Celia Dent is the Development Manager at the Institute of Public Affairs.Celia works with IPA donors to create long-term relationships through uncovering the shared values that make members passionate about philanthropically supporting the IPA and its future.As a part of the development team, Celia helps with major donor cultivation, stewardship and bequests. This includes helping service the Research Leaders Forum, a special group of donors supporting IPA research. She also looks after mid to major tier IPA donors, and those who support the Kemp Future Fund, the Kemp Society, the Centre for the Australian Way of Life and the soon to be launched Centre for Energy Security. Celia also organises events across Australia where the IPA’s 9,000 members can regularly engage with IPA research, meet like-minded individuals, and discuss the issues that are important to them. She has organised conferences, gala dinners, webinars, speaking tours and seminars with many special guest speakers including Konstantin Kisin, Brendan O’Neill, Tony Abbott AC and Professor William Happer. Since 2024, over 11,000 guests have attended events she has organised. Prior to joining the IPA, Celia worked in the fashion industry managing client relationships and brand distribution across Australia and New Zealand. Celia has a background in customer service for luxury brands, administration, and event management. She has also volunteered at PBS Radio, MIFF, MQFF and at various Melbourne Fringe Festival events.In 2019, Celia graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts and Visual Art, majoring in art history and film studies with a focus on censorship and underground cinema. Through her academic interests in cultural censorship, Celia has always been passionate about the fundamental ideas of freedom and the need to preserve them.