Chief Executive

Department for Trade and Investment

David is the Chief Executive of the Department for Trade and Investment (DTI). He drives business investment in the state and facilitates trade in goods and services interstate and internationally. David also develops strategy to ensure the management of the State’s Planning System to support our growing population to maintain our lifestyle.

David has a demonstrated record of success in policy advice, financial management, and developing strong relationships across government, industry and community sector organisations.

David was previously the Chief Executive of the Department of Treasury and Finance which included managing the state economy and budget through the global pandemic while continuing to invest in infrastructure and managing the state’s credit rating.

David completed a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the University of Adelaide and in 2022 was awarded a Public Sector Medal for his outstanding contributions to economic and financial policy in South Australia. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

David is a passionate South Australian driven by helping to grow the South Australian economy through leading and collaborating both within government and with the private sector.

Executive Director
Strategy and Policy
Department of Premier and Cabinet

Over 20 years experience of working on and leading innovation and reform initiatives around the world, the last 13 of which as a senior executive in government and not-for-profit organisations. I am a respected leader in the
global innovation community and over the last ten years, have advised governments in over 20 countries on ways that they can build an innovation culture and improve outcomes for citizens. I am recognised as an innovative
and strategic thinker and I regularly present to and advise national and global audiences on a wide range of issues relating to innovation and reform. I am currently the co-founder and Executive Director of States of Change, a global not-for-profit organisation committed to building the next generation of public innovation. States of Change was spun out of Nesta, one of the world’s pre-eminent innovation institutions, where I spent over six years as Executive Director of Global Innovation Partnerships and Director of Innovation Skills. I previously established The Australian Centre for Social Innovation in Adelaide as its founding CEO and have held several executive roles in the South Australian Government.

Under Treasurer

Department of Treasury and Finance

Rick was appointed to lead the Department for Treasury and Finance in April 2022.

He joined after 6 successful years as Chief Executive of the Department for Education, and prior to that as Chief Executive of the Attorney-General’s Department for 4 years.

With expertise in policy and strategy development, transformation, public sector reform and project delivery, Rick’s knowledge of public administration comes from an expansive career working as an executive at a variety of South Australian central government agencies.

Prior to being appointed to the role of Chief Executive, Attorney-General’s Department, Rick worked with government and non-government clients as PricewaterhouseCoopers SA Government and Health Leader.

Rick has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Adelaide and a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Griffith University.

Sandy is an experienced public-sector leader, having led government agencies in both Victoria and South Australia.

Sandy was the inaugural Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Victoria, an agency that supported six Ministers and spanned human services, child protection, family violence, housing and communities’ policy and service delivery.

Throughout the height of the pandemic in 2020 Sandy led the Victoria COVID-19 response that returned the state to COVID-19 zero.

Sandy’s initial role in Victoria was leading higher education, skills and training.

Prior to working for the Victorian government, Sandy was the Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, where she focussed on a vibrant nature-based tourism strategy for South Australia, connecting people to parks and delivering on the state’s ambitious Climate Change agenda.

And prior to that, Sandy was Deputy Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet for five years.

She has also served as the Director of the South Australian Office for Women.

In 2012 Sandy was awarded the South Australian Telstra Business Woman of the year for the Community and Public sector category, and went on to win the national title in November 2012.

Sandy has worked in London, primarily as the head of Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs in the UK’s Commission for Racial Equality, and has previously worked in Commonwealth public sector roles in Canberra and Sydney.

Educated at the University of Adelaide, Sandy has degrees in law and the humanities.

She was raised in Mannum, has two children, a dog and a puppy to keep her on her toes.

In August 2022, Sandy returned to the South Australian Government as Deputy Under Treasurer, after working for several years in the Victorian public sector. She is currently the Chief Executive of the Department of Human Services.

Workforce Strategist, Specialising in the Medical Practitioner Workforce

Department for Health and Wellbeing

Katherine is a high-achieving postgraduate qualified HR Management professional with significant experience across a range of industries in the not-for-profit, private and public sector.

Her current workforce interests include: implementation science, attraction and retention, diversity and inclusion, and workplace wellbeing.

In 2016, Katherine was awarded a part scholarship from the Office for Women to complete the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Foundations of Directorship program and she was also elected to the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) SA Divisional Council.

In 2017, Katherine became the Divisional Council representative of the IPAA Strategic Advisory Committee and the following year she was re-elected to the IPAA Divisional Council and became the Company Secretary of the IPAA Executive Governance Committee.

From 2014-2018, she also worked in a voluntary capacity as a Jobs4Youth SA Ambassador & Mentor with the Office for the Public Sector to provide group mentoring to graduates.

Katherine is currently a mentor in the Business Career Mentor Program (BCMP) with the University of South Australia as well as the Peers Offering Peers Support (POPS) Program with the Department for Health and Wellbeing.

Business Services Manager

South Australian Public Transport Authority

Department for Infrastructure and Transport

Natasha holds a double degree in Bachelor of Commerce (Corporate Finance and Marketing), as well as qualifications in Diploma of Government, Diploma of Project Management and a Diploma of Leadership and Management.

Currently a Business Services Manager at Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Natasha is a driven professional with extensive experience working in various public sector agencies in strategic planning and leadership, change management, business operation management in areas of finance, human resources, risk management, contracting and project management.

Throughout her public sector career journey, Natasha has provided strategic leadership, delivered high level programs by leading projects and policy reform of critical importance which have had state-wide impacts. Diversifying her knowledge and experience, maximising her potential, through initiative, growth and innovation, Natasha continuously strives to deliver exceptional service and improvements.

Natasha is a proud White Ribbon Australia Community Partner proactively engaging in community initiatives to end all forms of violence against women. Delivering prevention through an evidence-based framework, Natasha delivers education and awareness to communities nationally striving for a society where all women and children are safe.

Natasha has a strong commitment to serving the people of South Australia by contributing to the achievement of public sector’s strategic vision with a leadership style founded by strong values of integrity, respect, compassion and service excellence.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Department for Child Protection

Billie-Jo is the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Department for Child Protection, having joined the agency in August 2022.

As an outcomes-focused executive and board director with a track record in complex leadership and organisational transformation, Billie-Jo has held board and executive leadership roles in NSW and the NT, returning to her home state of South Australia through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drawing upon almost 20 years of experience across the value chain of HR and business operations, she carefully connects strategy with execution – translating challenging mandates into actionable strategies and initiatives that deliver targeted stakeholder outcomes, often in sensitive and/or legacy landscapes, where a future culture of achievement is needed.

Billie-Jo is a keen supporter of the NGO sector, having served on four not-for-profit boards, including two as Chairperson.  She hold tertiary qualifications in management, HR, communications and project management.

Billie-Jo is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.