Dr Zena Burgess PhD has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
Dr Burgess holds a PhD in Organisational Psychology and Master’s Degrees in Business Administration, Education and Arts. She joins the APS following 11 years as the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
APS President Ros Knight said Dr Burgess’ appointment was crucial for the profession as it tackles the challenges and opportunities of the next few years.
“Zena has a formidable track record in executive leadership in medical and health advocacy.
“As CEO, she led a transformation of the RACGP to become the largest, most influential and innovative medical college in Australia, with more than 40,000 members.
“Zena has a demonstrated passion for building human capability in individuals, organisations and systems. She has driven new strategic directions and change implementation, achieving a culture of high-performance and innovation in organisations.
“With a mix of executive leadership, financial and governance experience, as well as academic and clinical knowledge, I am confident Zena has the right skill set to lead our organisation in 2020 and beyond.
“On behalf of all members, the Board of Directors and staff, I am thrilled to welcome Zena to the organisation,” she said.
Dr Burgess said it was a great privilege to become the CEO of her own professional home.
“I have a strong personal passion for, and direct experience within, this profession and I am delighted to now have an opportunity to lead the APS.
“The APS has had great success over the past six months. We have grown to more than 25,000 members, and the events of 2020 have revealed just how much can be achieved through the strength of our membership and our organisation.
“It is a privilege to be in a position to build on the great work of both the past and current APS staff and executive.
“We truly are the pre-eminent professional organisation for psychologists in Australia, and we are being noticed – both within the psychology community and further afield.
“Under my leadership we will remain focused on working to deliver value to members, and to ultimately benefit the Australian community.
“I am optimistic about the role of the APS into the future, and I greatly look forward to working collaboratively with our members, member groups, staff and stakeholders to further advance our organisation,” she said.
