About us
About us
SMG is Australia’s premier leadership development advisor. Since 1998, we’ve partnered with exceptional talent to elevate leadership skills and unlock organisational potential.
Shelly is an experienced Chief Executive and Board Director with over 30 years in public and private sectors. She focuses on lifelong learning, executive mentoring, and enhancing business success through strategic leadership.
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Expertise
20+ years experience
Diploma in Executive Coaching
Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors
ICF Professional Certified Coach
Experience and background
Shelly is an experienced Chief Executive and active Board Director, bringing over 30 years’ business experience in the public and private sectors. In 2022, Shelly transitioned her career to a professional portfolio including company directorships and a professional executive mentor.
Shelly is passionate about lifelong learning and professional development and brings a fresh and diverse perspective to help her clients deliver business success while enhancing their professional development and personal growth. She draws on a successful director and executive career, and more than a decade’s experience on public, private sector and advisory boards.
First practicing as a Registered Nurse, Shelly transitioned to senior line management and leadership roles within Health and subsequently held various Chief Executive and Board roles in NZ, Australia and Asia. Her industry experience in Health (public and private) and Life Sciences. Shelly is a Director on three Boards, being the Chair of one of these and Chair’s the subcommittees of Audit & Risk, and Digital, Information and Technology on another. Shelly has a proven track record as an executive leader and Director and brings a strong enterprise leadership mindset and strategic thinking, developed from her leadership of complex organisation’s with circa billion-dollar budgets and employing up to 15,000 employees.
Shelly's approach
Throughout her career, Shelly has had a passion for the development of others and brings, lived experience and deep empathy for the challenges of leading from the top and for senior leaders navigating their career journey. Her style is personalised, values and relationship based, empathetic and direct. Working with the client to understand the business context she works to get to the core issues quickly to provide both insight and practical strategies.
Qualifications and memberships
- Shelly has a MSc Management (Distinction)
- Diploma in Executive Coaching
- Fellow: Vincent Fairfax Ethical Leadership
- A certified practitioner in the Leadership Circle Profile
- Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
- BA (Business Administration and Management), and a Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing
- Professional Certified Coach with International Coaching Federation
- Telstra Victorian Business Woman of the Year 2011
- Australian Red Cross Distinguished Service Award, Australian Red Cross, 2022
- Vice President, Australian Stroke Foundation, 2024
Personal insights
Shelly is married with four children, all now with careers of their own. She enjoys good music, reading, gardening, keeping active through walking, running and Pilates, and sharing good food and wine in the company of good friends and family.
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