Mrs Janean Richards
Australian SKA Coordination Committee chair (representing the Australian Government)

Janean joined the our department in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer before taking over the Science Division in November 2020. 

She is committed to the delivery of citizen-centered public services, and led an Australian Public Service (APS) wide review of mental health capability. 

Janean has more than 15 years’ experience in senior executive positions in the APS including: 

  • strategic policy development
  • legislative reform
  • regulatory services
  • program and service delivery roles in science and industry policy, legal and social policy and disability services.

Before joining the APS, Janean worked with government and non-government clients as the commercial dispute resolution Partner with Deacons Lawyers, Canberra.

Janean has a Masters in Law from the Australian National University. She received the President’s Medal from the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory in 2015 and Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, Government Lawyer of the Year Award in 2014. 

More information

Read about the SKA project in Australia