Era Goodland
Board Treasurer
Director of Philanthropy
Co-Founder
Era Goodland serves as the Vice President of Philanthropy for Con Tìm Mẹ (Finding Mother), a humanitarian initiative dedicated to reuniting Vietnamese mothers with the children they were separated from during and after the Vietnam War. With a life story deeply entwined with the war’s legacy, Era brings personal passion and lived experience to her leadership role.
Born in Vietnam in 1970 to a Vietnamese mother and an American soldier, Era was adopted at the age of four by her Australian mother, Joy, who had courageously travelled to Vietnam in 1973 during the war. Era arrived in Melbourne later that year and celebrated her fourth birthday in March 1974, just one year before the war ended.
Like thousands of children affected by the conflict, Era has never met her biological family. But advances in DNA testing have reignited hope—not only for her, but for countless other adoptees searching for their roots. Through Con Tìm Mẹ, Era is helping lead efforts to provide access to DNA testing, deliver care packages, and extend vital resources to Vietnamese families still living in hardship.
Her commitment to the Vietnamese community stretches back decades. In 1980, when Vietnamese refugees began arriving in Melbourne, Era and her family regularly visited local hostels to offer support. They helped families integrate into Australian society by teaching English, facilitating recreational activities, and providing assistance with housing and employment. Many of the families they supported remain lifelong friends.
In 2005, Era attended a 30-year reunion for the Sancta Maria orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, where she was first reunited with Caroline Venczel, whose family founded and managed ’Sancta Maria’ orphanage. Along with her husband Bela, they offered refuge to adults during the Vietnam War and cared for thousands of infants and children separated from their biological families.
Era, being of mixed race and once entrusted to the Catholic nuns in Nha Trang, was later transferred to Sancta Maria, a move that likely saved her life. She remains in close contact with the Venczel family to this day.
Professionally, Era has worked for over a decade as an educator in Early Childhood Education in Melbourne, where she focuses on nurturing children during their vital formative years. Her lifelong dedication to community service and charitable work continues to shape her advocacy and leadership.
Era’s journey is one of resilience, compassion, and unwavering commitment to justice and reconnection. Through her work with Con Tìm Mẹ, she honours her past by helping others find their way home.