Dr. Michelle Scott

Biography

Michelle Scott was appointed Director of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship at the University of Western Australia in October 2015. With 30 years of experience in both non-governmental and governmental sectors, she has dedicated over a decade to serving as a chief executive officer. Michelle has extensive experience in leading and influencing government and community organizations to address contemporary and complex social challenges. Before joining UWA, she served as Western Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People for six years, advising the government and Parliament on policies and law reforms to enhance the wellbeing of children and young people. During her tenure as Commissioner, Michelle published several significant reports concerning children's wellbeing, including “Inquiry into Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People” (2011), “The State of Western Australia's Children and Young People” (2012), and “Building Blocks: Practice Programs to Improve Wellbeing of Children and Young People” (2012). She also contributed to the report “Speaking for Wellbeing,” which presented the views of 1000 children and young people on what they considered important for their wellbeing. Additionally, Michelle has held roles as WA’s Public Advocate, Senior Member of Commonwealth Tribunals, and Director of Social Policy in the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Research Interests