Louise Simms
(She / Her)
Executive Director
Policy, Communications and Engagement
Louise leads Safe and Equal’s approaches to policy analysis, strategic advocacy, government, partner and member engagement, and broader campaigns and awareness-raising. She oversees our Policy, Communications and Engagement Unit – made up of three multi-disciplinary teams that design, develop and deliver policy advocacy, media and digital engagement, and key strategic projects including our work embedding lived experience within the family violence system and supporting private sector partners to recognise and respond to their workforces’ experiences of family violence.
Louise has a Master of Public Policy and a Graduate Certificate in Environment and Planning. She has worked in the Victorian community sector for 15 years, holding positions in DVRCV, No To Violence, and across the housing and homelessness sector.
My career has always been about effecting and embedding change, with social justice and gender equality at the heart of everything I do. At Safe and Equal, we’re translating evidence, practice expertise and lived experience into creative, inclusive policy, systems and services and I love that I get to play a part in this every day.