Gail McGowan PSM was the inaugural director general at the Department of Planning, Lands & Heritage from April 2014 to May 2021 when she became a special advisor to the government of Western Australia.
Ms McGowan was previously the deputy director-general of the Department of State Development. She had led some of the state's most significant land assembly and development projects, and had oversight for major projects including the Oakajee development, the Ord-East Kimberley expansion, and the Browse liquefied natural gas project. Ms McGowan spent almost a decade as the director of policy and education at WorkSafe, and also spent a number of years as a principal policy adviser and chief of staff to state and federal ministers.
In May 2023, Ms McGowan became the first woman in almost 50 years to hold the role as chancellor of Murdoch University. She will be the 8th chancellor appointed.
Ms McGowan received a Public Service Medal in 2019, Murdoch University Distinguished Alumni in 2019, IPAA WA Leader of the Year in State or Federal Government 2021, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration of Australia.
