From www.adelaidenow.com.au: GUIDE Dogs chief executive Kate Thiele is the first South Australian to win a fully funded non-profit fellowship to the Harvard Business School in Boston.

Ms Thiele said it was an opportune time to undertake the weeks study as the new National Disability Insurance Scheme was about to radically change the operating environment within the non-profit sector.

“The NDIS will undoubtedly result in sophisticated new entrants in the market,” the Guide Dogs chief executive for SA and Northern Territory said.

“Therefore it is critical that the non-profit sector examines its business models and ensures effectiveness for a long-term future.”

Guide Dogs SA/NT had been preparing for the NDIS roll out for more than a year, it would mean clients were directly funded and they would have increased choice on the services they wanted to access.

For the first three years, it is being introduced at trial sites and on 1 July 2014, began for children aged six and under in South Australia.

Ms Thiele is one of only two CEOs nationally to be chosen to attend the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management next month and the first South Australian to win a spot since the program started in 2001.

Each fellowship is funded by the Harvard Club of Australia’s member Bill Ferris and his family.

“Our annual award aims to help bring enhanced leadership skills and performance to the Australian non-profit sector,” chairman of the Harvard Club of Australia’s Nonprofit Fellowship program Ted Blamey said.

“It reflects the club’s commitment to learned exchange between Harvard and Australia and our recognition of the strong social and economic significance of the non-profit sector to the Australian community.”