Lady Gowrie Queensland appoints Elizabeth Death as Chief Executive Officer

Lady Gowrie Queensland has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Death as its new Chief Executive Officer, with Ms Death to commence in the role on 18 May 2026.

The appointment marks an important leadership transition for one of Queensland’s most established early childhood organisations, reinforcing Lady Gowrie Queensland’s ongoing commitment to high-quality early learning, strong governance and sector leadership.

Ms Death brings extensive experience across early childhood teaching, social policy, multi-site service delivery, academia, government and stakeholder engagement. Her career has been shaped by a sustained commitment to improving outcomes for children, families and communities, and by a strong belief in the importance of quality, equity and safety in the early years.

Over many years, she has contributed to national policy processes, advisory forums and sector committees focused on strengthening early childhood education and care. Her work has consistently centred on the role of early learning in supporting children’s development, wellbeing and lifelong outcomes.

Ms Death’s experience spans metropolitan, rural, regional and remote communities, giving her a broad understanding of the different contexts in which children, families, educators and services operate. She has held senior leadership roles with major early learning providers, managed services across community and government settings, and contributed to the development of future early childhood teachers and educators through her work in higher education.

For nine years, Ms Death served as Chief Executive Officer of the Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA), where she was recognised for her strategic leadership, policy influence and ability to bring stakeholders together around shared priorities for children’s learning and wellbeing.

She is also co-author of the widely used academic text Programming and Planning in Early Childhood Settings, now in its ninth edition and used across Australian universities and training institutions.

Lady Gowrie Queensland Board Chair Ronnie Lake welcomed the appointment, saying the Board looked forward to working with Ms Death as the organisation continued its proud tradition of delivering high-quality education and care.

“We look forward to welcoming Elizabeth and working together to continue delivering the proud tradition of high-quality education and care for children and families right across Queensland,” Ms Lake said.

Ms Death said she was looking forward to joining Lady Gowrie Queensland and contributing to the organisation’s next chapter.

“The early years are the most important so every child has the best start in life, and I am looking forward to being part of the incredible organisation that Lady Gowrie has grown to in Queensland,” she said.

“I have spent my career committed to the high-quality early learning and care sector for all children, regardless of the location or type of service they attend. There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of children in our care and their educators.”

Lady Gowrie Queensland has a long and respected history in early childhood education and care, delivering early learning, family support and community programs across Queensland.

Ms Death’s appointment comes at a time of significant focus on quality, workforce, child safety, inclusion and access across the early childhood sector. Her combination of operational, policy, governance and advocacy experience is expected to support Lady Gowrie Queensland as it continues to strengthen its role as a trusted provider and sector leader.

The organisation said Ms Death’s values-driven leadership, deep sector knowledge and experience across diverse service contexts would help guide Lady Gowrie Queensland into its next phase of development, while continuing to place children’s rights, wellbeing, safety and learning at the centre of its work.