Growing with Purpose

Founded in 2018, Umbo is a social enterprise offering online speech pathology and occupational therapy across Australia, with a core focus on reaching children and families in regional, rural, and remote communities where wait times are often long. As a registered NDIS provider, Umbo now supports over 1,000 clients and employs more than 70 therapists worldwide.

About this webinar

Over 90 minutes, you’ll explore the story behind Umbo’s journey to profitability, its ongoing growth, and the impact of its unique Access Pricing model - which reinvests 50% of profits to subsidise therapy for those who need it most. You'll:

• Exchange perspectives in small-group conversations.
• Reflect on the challenges of sustainable growth.
• Gain real-world insights into how a social enterprise can scale while staying true to equity, access, and community impact.

Please note: This won’t be a passive, sit-and-listen style webinar. To get the most from the session, you’ll be invited to join breakout discussions, share reflections, and take part in activities with other participants. If you enjoy learning through conversation and collaboration, this session is for you.

Francesca Pinzone

Co-Founder and CEO

 

Umbo

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Francesca Pinzone is a systems change leader with over 15 years of experience in the for-purpose sector, spanning humanitarian aid, social enterprise, and public health. From managing a field hospital during the Pakistan earthquake to co-founding a social enterprise tackling health service inequalities in Australia, Francesca is deeply committed to creating a more just and equitable society. As a co-founder and CEO of Umbo, Francesca focuses on innovative practice, and outcome measurement to reduce inequality, especially for families in regional and rural communities. She has previously lectured in Social Impact with UNSW and the Centre for Social Impact and is also recognised as a Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Maker. Francesca holds a Master’s in International Public Health from the University of Sydney, a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact from UNSW, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Technology Sydney.

Jeannie McDonald

Clinical Services Manager

 

Umbo

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Jeannie is a Speech Pathologist and Clinical Services Manager with over 20 years’ experience supporting children with speech, language, and literacy difficulties. She has progressed within Umbo from Speech Pathologist to Team Leader and now Clinical Services Manager, bringing strong clinical expertise and strategic leadership to her role. Jeannie has worked across community health, schools, university clinics, and telehealth, and is passionate about delivering equitable, family-centred and evidence-based services that improve access and outcomes for children and families across Australia. She values collaborative goal setting and partnerships with children, families, educators, and clinicians to support meaningful participation in everyday life. Jeannie has a strong interest in research and quality practice and has co-authored research investigating treatment programs for Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). As a leader, she is committed to building high-performing teams and ensuring Umbo’s services align with its social mission to create positive, lasting impact for the communities it serves.

Samantha McDonnell

Finance Manager

 

Umbo

Website

Samantha is a qualified accountant with over 20 years of experience in senior financial roles. She’s worked in industries such as charities, sports and tourism. She’s a big fan of spreadsheets and loves using numbers to help businesses understand what’s really going on and make smart decisions for the future. As the Finance Manager at Umbo, her role is a mix of financial accounting and business analysis. She completes regular financial accounts, taxation calculations, and ensures compliance with all statutory requirements and deadlines. As a member of the leadership team she assists with decision making, in particular by providing a financial perspective - whether this be regulatory requirements, using data to forecast different scenarios or suggesting different ways to measure business activity. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening and hiking in the mountains.