In 2017 Isabelle Reinecke founded Grata Fund, a leading not-for-profit (NFP) based at the University of NSW that acts as a campaigner, litigation incubator and funder for people and communities challenging systemic gridlock across human rights, climate change and democratic freedoms. As Grata’s Executive Director, Isabelle leads collaborations with some of the nation’s top legal minds, civil society organisations and community advocates to advance and protect rights and freedoms. Grata has helped shape landmark cases that have shifted the dial on issues such as abuse in offshore refugee detention centres and humane housing in remote First Nations communities, and worked to facilitate almost $2 million in philanthropic funding.

Prior to Grata, Isabelle worked for more than ten years as a director and lawyer at organisations including GetUp!, and the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre, and as a solicitor at Clayton Utz. Isabelle was named the 2022 Emerging NFP Leader in Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards. She is also a Churchill Fellow and the 2021 Women’s Leadership Institute of Australia Fellow, the latter awarded to women ‘who are leaders in their respective fields, women who have innovative approaches and the courage, conviction and capacity to create real change’.