Introducing Tracy Howe

It’s with great excitement that I introduce myself today. By now many of you will know that as of June 30 I took on the position of CEO here at NCOSS, stepping into the large shoes left by Alison Peters.

It hasn’t even been two weeks since I started the role, but two things are very clear to me.

Firstly, coming to work at NCOSS is an honour and a privilege. I am keenly aware that taking leadership of an organisation with a solid and respected history of advocating for people experiencing disadvantage comes with responsibility. The great work of Alison has built a strong foundation from which to begin.

Secondly, I have joined the organisation at a critical time. As NCOSS nears its 80th anniversary it feels like the organisation is beginning a new chapter. I form part of a new leadership team – we’ll be announcing a new Deputy CEO in the coming weeks – and this very first members only NCOSS eNews is one part of a broader renewal of the way we will communicate in the future.

NCOSS will continue to build on the respected body of work it is so well known for, but as the means of communication available to us evolves, we must evolve also and part of our work is now to embrace new ways of connecting and engaging with you and with all our stakeholders.

And, with an election less than eight months away, it’s time for us to be focused and clear about how we raise awareness of what needs to be done to make a difference for the people we work with. Effectively engaging with our members and our stakeholders will be crucial to achieving this.

We’re currently conducting consultations to inform the development of the NCOSS Election Platform. In the coming months I look forward to delivering a strong platform for you and for those in the community we serve, to ensure the issues most important to us get put on the Government’s agenda and stay there.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has sent their well wishes to me on taking up the job, it means a lot. Some of you might know I come to this position from Domestic Violence NSW with a strong history in policy around gender and domestic and family violence. Taking up the NCOSS CEO role will see this remit expand and I’m very excited to be working across a broader range of policy areas.

There’s a lot to do but I’m ready to throw myself into it. I look forward to meeting you soon and talking about how we can work together.