Born and raised in Melbourne, Dean has been deeply connected to the Jewish community throughout his life. He now dedicates his time to the disability sector, striving to combat social isolation and foster meaningful connections between people with and without disability.
Dean is the Founder and Co-CEO of Flying Fox, a not-for-profit organization that tackles social isolation by providing fun social opportunities for young people with and without disability. The organization facilitates regular social activities, getaways, and camps throughout the year, bringing together people with disability and their peers to share in a variety of exciting and adventurous experiences. Today, the organization includes 20 employees, 500 active volunteer buddies, and serves hundreds of young people annually.
Reflecting on the journey, Dean shares: “From our first camp to now, we never imagined we’d get here. It’s incredible to look back on 12 years of hard work and see how far we’ve come and the impact we’ve had.”
MEET DEAN:
Tell us about Your Work/project:
Flying Fox began with a youth movement model, where a group of seven friends in our early 20s came together to simply run a camp. Initially, we planned to hand it over to the next generation, but we loved the work so much that we decided to continue ourselves. What started as a passion project has since evolved into a large-scale organisation, now providing opportunities for hundreds of young people each year.
While I still run the organisation, it remains deeply rooted in empowering young people. The average age of our staff is just 21, reflecting our commitment to fostering youth leadership and energy at every level of the organisation.
One of our points of difference lies in our ability to support individuals with more complex circumstances and unique support requirements. We create countless opportunities for people to belong and have fun—experiences they would not otherwise have access to.
What is your proudest achievement?
There’s a moment of pride when I show up at a program, and no one recognizes me as the Founder. It’s a testament to how far we’ve come as an organisation—evolving from something I contributed to initiating, to a stage where its success no longer depends on me or any one person.
How would you describe the impact of your Masa program on your life and professional path?
I went on Shnat with Habonim Dror, an experience that profoundly shaped my confidence, purpose, and sense of direction. My time in the youth movement world, beginning with my Shnat year in Israel with Masa, had the greatest impact on my self-worth as a young leader.
When I founded Flying Fox at 21, the deep sense of empowerment I had gained from the youth movement gave me the confidence to pursue meaningful work and step into a leadership role from day one.
Beyond the personal growth, I also developed practical skills that continue to shape my work today—most obviously running camps and social experiences, as well as facilitating engaging educational programs, building passionate teams of youth leaders, and much more.
Who is your role model?
In the context of MASA, I reflect on the inspiration that has shaped my approach to empowering others—an inspiration rooted, in part, in the many madrichim I had during my Shnat year. They led with unwavering values, creating educational programs and life-changing experiences with remarkable creativity and energy. Their passion and relentless commitment to their beliefs demonstrated the transformative power of purposeful leadership.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Continuing to do meaningful community work, across the disability sector, the Jewish community, and in the not-for-profit world more broadly too.
What is your advice for young Jews around the world who want to make a difference?
We have a global community with the capacity, resources, passions, and connections to support you in achieving your goals. We love seeing young leaders thrive, especially in a community context.
Embrace that reality as an opportunity and use it as a springboard to make a meaningful difference. The strength of our community lies in its ability to uplift and empower each other—lean into it and let it inspire your journey.