Career Highlights

In May 2020 I stepped down as CEO of Family Life after 25 years, having led the organisation from a small local agency to one of national significance for innovation and impact, with a budget and assets of over $20 million, helping thousands of families, children and young people,  and with many special highlights over the journey.

“Jo Cavanagh has been a powerhouse for the organisation and leaves Family Life with a stable culture, stable strategy and the ability to meet our purpose of transforming lives for stronger communities,” Family Life Board Chair Grant Douglas said.

“She has overseen the growth and transformation of our organisation to ensure we can continue to improve the lives of vulnerable people and contribute to making the world a better place.”

A highlight was attending the European Union Social Services Network Conference in Spain and working with colleagues at Swinburne to take the advances in thinking into a program for visioning and preparing for Society 4.0

After years of research as part of an international movement for change, it was a major milestone to publish When Parents Kill Children Understanding Filicide. Again my focus is the prevention and innovation opportunities to protect children proposed in Chapter 7.

Proud to be included in all three of Avril Henry’s books on Leadership and featured in Leadership Revelations 11 for outcomes achieved during crisis, particularly for capacity to innovate, take on new roles and skills to fill gaps in organisational expertise, compete successfully for government funding, and maintain focus on our people; those we serve and those we work with.

As an Advisory Council Member of the Centre for Social Impact, I was part of the team that consulted and planned for the establishment of the Centre in its early days – as a consortium of UNSW, Melbourne Business School and the Swinburne University of Technology. This association continues as Chair of the Swinburne CSI Advisory Council.

I was the Sector representative for the Child Safety and Wellbeing (until 2017), one of three non-government representatives appointed to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) committee for steering the implementation of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children.

I was awarded the AIM Master of Management Not for Profit Scholarship and am forever grateful for this investment in my learning and the forward thinking content for values and systems focused leadership.

Advocacy and innovation for place based efforts with disadvantaged communities was rewarded with continued federal funding for Creating Capable Communities . I am so proud of how this small innovation has continued to grow and evolve over the years with new evidence supporting how essential it is to work holistically and at the systems level for positive change and better outcomes for children and families.

I was a Victorian finalist for the Telstra Business Women’s Award (Community Services) and is this year elected as President of Family Services Australia the national peak body representing all community organisations delivering federal government funded family services. This was a significant step up in recognition of successful innovation and contributions to using evidence to support reforms.

Research into improving family violence practice and service outcomes was completed and I published with Monash University our report, “Through the Eyes of the Child” demonstrating the need for a whole of family approach to healing and preventing family violence.

I volunteered with the late Jim Stynes and Paul Currie to set up the Reach Foundation, developing the business plan and becoming a founding Director. Our vision for an organisation empowered and led by young people from all walks of life was an innovation for young people struggling to find their way and meet life challenges. It is so rewarding to see the impact Reach now creates in Australia and how many people have benefited and grown through the programs.

As a member of the Victorian Government Standing Committee on Child Protection, I worked with sector experts including  the late Honorable Justice John Fogarty and Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott to inform the state government policy response to the Daniel Valerio inquiry which culminated in the introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect. A key lesson from this time is that legislation and intent is not enough. Mandatory reporting alone does not deliver safety for children as evidenced by the continuing rise in the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

After graduating with a double degree in Arts and Social Work Honors, I progressed from social worker in juvenile justice and children in care to Deputy Director of a Children’s Home. My passion for improving the lives of vulnerable children, young people and families, from both personal and professional experience was well established.