Renée Leon

Professor Renée Leon is the University’s fifth Vice-Chancellor and President and commenced in the role on 1 September, 2021.

Professor Leon has extensive experience in Commonwealth and State public administration, covering policy, program management and service delivery. Professor Leon has been the Secretary of two Commonwealth Departments – the Department of Human Services and the Department of Employment – and has served as the CEO of the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety.

Professor Leon’s expertise in leadership and change management underpinned the establishment of the Department of Employment as a high-performing organisation and the transformation of services and culture in the Department of Human Services.

Professor Leon holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University and a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge, where she was selected as the Menzies Foundation Law Scholar in 1995.

Professor Leon was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2013 for outstanding service to public administration and law in leadership roles in the Australian Capital Territory and the Commonwealth.

Professor Leon is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra and a member of Chief Executive Women Australia.

Professor Leon is honoured to lead Australia’s leading regional university at a time when the regions are playing an increasingly visible and important national role.