Learn about our speakers
Professor Sharon Parker
Director
The Centre for Transformative Work Design
ARC Laureate Fellow Sharon K. Parker is a John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University, Director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design at Curtin University, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology.
She is a recipient of the ARCs Kathleen Fitzpatrick Award, the Academy of Management OB Division Mentoring Award and, in November of 2019, Sharon was named among the world’s most influential scientists in the Web of Science Group’s 2019 list of 2019 Highly Cited Researchers, and the only female in Australia appearing on this list in the field of Economics and Business. She has published more than 200 internationally refereed articles on topics such as work design, proactive behaviour, mental health, and job performance, and has over 39,500 citations.
She a past Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Psychology and Academy of Management Annals. Sharon has attracted competitive research funding worth over $40,000,000, and has worked with a wide range of public and private organizations. She is the founder of the SMART model, cofounder of the Thrive at Work Initiative, and has contributed to policy on work design in Australia and internationally.
Erma Ranieri PSM FIPAA
IPAA SA President, Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Appointed on 1 July 2014, Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri works passionately towards creating a world-leading public sector that serves South Australians well, does what it says it will do, and to which every public servant is proud to belong.
With the role of the public sector being to serve and support South Australia to thrive, Erma leads sector-wide reform to modernise the public sector and continue to build on its value and service to the South Australian community.
Erma has worked for more than 30 years to help organisations optimise productivity and employee wellbeing. She was named a 2014 Telstra Business Woman of the Year as SA Winner of the Telstra Community and Government Award for her role in leading transformational change throughout the public sector.
With a key focus on flexibility, diversity and leadership development to ensure the public sector is positioned as an Employer of Choice, Erma continues to challenge cultural and structural barriers to drive innovative, collaborative and connected services for the community.
