Appointment of New Chief Executive Officer – St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania

St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania is pleased to announce the appointment of Connie Digolis as its next Chief Executive Officer, commencing this week.

Ms Digolis has extensive experience across community organisations, advocacy and system reform.

St Vincent de Paul Society State President Corey McGrath said Connie brings a strong alignment with the mission and values of the Society to the role.

“She is recognised for her collaborative and grounded leadership style, her commitment to dignity and social justice and her ability to balance strategic vision with practical action,” he said.

“Connie’s leadership qualities and deep understanding of community need will serve our Society well as we respond to increasing levels of hardship across Tasmania.”

Most recently, Ms Digolis served as Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Council of Tasmania, where she worked closely with boards, staff, lived-experience leaders and government to strengthen services and advocate for a ‘people-first’ system of care.

Many Tasmanians are currently experiencing significant and compounding pressures, including cost-of-living challenges, housing insecurity, food stress, rising energy costs and barriers to health and wellbeing.

Under Ms Digolis’ leadership, the Society will continue to provide practical and compassionate support while strengthening its capacity to respond sustainably and advocate for the systemic changes needed to reduce hardship over time.

Importantly, she has a strong respect for the work of Members, volunteers, staff and supporters and is committed to listening, learning and working alongside the community.

Ms Digolis said she has long held both a personal and professional commitment to social services as a fundamental human right.

“It is a basic and inherent right for everyone to have the chance to live a good life in a place like Tasmania, and that is something we should all be able to play a role in supporting,” she said.

“What we are increasingly seeing is a growing number of people on lower incomes, and the extent to which those incomes are being stretched is making everyday life far more difficult.”

“As a result, a broader range of people are finding it harder to cover weekly and day-to-day essentials than we have likely seen before.”

“While many people aren’t in an ideal position right now, we also need to think about the impact this will have on the next generation and what it means for their future.”