An upbringing shaped in solidarity and equality drives Yolanda Saiz’s dedication to the Society’s work.
Yolanda made history in March 2023 by becoming the first female CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW since its establishment.
Born in Sydney and raised by parents who had migrated to Australia from Spain, Yolanda credits her upbringing in a close-knit family and community for shaping the core values that guide her both personally and professionally.
“My parents are my role models. They had a great sense of personal sacrifice and focus on the integral things that matter most,” explains Yolanda.
“I saw early on the importance of community and how crucial it is for people to lend a hand when needed. This instilled a deep appreciation of equity in me, a value that I hold very strongly today. My education at Catholic schools also promoted a great sense of faith in action, and what that could and should look like in the community.”
Yolanda has had a diverse career working across sporting events, local government, media, and not for-profit. Initially starting out in journalism, she transitioned into issues and crisis management, broader communications, and strategic planning. She joined the Society in 2012 as Head of Communications, before expanding her role to eventually include fundraising, retail, and commercial operations.
Yolanda draws inspiration from the organisation’s impactful work, which fuels her passion to drive meaningful change for the most vulnerable in the community. She also admires the commitment shown by the conferences that tirelessly support communities across the state.
““I am motivated by our focus on making a tangible difference in community and in the lives of people often left at the margins of society.””
“The Society has an enormous amount of work to be proud of. Our response to the bushfires across NSW and floods in Lismore; our growing retail network offering a unique shopping experience whilst raising critical funds; the visitation and outreach work of our members; and our range of services assisting people experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence, and drug and alcohol addiction. It is a privilege to be part of an organisation that makes such a difference,” says Yolanda.
Yolanda believes the Society’s new Strategic Plan holds valuable potential to amplify the impact of its work on the people it serves. She emphasises structured and clearly identified approaches to foster collaboration among teams and projects to ensure its success.
“The strategy is bold and expansive, and I am highly energised to be leading its implementation. This is an opportunity for us to better define where we want to provide services, what communities are most in need and how do we, together, build new initiatives, models of care and programs to reach these communities.”
“Increased impact in the communities we serve will require a new level of responsiveness, innovation and approaches to partnerships. The difference I would like to see is open and meaningful collaboration between all parts of the organisation to offer better outcomes for the people we assist.”
“Imagine what more we can do together, if we see ourselves and each other as working towards delivering the mission and vision of the organisation,” she concludes.
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