St Mary’s Women: Elizabeth Carr (’81)
POSTED March 16 2022 , Old Girls
IN 30 SECONDS
Class of: 1981 – our Diamond Jubilee (we didn’t get any diamonds though, which was disappointing).
Tertiary education: BA (Hons) UWA, MPA Harvard University.
Current role: Non-Executive Director.
Current Board roles: Chair St Mary’s, Chair South Metropolitan TAFE (WA), Chair St Catherine’s Aged Care (NSW), Chair Department Communities Audit & Risk (WA), Chair Murrumbidgee Local Health District Audit & Risk (NSW), Director icare (NSW), Deputy Chair Kokoda Track Foundation, Member Trustees & Guardian Audit & Risk (NSW), and President Harvard Club of Australia.
Dream dinner guest: My dad and mum because they are no longer with us, and as I get older, I have so many more things I want to ask them – and thank them for!
Favourite subject at school: Swimming and diving. I did, and passed, my Bronze Medallion three years in a row just so I could keep doing extra swimming lessons.
Your experience at St Mary’s in 3 words: Laughter, Community, Maroon!
Where has life after St Mary’s taken you?
St Mary’s encouraged me to think beyond our shores, to think beyond the traditional. I have lived, worked and studied in numerous parts of the world and travelled to almost 60 countries. The down side of that is I need to keep working for many years to come to satisfy my travel bug!
How do you think St Mary’s prepared you for life after school?
Schools like St Mary’s create a sense of community and a generosity of spirit. This foundation can provide a confidence to bring to life our current purpose “to engage hearts and ignite curious minds”.
What prompted you to pursue a position on the Board, Foundation or Association at your former school?
I was fortunate enough to be a scholarship recipient and I saw the weight of the world come off my parents’ shoulders when I received it. I was thankful for the generosity of the past and wanted to acknowledge that, by being part of the future of our School and the education of our next generation of Old Girls.
How has holding a board position benefited your career?
In my view, being a good Director is about listening, asking questions of value and not questions of interest, and testing assumptions. It is about the collective at the table and not about you as individual. It is about looking forward. To have a role that requires such genuine reflection every time you meet stretches your personal capacity for other roles and activities in your life.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
In 2017, I was awarded an Order of Australia AM “for significant service to the community through voluntary contributions to the health, aged care, education and social services sectors.” All my volunteer activities I have done because they bring me joy, so it was humbling to be recognised for being able to be joyful.
What is your fondest memory of your time at St Mary’s?
Riley winning the swimming, diving, athletics carnivals. Ok – any time Riley won!
How can we encourage more women to pursue board positions or senior leadership roles in their careers?
Choice is an extraordinary gift. As is personal confidence. Your foundations from St Mary’s that focused on values and ethics will ensure you will bring inclusive decision making to the table. Choose to work with people with like-minded views and have confidence in what you can bring to the table. Success will follow.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
We may have sung our School hymn every day for years but I suspect we rarely thought about the words. One line resonates with me, “The steps which other feet have trod you tread today”. Let’s do everything we can as individuals to help other St Mary’s Old Girls step up the ladder! After all, our School motto, Fideliter (to be faithful), can mean supporting and encouraging our community. All you need to do is ask.