Our leadership and organisation
The Accountable Authority is ASQA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is appointed for a period of five years.
The Ministerial Statement of Expectations clarifies the CEO’s role and responsibilities and, by definition, the expectations of ASQA as a best-practice regulator as at 18 July 2023. The statement outlines ASQA’s priorities and underpins our strategic objectives.
Chief Executive Officer
CEO Saxon Rice has extensive experience across the VET and employment services sectors as well as the public policy process. Ms Rice previously held a range of senior government, VET and management positions. She was Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education in the former Queensland Government from 2012 to 2015, and Chair of the then Ministerial Industry Commission responsible for industry engagement.
Ms Rice is a former Director of Global Business Development for an Australian employment services company and was responsible for significant growth into new countries in the European and Asian markets. Ms Rice has also served in a range of Senate Committee Secretariats, including as Acting Secretary and Principal Research Officer to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. More recently, she was a Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal from 2016 to 2018 and is a Member and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ms Rice commenced as a Commissioner of ASQA on 16 April 2018, before being appointed as Chief Commissioner and CEO (initially Acting) on 7 October 2019. With effect from 1 January 2021, Ms Rice was appointed CEO for a period of five years.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Christina Bolger was appointed to the newly created role of Deputy CEO in September 2020. Ms Bolger previously held leadership roles in the Australian Public Service in policy, regulation and service delivery, with experience in a range of areas including health, rehabilitation, quality and safety.
She holds an Executive Masters in Public Administration (ANZSOG, ANU) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Senior Leadership
Denise Lowe-Carlus, Executive Director, Market Entry, Skills & Accreditation. Responsible for ASQA’s education and assurance of entry to market applications and accredited course training products.
Fiona O'Brien, Executive Director, Policy & Partnerships. Oversees ASQA’s regulatory policy, systemic review and evaluation, data, risk analytics and reporting, regulatory policy and engagement and internal review and appeals.
Carmen Basilicata, Executive Director, Market Performance & Engagement. Oversees the efficient and effective operation of ASQA’s regulatory tools and functions – including education services, performance monitoring activities, compliance management and enforcement action – by taking an integrated, planned and strategic approach to prioritise regulatory effort to treat risk, drive market outcomes and improve the quality of VET.
Ty Emerson, Executive Director, Corporate & Enabling. Responsible for leading ASQA’s People and Capability, Finance, Property and Procurement, General Counsel, Digital Transformation and Information Technology functions. Ty is also ASQA’s Diversity Champion, Privacy Champion and Chief Security Officer.
Organisation structure
Below is ASQA’s national organisation structure, as at 5 September 2023.
