Meet our new Board Member Susan

Success Works has warmly welcomed Susan Goldie as a new Board Member. 

Susan has recently joined the Success Works Partners Board, bringing with her over 25 years’ experience in a range of executive and governance roles in the community sector.  

She has designed and led diverse programs in mental health, poverty alleviation and community development. Volunteer engagement and the power of lived experience have informed much of her work and adult education is also a consistent theme throughout Susan’s work. 

In both small and large organisations, Susan has collaborated on numerous strategic projects which include change, growth and transformation including the establishment and oversight of social enterprise in retail, education, circular economy and end of life. Susan has qualifications in law, management and governance and currently holds several governance and advisory positions.

Find out more about our newest Board Member below.

What attracted you to Success Works?

I have followed the development of Success Works over the past few years, and I am excited by the organisation’s appetite for ongoing transformation towards a solution for women facing discrimination in the workforce.  

There is a very can-do attitude at Success Works and an understanding that, while our clients always come first, there is an urgent need to change the workplace environment so that women with a criminal record are not excluded from employment.

Why do your serve in the social services/charity sector?

I have worked and volunteered in the charity sector for over twenty-five years.  

I get out of bed every day knowing what my purpose is and feeling strengthened by the values alignment between me and my workplace.   

I want to leave this planet in better shape than when I arrived for all our grandchildren.

What do you love doing outside of work?

I am absolutely passionate about getting to my weekly Japanese drumming class. Taiko is a workout for the body, the brain and the soul.   

There is such joy in playing together on the biggest and most magnificent of instruments you can find in any ensemble and it’s a great way to declutter at the end of a busy day!

Why do you think the work the organisation is doing matters?

The Success Works approach is important because it tackles disadvantage from two directions.   On the one hand, we build capacity, confidence and connection amongst women with a criminal record who face multiple disadvantages.  

On the other hand, we work to change the face of diversity and inclusion in the workplace so that discrimination won’t prevent our clients from thriving in employment.  

Our impact improves workplace culture as well as securing better lives for the families for whom many of our clients are solely responsible.

How do you think your previous experience on boards and in business will support our growth?

In numerous management and executive roles, I’ve found myself at an inflection point either driving, or responding to, change.  

I enjoy the challenges which organisational change and transformation present, and I hope to support the next stage of growth and development which Success Works is presently undertaking.    

What do you hope to learn by being part of this organisations mission?

This is my favourite question!    

I am always looking to learn from every opportunity, and I have wonderful opportunities to learn from and with the Success Works team.    

I want to deepen my understanding of the impacts of our criminal justice system on the lives of women and their families.   

I want to leverage my experience of organisational culture to tackle workplace discrimination more broadly than ever.    

I want to extend my experience with social enterprise to support the revenue diversification and sustainability of Success Works.   

I want to learn more about how to program for impact, report and evaluate.    Just for starters….

Why do you think businesses and individuals should support Success Works and partner with us?

I think that we are attractive to commercial and philanthropic supporters because we are building capacity and reducing barriers.    

In tackling systems change, we change the face of workplace diversity and inclusion so disadvantaged women experience agency in overcoming the circumstances which may have led to a criminal record.   

I think that community sector partners want to see systemic change and not just client by client outcomes.   And that is exactly what Success Works is all about.