We are pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has appointed Dr Julie Strous as a Director of the Australian Council of Professions. A veterinarian and executive director of the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, Julie fills the casual vacancy created by the resignation of Catherine Garvey in April.
Prior to her twenty years with the AVBC, Julie worked in veterinary practice and also pursued her interest in natural and agricultural environments by establishing the Methodist Ladies College wilderness campus near Mallacoota.
Julie has been a co-chair of our Professionalism and Ethics Portfolio Committee since 2018. As a plenary speaker on ethics at the World Organisation for Animal Health 2016 conference in Thailand, Julie outlined the emerging pressures on professionals to put business interests before public interest. As such, her focus and passion for the ethical conduct of professionals is on-going and will be a well-regarded voice on the ACoP Board. “I am delighted that Julie is joining the Board – in a time of ‘alternative facts’ and ‘fake news’ our focus and advocacy of evidence-based policy-making has become vital to ensure that Australians survive challenges such as the disastrous bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic” said ACoP Board President Klaus Veil.
A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Dr Strous has several career strands that come together for her role on the ACoP board: governance, professionalism and achieving change through managing people. “I believe that culture is core in ensuring a board maintains its integrity. Board members need the curiosity and courage to delve into issues and ask questions whilst maintaining a collaborative team environment.” says Julie, “And in a rapidly changing environment, this enables a Board to effectively respond to the challenges facing professionals and their professionalism.” Julie’s term runs through to the 2021 Annual General Meeting.
Welcome Julie!