Claire is a proud Yorta Yorta woman and is a prominent senior NSW Public Servant with over 21 years of experience in government across agencies such as Transport, Department of Communities and Justice, Treasury and Education. Claire was also the Head of the School of Leadership and Management at Charles Sturt University for the NSW Police Force. She believes in being the change and making a difference in everything she does. Claire is committed to serving the people of NSW and is a patron of young people and embodies the spirit of inclusivity and diversity.
Claire knows that diversity is more than a bumper sticker and has been a game changer in proving that diversity results in efficiency whilst leading in traditionally male dominated roles. She was the first female Manager in Traffic Operations in NSW history and delivered the first operated, maintained and delivered tunnel in NSW (St Helena Tunnel $858m), was the first female A/CEO of School Infrastructure NSW leading a historical investment in NSW Public Schools over $10b and the first female First Nations Deputy Secretary in the Department of Communities and Justice. Claire has led geographically dispersed teams throughout her career with interesting projects and crisis management such as being one of the operational leaders in the response to the Sydney Siege from the Traffic Operations Room.
Claire is an advocate for young people and the community. Claire tirelessly works for the people of NSW and has stood up programs such as the first ever cross government, cross industry Infrastructure Traineeship which supports investment in the future of over 400 young people.
Claire is on many non-for-profit boards as a Director including: the Women and Girl’s Emergency Centre in Redfern, Macquarie Universities’ Fire to Flourish and member of the Cultural Diversity Committee with Women on Boards. She was recently appointed to the National Indigenous Disaster Resilience Board.
Claire holds qualifications in Education, Law, Psychology, Project Management, Disability Services, Social Work, Leadership and Management, Workplace Training and Assessment, Executive Coaching and Traffic Engineering.
Claire has been the recipient of high-profile commendations including winning and being a finalist in the Premier’s Awards multiple times, a Finalist in the Australian of the Year and Young Australian of the Year Awards and Finalist in the Women’s Agenda Awards.