Reconciliation Australia appoints new Chief Executive
Paul O’Callaghan has been appointed the new chief executive of Reconciliation Australia. Since 2005, Paul has been the executive director of the Australian Council for International Development, an independent national association of non-government organisations working in the field of international aid and development.
From 2001-2004, Paul was deputy chief executive officer at the National Industry Association for Disability Services, where he played a major role in shaping the national disability employment reform agenda. He was Australia's High Commissioner in Samoa and representative to the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (1998-2000) and had previous diplomatic appointments in Malaysia and Thailand.
Reconciliation Australia Co-Chairs Mick Dodson and Mark Leibler said Mr O’Callaghan’s depth of experience in cross-cultural environments, and his track record in community engagement and development made him an excellent appointment to this position.
“Paul has considerable experience in managing diverse stakeholders across different sectors,” they said. “He is sensitive to complex issues and respects that people bring different points of view to the table – essential qualities in leading an organisation like Reconciliation Australia.”
Professor Dodson and Mr Leibler also took the opportunity to pay tribute to outgoing chief executive Barbara Livesey who has led the national not-for-profit organisation since December 2005. They said Ms Livesey had done an outstanding job in building Reconciliation Australia’s standing and influence, extending its networks across different sectors and developing new avenues for people to become actively involved in reconciliation.
They particularly noted Ms Livesey’s leadership in developing the Reconciliation Action Plan program and the Australian Reconciliation Barometer.
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