensive work with the third sector over two decades, Andrea has been engaged at a senior level in stakeholder liaison, strategic planning, organisational development, fundraising, research, policy, social enterprise, communications and marketing projects.
Prior to focusing on working with the community sector, Andrea was involved in a range of projects with a number of Melbourne's public and private organisations. These experiences required high-level research, organisational and administrative skills including project management, developing project proposals, handling budgets and managing events.
Andrea has a particular passion for creative responses to social issues - especially with regard to social entrepreneurialism and social enterprise.
Marcel Berger
President
Marcel Berger is a strategy consultant with success and experience in start-up and SME businesses. Marcel has over 8 years experience in marketing and four years in strategic business and marketing communication, and has founded three businesses both in Australia and abroad.
Marcel's sucesses have been confirmed by numerous business awards including the 2007 Australian Student Entrepreneur of the Year.
Completing a Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship) from RMIT, Marcel has assisted Australian SME's in the areas of innovation, marketing, strategic business planning, business development, commercial creativity and commercialisation.
Mark Emerson
Treasurer
Mark Emerson is a highly experienced senior executive with a record of leading service businesses from start up to consolidation and maturity. With tertiary qualifications in marketing and business, Mark has led and developed all areas of a business.
After building a solid foundation of experience with two of Australia's largest corporates, Mark set up a human capital business in partnership and led it from day one to successfully completing the sale of the business to an International firm sixteen years later.
Mark established Sustained Ability Pty Ltd in 2007. Sustained Ability is a high performance business consultancy that works with owners and managers to create the sustainable behavioural change required to maximise profitability.
In addition to Sustained Ability, Mark has been Managing Director of a medium sized national services firm, is currently Chairman of an emerging human capital consultancy and a Board member of the Chutzpah Factory College of Entrepreneurship. Chutzpah gives young people the vehicle to discover, develop and achieve their potential through enterprise education.
Mark also spent six years as a Board member and Chairman of The Pathways Foundation, a national harm prevention charity that provides contemporary community based Rites of Passage for boys into Manhood and girls into Womanhood.
Leanne Clarkson
Secretary
Leanne has over 16 years non-profit management experience working in social ventures to improve life opportunities with and for children and young people in out-of-home care and through innovative programs working with youth in rural and remote Australia.
In 2007, Leanne completed the Graduate Certificate in Business, Philanthropy and Non-Profit Studies, Queensland University of Technology.
