Hello!  I am one of three Co-Directors of The Good Shift, a women-led for-purpose enterprise that scaffolds systems innovation work that contributes to green and just futures. We work with communities, governments, industry and systems innovation collectives to grow the capabilities, conditions and infrastructures that will support transitions towards better futures for more people, in more places and for the planet we all call home.

Until November 2024, I was Professor and Director of the Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation Griffith University, an innovation centre in Griffith Business School, with the purpose of accelerating transitions to regenerative and distributive futures. I remain an adjunct Professor with the Griffith Business School.

My background includes qualifications in design, social work, economics and business and much of my work has focused on how we can address complex problems - from place-based inequities to shifting how we invest and contract better for deeper impact. I have worked across Australia and around the world, with a focus on how we can shift systems to enable better outcomes for people, places and the planet.

Along the way I have built five social businesses, contributed to the design of practice models, policy and processes in a diversity of fields, including local economic development, ageing, disability, procurement, impact finance and impact investment. Highlights have included creating foundations for social procurement in Australia (and writing a number of guidebooks and research reports about this field in the process); and doing groundwork for Australia’s entry into social and impact investment (whilst working as Innovation Manager in Australia’s first community development finance institution). I’ve also led the design of a number of key place-based initiatives including GROW, the Geelong Regional Opportunities for Work initiative, an innovative, award winning approach to engaging business in addressing disadvantage.

I am a Past President and Honorary Ambassador of the International Association for Community Development and continue to be committed to fostering deep local and international dialogue about designing innovative and participatory methodologies for regenerative futures. Over the years I have held a number of University positions, including as inaugural Social Design Fellow for the Centre for Social Impact at the University of NSW and UWA.