ACECQA Board appoints new CEO

Ms Gabrielle Sinclair will be appointed by the Board of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as the new ACECQA Chief Executive Officer.  

Ms Sinclair’s appointment, which was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments Education Council on 16 December 2016, will commence from late January 2017 for a term of three years.

Ms Sinclair comes to ACECQA with a wealth of knowledge and experience in children’s education and care, including through her current role of Deputy Director-General, Early Childhood and Community Engagement in the Queensland Department of Education and Training.

ACECQA Chair, Ms Judy Hebblethwaite, today announced the Board’s decision to appoint Ms Sinclair, saying she was highly credentialed to lead the national authority into its sixth year of operations and beyond.

“Following a national search, the Board concluded that Gabrielle’s significant senior executive experience and achievements across a range of Queensland Government portfolios made her the ideal candidate to succeed inaugural CEO, Karen Curtis,” Ms Hebblethwaite said.

“My Board colleagues and I are very pleased to secure Gabrielle’s depth and breadth of experience, including her work leading Queensland’s participation in the National Quality Framework for children’s education and care – something which she has achieved in partnership with all jurisdictions, sector stakeholders and ACECQA.”  

Ms Sinclair said she was thrilled to be selected by the ACECQA Board to serve as CEO.

“ACECQA has a unique and vital role in supporting a consistent national regulatory system for children’s education and care that is effective, efficient and delivers on its most fundamental objective – improving educational and developmental outcomes for children,” Ms Sinclair said.

“In particular, I look forward to working closely and collaboratively with regulators and policy makers in all states and territories and the Australian Government to ensure the ongoing successful implementation of the National Quality Framework.

“I would like to acknowledge the leadership provided by Karen Curtis during her more than five year tenure as CEO. I am fortunate to be taking on the role at this time and look forward to working with the Board to build on the many achievements of the National Authority.”

Ms Sinclair commenced her career as a teacher and has held senior executive positions in a number of Queensland Government portfolios, including early childhood and school education, infrastructure, planning, local government, and corrective services.