Ellen Pittman

Background

About Ellen Pittman

I am an academic and consultant with expertise in organisational performance analysis and culture change in the health, human services, higher education and not-for-profit sectors. I have also worked in the public service, providing strategic policy advice to the Victorian Department of Health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Prior to consulting, I led a number of large-scale reform and organisational change programs, including the implementation of a four-year $12M Commonwealth-funded ‘Lean Thinking’ hospital reform program. Working as a consultant for the last five years, I have been involved in designing new service models, sector collaboration strategies, health commissioning models, and have undertaken many health and human service program evaluations and organisational reviews. I have also consulted for universities, particularly in undertaking course reviews and developing commercialisation strategies in both teaching and research domains. As an academic, I teach postgraduate programs in the areas of health service management and improvement. Earlier in my career I worked in management and business development roles in the higher education sector, leading and contributing to a number of highly successful commercialisation strategies. As a student I ‘cut my teeth’ as manager of a small not-for-profit organisation - working directly under a volunteer board for three years, picking up vital skills in governance, strategic planning, grant-writing, industry development and event management.