Director Spotlight: Virginia Shaw – Governance that Guides, Leadership that Listens
Virginia Shaw is a board director who embodies the principles of ethical governance, strategic risk oversight, and people-centred leadership. With deep experience across public sector boards, regulatory committees, and not-for-profit organisations, she brings a rare combination of compliance rigour, policy literacy, and transformation insight.
A champion of psychosocial safety, procurement integrity, and boardroom culture, Virginia has chaired high-stakes audit and risk committees, led governance reforms, and contributed to national capability-building initiatives. She is sought after for her ability to translate complexity into clarity and to guide organisations through change with composure and conviction.
Audit, Risk, and Resilience: What High-Performing Boards Get Right
Virginia has chaired and served on audit and risk committees across sectors and knows what separates a compliance-driven board from a truly value-adding one.
“Boards that embed risk thinking into strategy and culture not just risk registers are the ones that stay resilient and forward-facing.”
She believes risk governance must move beyond passive review to become a real-time, intelligence-driven enabler of decision-making. This means shifting the board mindset from “monitoring” to “stewarding” a theme she consistently reinforces in her boardroom roles.
She has a track record of enhancing assurance practices, introducing culture-focused risk metrics, and ensuring governance frameworks empower rather than constrain executive leadership. Whether leading cyber risk discussions or guiding post-commission compliance reform, Virginia maintains a steady hand and strategic eye.
Leading Through Transformation: From Policy to Practice
Virginia has played a governance role in multiple transformation programs, including public health digitisation, procurement reform, and capability uplift projects. Her board experience spans initiatives that required not only oversight of large investments but also cultural realignment, stakeholder navigation, and delivery assurance.
“Transformation is not just a technical exercise it’s a leadership challenge. Boards must ask the right questions, set a clear tone, and be ready to respond when conditions change.”
She has worked across fast-evolving sectors where regulatory expectations, community trust, and public value are constantly being recalibrated. Her experience positions her well to contribute to boards overseeing digital infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and modernisation agendas.
Psychosocial Risk and Cultural Governance
Virginia is nationally recognised for her work on psychosocial risk governance, including as a contributor to AICD director briefings. She views psychosocial safety as an emerging pillar of governance excellence.
“Psychosocial safety is now a boardroom imperative just as critical as financial oversight or cyber preparedness.”
Her approach is grounded in both wellness coaching and governance expertise. She ensures that psychosocial risk is embedded in board reporting frameworks, tracked through meaningful indicators, and discussed with the same seriousness as financial or operational risks.
She advocates for board-level education on workplace wellbeing, stronger reporting on psychological injury risks, and accountability frameworks that support both executive performance and leader wellbeing. Importantly, she leads by example, cultivating inclusive boardroom cultures and respectful decision-making environments.
Human-Centred Thinking in Governance
Virginia integrates her background in wellness and coaching into the fabric of her board leadership. She is known for bringing empathy, reflection, and human insight into board discussions, particularly during times of change.
“Organisations don’t transform unless their people do. The board’s role is to ensure people are supported, heard, and equipped for the journey ahead.”
In board conversations, she is often the one to raise questions such as: Are our leaders emotionally equipped to lead this change? How are we measuring psychological safety post-restructure? Have we created the right cultural conditions to succeed?
This unique capability combining operational governance and emotional intelligence positions her as a powerful asset on any board navigating disruption, stakeholder pressure, or transformation.
Board Committees That Deliver Outcomes
Virginia has chaired governance, audit, and risk committees with a focus on practical results, not just compliance ticks.
“Productive committees start with purpose, bring the right mix of skills to the table, and deliver insights—not just minutes.”
Her approach is structured yet inclusive. She ensures each committee is guided by a clear mandate, has the right mix of technical and strategic capabilities, and is supported by strong working relationships with executive leads.
She places strong emphasis on committee culture, encouraging constructive challenge, outcome orientation, and meaningful communication flows between board, management, and external stakeholders.
Where She Sees Boardroom Impact Now
Based in Canberra, Virginia is at the nexus of national policy reform, ESG transformation, and capability building. She sees particular board opportunity in four key domains:
- Digital and Data Governance – Especially in health, education, and social infrastructure, where transformation meets public accountability.
- Care Economy (Aged Care, Disability, Mental Health) – Sectors under regulatory reform where her experience in psychosocial governance is invaluable.
- ESG and Climate Governance – Where boards are grappling with supply chain ethics, climate risk, and stakeholder engagement.
- Professional Associations and Capability Uplift – Particularly for member-based bodies seeking to professionalise and grow with integrity.
“Whether it’s tech-enabled transformation or human services reform, I gravitate to environments where governance can enable public value and lasting change.”
Director Philosophy and Outlook
Virginia’s governance philosophy is anchored in integrity, strategic foresight, and people-centred leadership. She aligns best with boards that value stakeholder trust, cultural alignment, and long-term impact.
“Whether it’s a national NFP or a statutory authority, I’m drawn to boards where governance enables not restricts purpose, innovation, and resilience.”
She is actively seeking board opportunities in organisations undergoing transition, whether regulatory, cultural, or strategic, where her depth in policy, risk, people leadership, and committee effectiveness can create immediate value.
Connect with Virginia Shaw
To explore board opportunities or connect directly: 🔗 www.linkedin.com/in/virginiashaw129
