Sharyn O'Neill

Sharyn O’Neill PSM was appointed the first female commissioner of the Public Sector Commission in July 2018, following 12 years as director general at the Department of Education. Her priority as commissioner is to strengthen and unify the public sector, to better serve the needs of the community. She is leading a major reform agenda with a focus on leadership, talent, diversity, data, workforce, integrity and capability.

Ms O’Neill began her career as a teacher and deputy principal in country schools before moving to policy, governance and system leadership positions in education. She was appointed director general of the then Department of Education and Training in June 2007, the youngest director general of education ever appointed in Western Australia, and the third woman to head the largest public sector agency in Western Australia. Her 2007 Classroom First strategy was a blueprint for the future and gave a clear mandate for public education – for every student to be successful, every teacher to be effective and every school to be good. Ms O’Neill has led some significant changes to public education in Western Australia. These include more flexibilities for schools; the move of Year 7 students from primary to secondary school; a new school funding model driven by the learning needs of students; and more support and services for children in the early years of their development and learning including Child and Parent Centres, and KindiLink.

She is a member of the Australian Education Systems Officials Committee and is also chief executive of the Country High School Hostels Authority.

Ms O'Neill was awarded the Institute of Public Administration (WA) Patrons Award in 2016 and the Australian College of Educators (WA) Medal in 2019. She was made a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia in recognition of her contribution to public administration in Western Australia. She was appointed controller of the State Recovery Advisory Group, established in May 2020 to provide advice to the WA government on the impacts of COVID-19 and measures to help economic recovery.

Ms O'Neill holds a Master of Education (Education Administration and Policy).

In 2023, she was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service through leadership and management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.