Our work. Susan has worked as an Executive and Board Director in the Not-For-Profit Sector, as Director of Residential Experience at the Australian National University, in Senior Social Policy roles in ACT and Commonwealth Governments and as a social worker in health and community services.
Our work. Susan has worked as an Executive and Board Director in the Not-For-Profit Sector, as Director of Residential Experience at the Australian National University, in Senior Policy roles in ACT and Commonwealth Governments and as a social worker in health and community services.
Susan has led transformation in different contexts by:
- Designing and implementing policy and service reform
- Getting issues onto the public policy agenda, contributing a social justice perspective to public debate, engaging stakeholders from consumer, carer, community and business sectors to agree and articulate reform priorities and motivating decision-makers to take on new ideas
- Building and contributing to strategic alliances and maintaining productive relationships through difficult conversations and reform processes
- Initiating and managing research and data analysis projects to build the evidence base to inform priorities for reform and guide strategic investment
- Managing restructures of both governance and operational arrangements in non-government organisations to ensure decision-making and resource allocation are aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives
Susan has led high performing teams by:
- Building and strengthening diversity and safety
- Sustaining staff engagement and wellbeing in disruptive and difficult circumstances
- Ensuring teams have the capability and resources to be both relevant and effective in a constantly changing operating environment
Recent Consulting roles
- Facilitation of workshops to develop Strategic Plans and conduct mid-term reviews of Strategic Plans – Peak Bodies, Consumer Voice organisations, Community-based Alliances and Social and Health Service delivery organisations
- Executive Mentoring – to CEOs and Senior Executives
- External Social Work Supervision
- Community-based Co-Lead for the start-up phase of the ACT Sector Sustainability Program
- Co-production of advocacy strategies, service development plans and strategic partnerships in with Boards, Members and Staff in community-based and member-based organisations
Service design and development work
2025 – developed strategic plans for diverse NGOs, and facilitated operational and advocacy planning workshops to translate strategic alliance agendas into practical workplans, incorporating key focus areas, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and capability development requirements
2024 – facilitated planning days for peak bodies and alliances to scope opportunities and readiness to strengthen value proposition through service offerings and public policy engagement
2023 – facilitated a multi-agency review of a housing support service and provided advice on the future development of an intake and referral service that enabled organisations to more effectively deliver housing and wellbeing outcomes
2022 – worked with a social enterprise to develop strategy and content to expand their consultancy services to build their revenue streams and broaden their social impact
2020 – reviewed the Model of Care for delivery of pastoral care services in student residences, through a partnership with student leaders, student support services on campus and senior executives.
2020 – 2021 – development and implementation of a new fit for purpose model of care that guided peer-led and professional services to University students across prevention, early intervention, crisis response, recovery and relapse prevention. The new model reduced critical incidents and increased reporting of adverse incidents so staff could prevent further harm and address causes of adversity.
Partnerships with Researchers
Susan has valued working in partnership with researchers to inform policy development and service design. This work has been driven by her desire to enable the expertise of researchers and the wisdom of practitioners to be brought together to improve social outcomes.
2023-2024 Guest presenter in Graduate Certificate Programs (University of Canberra)
2020 Developed “Better Cohesive” student leadership development program with Prof Kate Reynolds (Australian National University Professor of Social Psychology) to build knowledge and capability of peer leaders in on campus residences to build social cohesion and support positive group norm setting in their residential community. This program contributed to improved clarity of peer roles and improved capability of student leaders to fulfil these roles.
2017 led a partnership between the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (University of Canberra) and a consortium of community organisations on research into hidden poverty and deprivation in the ACT. (view)
2023-2024 Worked with the ACT Government and University of Western Australia on development of tools and resources to support fully costing services funded by government and delivered by NGOs
2015-16 Worked with the Social Policy Research Centre (University of NSW) on research regarding the community sector in the ACT, to build the evidence base for sector development. This research contributed to development of the ACT Community Services industry Strategy. (view)
2009 Led partnership between UnitingCare Australia and the Social Policy Research Centre (University of NSW) to identify how social policy reforms can be best aligned to support positive outcomes for children, young people and families. (view)
Policy submissions
Susan has held senior social policy roles in ACT and Commonwealth governments. She has written policy submissions as a non-government sector advocate to inform Parliamentary enquiries, legislation and policy reforms. She has successfully influenced public policy agendas and strengthened policy and program implementation. She has also represented community perspectives on Advisory Bodies to Government and the Energy sector.
2024: Development of policy advice and resources included in the Knowledge Hub created as part of the ACT Government Sector Sustainability Program (Sector Sustainability Project Knowledge Hub – ACTCOSS)
2023 City Renewal Authority: Primer Paper to inform Board consideration of Social Vibrancy and Sustainability
2017 Future of Education: Submission 2 Excellence and Equity (view).
2017 Submission on Priorities for the ACT Electricity Network: ActewAGL Distribution Electricity Network Five Year Plan 2019-2024 Discussion Paper (view).
2015 Submission on the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Policy Framework (view).
2013 Submission on Letters of Offer to Non-Government Providers of Housing and Homelessness Support Services (view).
Aged-care Submissions (view).
Disability Support Submissions (view).