Gillian has been a public purpose professional for 25 years, with government experience at state and federal levels. She has worked across a range of social and economic portfolios, including arts and culture, education, youth affairs, tourism, infrastructure, major events and innovation.

Career highlights include leading the legacy and festival programs for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, developing Australia’s first national education and the arts strategy, and overseeing the introduction of Backing Female Founders – a dedicated investment program for innovative Queensland women.