We are delighted to invite you to Leadership in ACTion featuring Danielle Wood. Currently serving as the first female Chair of the Productivity Commission and former CEO of the Grattan Institute, Danielle will delve into her leadership experiences and lessons learned along the way.
Leadership in ACTion, presented by UNSW Canberra, provides a platform for learning and discussion around the topic of leadership. This year, Danielle Wood in conversation with ABC Journalist Patricia Karvelas, will explore how public policy can be used to achieve progress for all and make Australia a better place.
We invite you to join us for what promises to be an honest and captivating conversation with one of Australia's key leaders in government.
This event is hybrid so you can register to attend in-person or online.
Danielle Wood commenced a 5-year term as Chair of the Productivity Commission on 13 November 2023.
Prior to joining the Commission, she was CEO of the Grattan Institute and Head of its Budgets and Government Program. During her time at Grattan, Danielle also held roles as member of the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, the Parliamentary Budget Office Expert Advisory Committee, the Jobs and Skills Australia Consultative Forum and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Committee.
Danielle previously worked in senior roles at the ACCC and at NERA Economic Consulting. She started her career as a graduate at the Productivity Commission.
Danielle holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and two Masters degrees, one in Economics and one in Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne.
Danielle is an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia and a Research Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She was the co-founder and first Chair of the Women in Economics Network.
She is currently an ex-officio member of the Australian Government’s Competition Review Expert Advisory Panel.
Patricia Karvelas is the presenter of Afternoon Briefing at 4pm weekdays on ABC News channel and an ABC News columnist. She is also the co-host of the weekly Party Room podcast with Fran Kelly and the host of ABC's daily politics and news podcast Politics Now.
Previously she was a presenter at Radio National for a decade, anchoring both RN Drive for seven years and RN Breakfast for three years. Karvelas also hosted Q+A on ABC TV from 2023 to 2025.
Patricia has been a prominent senior journalist in the Australian media for more than 20 years, beginning her professional career in broadcast journalism at the ABC and SBS as both a producer and presenter. She has also worked for The Australian newspaper covering federal politics in the press gallery, and as the Victorian bureau chief, editor and senior national affairs journalist.
Karvelas specialised in Indigenous affairs and social affairs policy reporting for more than 10 years. She is an honorary professor with RMIT's School of Media and Communication, building on her existing engagement with RMIT and continues to work with students and staff in various capacities.
