Susan Alberti

Susan Marie "Sue" Alberti AC (born 18 May 1947) is an Australian businesswoman, philanthropist and former Vice President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

Sue Alberti

AC
Alberti in attendance at the inaugural AFL Women's match in February 2017
Born
Susan Jenkings

(1947-05-18) 18 May 1947
Bairnsdale, Victoria
OccupationBusinesswoman
Known for
  • Vice President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club
  • Leadership of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Spouse(s)
  • Angelo Alberti (dec'd)
  • Colin North

Life and career

Alberti was born in 1947 in Bairnsdale, Victoria. Her family moved to Ashwood in Melbourne and she attended Siena College in nearby Camberwell for high school. She is the co-founder and managing director of the DANSU Group based in Wheelers Hill in Melbourne's east. Approximately forty years ago, Alberti and her late husband Angelo established the company as an industrial and commercial builder and developer of industrial estates and business parks. DANSU Group successfully completed substantial commercial, industrial and property development projects, especially in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs, including Hallam, Dandenong, and surrounds.

Alberti has supplemented her successful business career with a major contribution and commitment to fundraising and promotion of juvenile diabetes research. She was National President of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australia. In 1994 she founded the Melbourne and Sydney annual "Walk for the Cure" around Albert Park Lake, a significant annual fundraiser which to date has raised more than $30 million toward the search for a cure for diabetes. It is now held in every state and in regional areas around Australia. In 1995 Alberti was invited to join the International Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDFI) and in 2008 accepted an invitation to become JDRFI's International Patron.[1] In November 2013, she retired from all positions associated with JDRF Australia and JDRI stating that "it has become apparent that the organisation I joined 30 years ago and have championed ever since is heading in a direction that I cannot support".[2]

In 2004 Alberti became a Board Member of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.[3] Since 2003[4] Alberti has been the Patron of the Western Bulldogs football club and was the founding Co-chair of the Western Bulldogs Forever Foundation. In December 2012 she became Vice President of the Club[5] and was re-elected to the Board in December 2013.[6] Following the Western Bulldogs Football Club's 2016 premiership Susan Alberti announced she would be stepping down as Vice President of the Club.[7] She was appointed the inaugural ambassador for the Australian Football League's national women's competition in 2017.[8]

After her first husband Angelo died in 1996, she married Colin North in 2006.[9]

Sue's leadership and support for women in sport, in particular Australian Rules Football, was one of the key reasons behind the establishment of an elite AFL Women's competition in 2017.[10]

Sue is Patron of the Prime Ministers' Sporting Oration (PMSO)[11] – a leadership initiative highlighted by a speech delivered by a former occupant of Australia's highest office. The inaugural PMSO will be delivered by Julia Gillard, Australia's 27th Prime Minister, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 21 November.[12]

Honours and awards

Alberti was a state finalist in the senior division of the Australian of the Year Award in 2009.[13] In 1997 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution towards the cause of diabetes research;[14] and in 2007 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of her long and outstanding contribution to major medical research institutions, particularly as a philanthropist, fundraiser and advocate for juvenile diabetes care and research.[15]

Alberti was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2016 for 'eminent service to the community, particularly through philanthropic and fundraising support for a range of medical research, education and sporting organisations, as an advocate for improved health care services for the disadvantaged, and to young women as a role model and mentor'.[16]

In 2012, Alberti won the Humanitarian Award at the 5th Annual Gold Harold Awards which are designed to honour achievements made by leading Australian individuals and organisations that have contributed to the health and wellbeing of Australia's children and young people.[17]

Alberti is also an outstanding supporter of the Victorian Women's Football League and the VWFL Premier Division Cup is named the Susan Alberti Cup in her honour. She was awarded life membership of the Western Bulldogs Football Club in 2015[18] and is also the President of the Footscray Football Club VFL team.[19]

In 2013, Alberti was a recipient of Research Australia's Great Australian Philanthropy Award.[20] The following year she was elected as Chair of Victoria University's Foundation.[21]

In 2014, she was also inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.[22]

In August 2015, Alberti was appointed a Director of the Australia Day Council by the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott.

Alberti was awarded Melburnian of the Year in November 2017.[23]

In December 2017, Alberti was presented the Award for Leadership at the Australian Institute of Sport Awards.[24]

She was named Victorian of the Year in 2018[25] and was also listed as one of the Australian Financial Review's top 100 women of influence.[26]

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References
  1. "Leadership | JDRF: Improving Lives. Curing Type 1 Diabetes". JDRF. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  2. "Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation – Statement from Dr Susan Alberti AO". Susanalbertifoundation.org.au. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  3. "Board". westernbulldogs.com.au. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  4. "Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF).
  5. "Peter Gordon elected Western Bulldogs President". 23 December 2012. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013.
  6. "Alberti re-elected". Western Bulldogs. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. "Women's football trailblazer Susan Alberti steps down as Western Bulldogs vice-president". 6 December 2016.
  8. "AFLW: Western Bulldogs start favourite for 2017 flag on eve of round one". 1 February 2017.
  9. Johanson, Beverley (22 February 2006). "It's French, it's fabulous and for $10 million it's yours".
  10. O'Halloran, Kate (2 November 2017). "Susan Alberti: 'If it's the right thing to do, I'll do it to the bitter end'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  11. "Sporting Oration to highlight the power and social impact of sport – Australasian Leisure Management". ausleisure.com.au. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  12. "Sporting Oration to highlight the power and social impact of sport – Ministry of Sport". Ministry of Sport. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  13. "State Finalist Senior Australian of the Year 2009: Susan Alberti AO".
  14. "It's an honour". 26 January 1997.
  15. "It's an honour". 26 January 2007.
  16. Fraser, Mark. "Australia Day 2016 Honours Lists – S1 – Order of Australia" (PDF). Governor General of Australia. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  17. "National". Lifeeducation.org.au. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  18. http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-01-23/bulldogs-life-members-acknowledged
  19. http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/vfl
  20. "Events". Research Australia. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  21. "New Chair of Victoria University Foundation". Victoria University. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  22. "2014 Victorian Honour Roll of Women | Victorian Government". Victorian Government. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  23. "2017 Melburnian of the Year – City of Melbourne". melbourne.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  24. "Matildas and Kerr Australia's fan favourites at AIS awards". Australian Sports Commission website. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  25. Koob, Simone Fox (1 July 2018). "Susan Alberti named Victorian of the Year". The Age. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  26. "Who are the 2018 Women of Influence?". Financial Review. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
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