Who we are

> We’re not just a call centre. Too often, fundraising and engagement is outsourced to corporations and call centres who don’t have a stake in their client’s work. This leads to poor quality calls and donor churn. A big part of our difference is that we understand our clients and we believe in their work.

> Our conversations are built on stories and values. Stories can forge connections, develop trust, and deliver better results for campaigns. At Community Shapers, we use our calls to tell stories about our clients and their work.

> We’re passionate about quality. We are bound by the FIA’s codes and standards, and we have a strong privacy policy. Our complaint rate is well below industry average.

> We only work with clients who share our goals. At Community Shapers, our staff are the members, supporters, and volunteers for many of the organisations we call for. We only take on clients who share our vision for a more progressive Australia.

> We deliver results. Across our work, we’ve been able to deliver above industry average fundraising results and strong returns on investment.

Our Difference

Our Team

Sonya Tirtajaya
Sonya TirtajayaManaging Director
Having spent the last ten years leading major community building campaigns for local government and not-for-profits, Sonya co-founded Community Shapers in 2014. Sonya’s strengths lie in project management, as well as community education, outreach and mobilisation around progressive issues. Sonya has worked for Manly Council, the Canberra Environment Centre, Greenpeace, AusAID, and GetUp!. She holds a Masters of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University.
Phoebe Howe
Phoebe HoweGeneral Manager & Senior Account Manager
Phoebe developed a passion for social change advocacy growing up in Canberra and studying Arts and Science bachelor degrees at the Australian National University. Phoebe was the founding member of the ‘Canberra Loves 40%’ campaign that helped secure the ACT’s nation-leading emissions reductions legislation, and other climate policies. She worked on national climate change campaigns and grassroots youth organising with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. She developed local grassroots organising for national campaigns on the rights of people seeking safety and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth over-imprisonment at Amnesty International Australia.
Miriam Adams-Schimminger
Miriam Adams-SchimmingerBusiness Operations & Support
Miriam previously worked at Community Shapers as a Change Agent, and is now back on board after spending some time working as a volunteer engagement officer at Conservation Volunteers Australia and then as a field organiser in the Community and Public Sector Union. She cut her teeth on community organising while volunteering with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, then with Fossil Free ANU. Miriam holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in geography and landscape system science from the Australian National University and has published on returning paddock trees to farms in south eastern Australia.
Sylvia Gunn
Sylvia GunnChief Data Officer
Sylvia started at Community Shapers as a caller in 2015 and has since then worked as a Campaign Facilitator, Account Manager and now Chief Data Officer. She has always been passionate about climate justice, fighting economic inequality, and empowering first nations people in Australia. On top of being Community Shaper’s data witch, she works at the Conservation Council ACT, and volunteers with Australian Student Environment Network (ASEN). She has previously volunteered with Oaktree, The Greens, and Fossil Free ANU. She is interested in the way we can make change within movements, and upskill people within the progressive movement to make our work more effective. She holds a bachelor degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics with Honours in Moral Philosophy, and has published work about the ethics of campaigning and advertising.
Clancy Barnard
Clancy BarnardAccount Manager & Campaign Facilitator
Clancy developed a passion for social change while moving between an undergraduate in Philosophy and Politics, protests in Melbourne and positions with the Red Cross in Dominica and Institute for Resource Governance and Social Change in Kupang. Upon completing a Masters in Public Policy and Management they became heavily involved in campaigns for environmental justice, and came to realise the central role civil society groups plays in holding government to account and articulating a positive vision for the future.

I love working for Community Shapers because I know that by working with this amazing team of passionate young people who care about the future of our planet and the people in it I am helping make that future a reality.

James Atkinson
James AtkinsonAccount Manager & Campaign Facilitator
James began working as a caller in 2015 as a caller and is now a cornerstone of Community Shapers. James’ key passions in the progressive space are tackling education inequality and empowering young people to engage with the political system.

He has experience in media and campaigning for a number of youth-led and non-government organisations, informing his work at Community Shapers and his appreciation for the inclusion of youth voices in political decision making. He holds bachelors degrees in political science and development studies from the Australian National University.

Stef Roberts-Thomson
Stef Roberts-ThomsonCampaign Facilitator
Having spent the last four years volunteering with the youth not-for-profit UN Youth Australia, I have worked on conferences and events with young people from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. The issues that affect us are diverse, and having seen the extraordinary capacity that the youth have to create change, I am passionate about giving young people a platform to voice their passions and concerns.

If the people in positions of power more consistently turned their attention to the future, I believe we would have a more progressive and inclusive Australia. It is our responsibility to ensure that this eventuates.

Some of our Change Agents