New Minda CEO

Dr Clare Allen has been announced as the new Minda CEO, following an extensive national search and vigorous selection process.

In welcoming the appointment, Minda President Dr Susan Neuhaus said Dr Allen brought ethical leadership skills, commercial acumen and extensive disability sector experience to the key management role.

“Clare was a standout in a very competitive field of applicants, and we are very confident that she can work alongside the Minda Board to achieve compliance against standards and have appropriate performance monitoring and decision-making processes in place to keep the people we support firmly front of mind,” Dr Neuhaus said.

“Clare’s strategic input, commercial acumen and strong leadership experience is invaluable, and her personal integrity, passion and commitment to people with disability perfectly mirrors Minda’s own core values,” she said.

“The governance review and an organisation-wide service delivery review currently underway will help to identify areas of improvement, and Clare will be instrumental in ensuring fundamental culture change is achieved across the organisation so success under the NDIS is achieved.

Dr Allen welcomed the appointment, saying “My plan is to create a culture of excellence within Minda which respects the organisation’s more than 120-year history, and builds on its many strengths and positive community standing.”

“I look forward to the opportunity to work with people and build relationships based on mutual respect and to help staff grow and achieve great things personally and professionally. A well-trained, confident and committed workforce is able to best deliver on expected outcomes and ensure the very best for people supported by Minda.”

Dr Allen joins Minda after more than six years as the CEO at Visibility Ltd – Guide Dogs WA/TAS. In that role she has implemented a new strategic direction for the organisation, management structure and achieved client and staff satisfaction ratings of more than 90%.

She also remains the founder of Words That Express, a leadership company established in 2011 that delivers tailored leadership programs and senior executive coaching. She has also authored a number of leadership books focussed on values-based leadership.

Dr Allen’s previous CEO experience includes more than seven years at the WA-based disability management organisation Community First International (now Chorus), as well as four years in senior management roles with the City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring where she oversaw various community-based service initiatives and delivery of disability support programs. Other career roles have provided experience in youth services and homelessness support, as well as the commercial sector.

In addition to having served on several not-for-profit boards, Dr Allen is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Institute of Management. Her extensive tertiary credentials include a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of WA and a Master of Business Leadership at Curtin University. She starts her role of Minda CEO in May 2019.