Agency Capability Program Advisory Board

Carmel McGregor PSM is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Public Administration and has been its ACT Deputy President for the past 10 years. Carmel is a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) Board and chair of its Public Sector Advisory Panel. She is also a Fellow Certified Practitioner of AHRI.

Carmel is a former Deputy Secretary People in the Department of Defence, was the Deputy Australian Public Service Commissioner and served on the Prime Minister’s Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government Administration. In 2018 Carmel was commissioned by the Premier to undertake a review of the WA Public Sector Commission. 

Carmel received a Public Service Medal in the Australia Day 2013 Honours List.

Michelle Andrews is Director General of the Department of Communities. She previously led the policy and reform division at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and was secretary for the Service Priority Review.

Michelle was a senior executive at the departments of Mines and Petroleum and State Development, where she worked in resource development and policy and strengthened relationships. Michelle is an environmental scientist with 30 years’ experience in the public sector and has been a Ministerial advisor. 

She has served as Deputy Chair of the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia and on the boards of the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute and the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Iain Rennie CNZM is a former New Zealand State Services Commissioner. He worked in the New Zealand public service for 30 years across three central agencies. He was Deputy Secretary to the Treasury and worked as Economic Advisor to the New Zealand Prime Minister.

Iain is now a consultant on civil service reform, public financial management, public policy and leadership. His clients include international organisations, sovereign governments and public sector agencies.

Iain undertook the Agency Capability Review of the Department of Communities in 2018–2019.

Jodi Cant is Director General of the Department of Finance. She was formerly Chief Executive of Landgate, named Australia’s Most Innovative Government Agency and 19th Most Innovative Business by the Australian Financial Review. 

Jodi’s experience crosses the government, start-up, private and not-for profit sectors. She was awarded the 2020 Telstra Western Australian Business Woman of the Year and won the Western Australian category for Public Sector and Academia. 

Jodi is a member of the IPAA WA Council and has previously sat on the boards of PSMA Australia, PEXA Ltd and earthmine Australia. 

Samantha Palmer is A/Deputy Director General Governance Integrity and Reform at the Department of Communities.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in senior corporate, program and policy roles in the Commonwealth and Queensland governments, as well as private, university and community sector experience.

Samantha was the inaugural Australian Human Resource Institute Diversity Champion of the Year (HR) in 2013, one of the 100 AFR/Westpac Women of Influence in 2013, and serves on the board of the Australian (Employers) Network on Disability, National Executive Board of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and IPAA ACT Council.

Samantha was awarded National Fellowship of IPAA in 2016 and has a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Business.

Rachael Green is A/Deputy Director General Community Services at the Department of Communities.

Rachael oversees the delivery of outcomes in regional and remote communities, with a focus on services tailored for the combination of complex client needs, vast distances and small centres. 

Rachael was previously Deputy Commissioner Youth Justice Services at the Department of Corrective Services. She has extensive experience in operational service delivery and expertise in service design and reform.

Amber Fabry is Regional Executive Director – South West at the Department of Communities. She has an extensive background in child protection, learning and development and project management. 

Amber has also worked as Assistant District Director in the West Kimberley, where she was responsible for the placement of children in care and projects such as serious injury planning and the development of the young people at-risk process.

Amber was formerly the Child Protection District Director in the Goldfields, developing projects in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands including tri-state child protection and family violence responses.

Amber has a Masters of Leadership.

Caron Irwin is A/Assistant Director General Strategy and Partnerships at the Department of Communities.

Caron has more than 30 years’ experience in the Western Australian public service, including 10 years as a member of the senior executive service. She was previously chief of staff to Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk and Assistant Commissioner Youth Justice at the Department of Corrective Services.

Caron has extensive experience in policy development and management of critical projects, and throughout her career has focused on promoting children and young people’s wellbeing. 

Helen Nys is Assistant Director General Policy and Service Design at the Department of Communities.

Helen leads the development of evidence-based strategies, policies, models and initiatives that shape integrated services. She focuses on getting better outcomes for people rather than better program outcomes.

Helen has previously worked in executive roles at the Disability Services Commission, where she was involved in negotiations on the delivery of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Professor Paul Flatau, Director UWA Centre for Social Impact

Bio coming soon.

Dan Minchin, CEO Chorus Australia

Bio coming soon.