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Padma Raman’s CV is impressive, to say the least.
Currently Executive Director of the Office for Women (OFW) at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, previously CEO of Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited, Chief Executive of the Australian Human Rights Commission and CEO of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, all while raising two daughters with her husband and overcoming the additional barriers of being a women of colour in Australia.
Having made a huge difference in her career, she puts it down to ‘luck’ but I don’t imagine anyone makes such an impact because they got lucky.
In this episode we discuss:
- Her early career in family law, law reform and the Human Rights Commission, focusing on hugely important social justice issues
- How exponential change happens when we have leaders who want to drive change
- Convincing others to take up the call with us
- When we get it right for the most marginalised, we get it right for everyone
- The additional challenge and pressure of being a woman of colour in really influential positions – and how we can’t be what we can’t see
- The value of partnership in sharing the care load and creating space for two meaningful careers
- The Office for Women’s national strategy for women and the five fundamental areas of focus
- Bringing men and boys on the journey with us, and how gender equity improves the lives of men, not just women
- We change norms and attitudes by changing structures
- The value of galvanising together and gathering our anger for collective action
- Padma’s connection to cultural dance and how it connected her to her heritage
About Padma Raman
Padma Raman PSM is Executive Director of the Office for Women (OFW) at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Prior to joining OFW in September 2023, she was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited (ANROWS) from 2021. In her time as CEO, Padma established ANROWS as the widely recognised leading authoritative voice on evidence to end violence against women and children.
Before starting as CEO of ANROWS, Padma was the Chief Executive of the Australian Human Rights Commission for 11 years. Prior to that she established and was Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Law Reform Commission for 9 years and served as a part-time commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission for 5 years.
Padma has a wealth of experience as a senior executive at both the state and federal level, and in 2018 was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding service leading significant cultural, technological and governance change. She has a Master of Laws by research focusing on the experiences of immigrant and Indigenous women under the Australian legal system.
Padma is also appointed by the Commonwealth Government as an independent member of the ANU Council and further serves on the Students Safety and Wellbeing Committee of Council.