Joy Savage is currently leading the Business Transformation Office within the Indigenous Affairs Group of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Savage has over 16 years’ Commonwealth public sector policy and program experience. She recently returned to the Department following a 5-year appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Hostels Limited.

Savage has held senior public sector roles across a number of social policy areas including, health, immigration and Indigenous affairs. Joy has also held chief executive roles in the non-government sector in the field of Aboriginal health and community services. Savage is Kandju from Cape York, was raised in Cairns, and has continuing historical family ties to Yarrabah.

Savage’s volunteer and community service includes a range of Board appointments. Currently, she is the Deputy Chair of The Fred Hollows Foundation, a global organization restoring sight to millions of people. She has been on the board since 2013. Savage was awarded a World Health Organization study tour in the 1990’s visiting Canada, the USA and NZ to examine early intervention approaches to substance misuse amongst Indigenous peoples. She graduated with a Masters of Business Administration from James Cook University in 2001.