Sandra McPhee AM

The Council elected Sandra McPhee AM as the fifth Chancellor of Southern Cross University, commencing on 1 July 2021.

Sandra has extensive experience as a non-executive director and senior executive in a range of major public, Commonwealth and State Government and not-for-profit organisations in the sectors of utilities, energy, health, retail, tourism, and aviation.

During her aviation executive career, most recently with Qantas Airways Limited, she was responsible for commercial operations in a diverse range of international markets and within Australia.

She has served as Chair of the NSW Public Service Commission, a Non-Executive Director of Scentre Group, Westfield Retail Trust, AGL Energy, Kathmandu Holdings, The Coles Group, Fairfax Media Limited, Perpetual Limited, Australia Post, Tourism Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW, Care Australia, and Deputy Chair of South Australia Water.

Sandra is a Director of St Vincent’s Health Australia, a member of the Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a member of Chief Executive Women.

In 2003, she was awarded the Commonwealth Medal for services to the community through business leadership and in 2013 recognized as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to business and to the community through leadership and advisory roles.

Sandra was the author of the 2015 Commonwealth Public Service Commission Workforce Planning Strategy Report, ‘Unlocking Potential’ and was Chair of the Expert Advisory Panel appointed by the Commonwealth Government to review Employment Services. The resultant report ‘I Want to Work – Employment Services 2020’ was accepted for implementation by Government.