Leading with Purpose: VPS Secretaries on Integrity, Stewardship, and the Future of Public Service

Brigid Monagle is the Commissioner of the Victorian Public Sector Commission. She was appointed as Victorian Public Sector Commissioner in February 2023.

Before being appointed Commissioner, Brigid acted as Secretary for the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) and before that was the department’s Associate Secretary. Before these roles, Brigid held various Deputy Secretary roles in DFFH from its formation in February 2021. These roles including leading the Readiness, Response and Emergency Management Division, which was responsible for working to minimise the impact of emergencies on Victorians, including the COVID-19 health emergency. In the second half of 2020, she was seconded to serve as Deputy Secretary, Public Health Policy and Strategy, within the former Department of Health and Human Services, supporting the emergency response of
COVID-19.

In 2018, Brigid stood up and led the Fairer Victoria Division as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC). Fairer Victoria supported the Multicultural Affairs, Equality, Youth, Veterans, Senior Victorians, Women and Prevention of Family Violence portfolios.

Prior to this, Brigid was an Executive Director at DPC, leading advice in the areas of Aboriginal Affairs Policy, including the formation of Treaty Authority legislation and self-determination, health policy and reform, and inter-governmental strategy.

Brigid previous held various roles at DPC and spent some years working at The Treasury in New Zealand.

She holds a Masters of Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Melbourne.

Chris leads the Department in its role of providing economic, financial and resource management policy advice to the Government. Chris commenced as DTF Secretary in December 2023.

Chris joined DTF as Deputy Secretary of the Economic Division in January 2021. Chris was responsible for the provision of high-level economic and policy advice to Government on productivity, taxation and regulation, along with social, environmental and economic development issues.

Before this, Chris was the CEO of Invest Victoria, and led both the Victorian Government’s approach to investment attraction and the Economic Recovery Mission in response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Chris’ career includes over two decades in public service in Melbourne, Canberra and internationally, including as Deputy Secretary, Policy and Cabinet in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet.

In 2011, Chris was appointed Australian Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, where he led Australia’s engagement with the OECD and contributed to global best-practice public policy. Following on from his role with the OECD, Chris spent four years with the European Climate Foundation in Berlin, where, as Executive Director, Finance and Economics, he led an international philanthropic strategy on the economic and financial implications and opportunities of the low-carbon transition.

Peta McCammon is the Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).

Peta joins us from the Department of Justice and Community Safety working as Associate Secretary responsible for policy areas such as Youth Justice and service delivery reform, as well as other key internal functions.

Previous to this, Peta was Deputy Secretary of Service Delivery Reform, Coordination and Workplace Safety Division. Her Victorian Public Service career has also included senior roles at the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Department of Treasury and Finance and the then Department of Human Services.

Peta has led reforms in family violence, mental health and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Amanda is the Chief Executive Officer of IPAA Victoria, joining the organisation in January 2024.

With over 20 years’ experience in the public purpose sector, Amanda Stevens, a corporate governance lawyer by training, has held several executive and non-executive leadership roles in federal, state and local government, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Victorian Building Authority, Department of Health Covid Response and three consecutive years as the Mayor of the City of Port Phillip.

She is an experienced board chair and director serving on numerous boards with positions including Chair of the South Melbourne Market and a board member of the Australian National Academy of Music and many other community and not-for-profit boards.

Amanda is passionate about the public purpose sector and is committed to representing, empowering and celebrating the interests of its professionals, with a keen focus on integrity and governance, leadership, diversity, mental health and wellbeing.