Chair of the Board of GADAus, Professor Renae Ryan, has announced the appointment of Dr. Margaret Moreton as the incoming Chief Executive Officer of Gender and Disaster Australia. Dr. Moreton will assume her role on February 3, 2025.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Margaret Moreton as our new CEO," said Professor Ryan. "This appointment follows an exhaustive selection process where several very strong candidates were considered. A current member of the GADAus Expert Advisory Committee, Dr. Moreton brings an impressive track record, including her most recent role as Executive Director of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR), and her work as Community Resilience Mission Lead with the Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative".
"Dr. Moreton has held several senior government roles, and has worked with the non-government sector, academia, the business community, and with community-based groups and organisations. She has demonstrated an enduring commitment to reducing disaster risk, building community resilience and capacity, and improving outcomes for urban, regional and rural communities across Australia."
Dr. Moreton expressed delight with her appointment, saying "I look forward to joining GADAus as CEO. This role will utilise the expertise, knowledge and connections I have developed throughout my career, to address the significant challenge of preventing harms that can be caused by gendered stereotypes before, during and after disasters. GADAus' research, training and leadership in this field enhances the safety and wellbeing of all community members and those who support them, increasingly important as we face a disaster-prone future. My focus will be to strengthen the work of GADAus, building on the work of founding Executive Director Dr. Debra Parkinson, Board members and the GADAus team" said Dr. Moreton.
The GADAus Board of Directors extends its gratitude to Dr. Parkinson for her work in establishing and leading Gender and Disaster Australia. This gratitude extends to Women's Health in the North, Women's Health Goulburn North East, and Monash University, which laid the foundation over the past 15 years for GADAus' success to date.
Professor Renae Ryan, remarked, "Under Dr. Parkinson's leadership, GADAus has grown into Australia's leading national organisation providing evidence-based education, training, and resources to address the harmful impacts of gendered expectations in disasters. The Board looks forward to continuing this vital work under the capable leadership of Dr. Moreton, ensuring that GADAus remains at the forefront of improving disaster resilience and recovery, nationwide."
Key Facts:
Dr Margaret Moreton is the new CEO of Gender and Disaster Australia.
She takes over from Dr Debra Parkinson and intends to build on her work.
About us:
With a vision for an Australian society that recognises and acts to prevent the harms of rigid gendered stereotypes in disasters, GADAus works to inform inclusive and evidence-based responses to disaster and emergency management.
