ABOUT

I feel like I’ve straddled worlds my whole life.

Working as a lawyer and social policy adviser - where change occurs through evidence, analysis and argument - and moonlighting as a singer-songwriter, where people are moved by emotion and sound.

Hurrying home from William Street to change out of a suit, load my guitar and keyboard into my old car and drive back into the city to sing to a bar full of creatives.

Attending high school in rural America and reading the chemistry textbook aloud to my sophomore class every day because the teacher found my Aussie accent hysterical.

Organisations and departments work at pace but are often under-resourced, with little opportunity to learn from other systems and settings. Social policy and evaluation often don’t talk to (or understand) each other. Some programs that matter deeply to service users don’t get the attention of funders.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Master of Evaluation (First Class Hons)

Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications)

Certified Organisational Coach (Level 2)

Accredited Facet5 Practitioner

University of Melbourne

Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership

Facet5 Global

Alumnus of Leadership Victoria

MY VALUES

Evidence-based Practice

Robust and credible evidence is critical to effect positive and meaningful social change. In many settings, excellent work has already been done and it’s our job to find, use and extend it. In other settings, it’s our job to build it. As part of this, it’s important to consider how evidence is defined – and who decides.

Social Progress

I believe that to create positive change in complex systems, we must work collaboratively and proactively, encourage innovation and embrace learning.

Relationships for Good

Constructive, collaborative relationships are important levers for effecting change. I believe social policy and program evaluation should be informed by, and always connected to, the communities they seek to serve. I value long-term relationships with my clients and their people.

TESTIMONIALS

“Lydia’s professionalism, strategic planning and thoughtful approach were outstanding. She was flexible and efficient. Lydia managed to get across a large amount of information quickly and built strong relationships with a range of stakeholders. Her verbal presentation skills and written reports were exceptional. Further, Lydia’s problem solving skills and ability to re-scope the project added a great deal of value. Lydia was a pleasure to work with and delivered an excellent product.”

Libby Buckingham

Director of Thriving Communities, VCOSS

Looking to make your organisation’s work more effective, connected or heard? Please get in touch to discuss how I can help you.

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