Dr Karen McConalogue appointed Executive Director, Leadership Academy
18 December 2023
We are pleased to announce that Dr Karen McConalogue, an academic and executive with more than 20 years of experience in the tertiary education and research sector, including valuable experience in postgraduate programs and fellowships, has been appointed Executive Director of the John Monash Foundation Leadership Academy.
Karen’s most recent appointment was as Director, Research Grants and Development, at Monash University, in charge of the university’s central research office. Her previous roles at the university level include leadership of strategic initiatives in response to the Government’s Medical Research Future Fund and directing faculty-level research offices, with a focus on research partnerships, research funding opportunities, postgraduate students and early career academics.
With a deep understanding of the value of scholarship programs and the development of young leaders, Karen has worked to develop, implement and support educational offerings such as doctoral programs and joint international PhDs. She has worked with a broad range of stakeholders and funders, including government departments, NGOs, charitable organisations and private donors.
Initially trained as a biomedical researcher, and with a PhD in neuroscience, Karen was a two-time National Health and Medical Research Council Research Fellow, including spending three years at the University of California San Francisco. In the inaugural year of the Victorian Premier’s Award for Medical Research, Karen received a commendation and has also won awards for professional research and graduate research management.
Paul Ramadge, the Chief Executive Officer of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Karen to the team at the Foundation. The John Monash Foundation Leadership Academy, aimed at curating lifelong and impactful leadership outcomes for John Monash Scholars, is a critical part of our strategy for the years ahead and we are confident that Karen brings ideal skills in strategic and operational planning, project and program development and hands-on leadership of high-performing Scholars.”
Dr McConalogue said: “My passion for seeing young people achieve their full potential drew me to this position. I am excited to be joining the Foundation and I look forward to meeting the Scholars, all 264 of them, and working with the Academy’s Advisory Board, the Foundation Board, and the management team to amplify the success of such an important organisation.”
Dr McConalogue is due to take up her new role in mid-February 2024.