Gabrielle Reilly
With a lifelong commitment to the greater good of humanity, Gabrielle has returned to Australia after spending several decades in the United States and a year in India. During her time abroad, she had the privilege of working alongside Fortune 100 CEOs, billionaires, three-star generals, astronauts, and global figures including Buzz Aldrin, former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Henry Kissinger. Her work focused on advancing diplomacy, national security, peacebuilding, well-being, policy development, and economic stability.
Gabrielle has also served on several boards, including People to People International and the International Relations Council, and held a position as Executive Board Member on a military peacekeeping mission—serving alongside United States three-star generals to build critical relationships with world leaders and decision makers. This program has helped prevent conflict for 120 years.
Gabrielle said “After growing up in Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia, I became best friends—as a child—with some of the world’s poorest. I could never understand how simply being born in one country could offer a life full of opportunity and comfort, while being born in another meant facing a lifetime of unimaginable poverty. Even then, I made a promise to myself: that when I grew up, I would dedicate my life to helping people just like my very first best friends—those who had so little, through no fault of their own.
That’s why it’s such an honour to be part of Mercy Ships—a mission that has provided over $1 billion in free surgeries to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. We’ve help train more than 6,000 local doctors and surgeons, who are now passing on their knowledge to others, and launched agricultural programs that not only feed hundreds of thousands but also educate communities on eliminating pesticide use linked to the tumours taking so many lives.
We’re deeply committed to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of suffering, while equipping local medical professionals to create long-term, self-sustaining healthcare systems. Thanks to our incredible volunteer medical teams—who I truly believe are angels—and our cost-effective approach, Mercy Ships consistently earns top charity ratings for transparency and efficiency. That’s something I value immensely, and I know it’s just as important to our supporters.
If you’d like to join me in this mission—and be part of a community of kind-hearted, globally minded, and purpose-driven individuals—there are several meaningful ways to get involved. Financial contributions are always deeply appreciated to help us save lives, and what a heartwarming feeling to have the ability to help save someone. You can also make a difference by hosting an event in your workplace, home, or at a venue where we can bring in a guest speaker for a quick presentation to help share the story of this life-saving work while having fun with impact with friends, family and colleagues. Many people have never heard of Mercy Ships, and once they do, they’re just as inspired and passionate about it as I am.
We’re also looking for business/corporate partners who can donate supplies or support our mission in other impactful ways.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d love to hear from you, we are a community.”
Click here to watch a trailer to give you a brief overview of our critical work.