Dr Neil Carrington

Since graduating from Griffith University, Dr Neil Carrington has dedicated his career to helping others, whether that be through philanthropy, improving the standard of Australian health care training or educating the next generation of industry leaders.

In a long list of notable career achievements, Dr Carrington was named Brisbane’s Australian Institute of Management Business Leader of the Year in 2016 and a finalist in the Queensland Philanthropist of the Year in 2016, 2018 and 2019. He was also named the Harvard Club of Australia Fellow for 2013.

During his career, he has also been CEO of national charity Act For Kids, an organisation dedicated to supporting abused and neglected children. As CEO, Dr Carrington took the organisation from two loss-making years, prior to his arrival, to one with an annual revenue of more than $40 million, delivering ten successive surpluses. During that period, staff numbers grew from 60 to over 450, and the number of abused and neglected children receiving assistance grew to more than 50,000. The organization, which only ran in Queensland, now operates nationally in over 30 sites. In 2019 Human Resources Director magazine presented Act for Kids with the Gold Employer of Choice Award across all industries and sectors, recognising the organisation as a top performer in their Leadership, Work-life Balance, and Health and Wellbeing categories.

In the 10 years he was CEO, Dr Carrington’s professional speaking, consultancy and Board fees went directly to Act for Kids. To date he has contributed more than $3,100,000 to this worthy cause.

After graduating from Griffith University (then Mt Gravatt College of Advanced Education) in 1981, Dr Carrington spent several years teaching in secondary schools in rural Queensland. He became one of the first to qualify as a specialist Resource Teacher and received a scholarship to complete a Master’s degree in 1991. He worked as a Guidance Officer before taking an educational leadership position in London. He continued studying in these fields, adding an additional Master’s degree from James Cook University in 1998. From 1993 to 1997 Dr Carrington held academic positions at Western Sydney University (lecturing in Educational Psychology and Teaching Practice), Queensland University of Technology (Coordinator of an International Teacher Training Program) and University of New England (Director of School Experience and Deputy Head of Smith House Residential College).

During this time, he competed his PhD through ground-breaking research into perceptions of intelligence. The next phase of Dr Carrington’s career saw him move into the field of continuing professional education and development, leading to the establishment of his national and international profile for innovative and highly effective business coaching.

In 1998 Dr Carrington was appointed Foundation Director of Education and Organisation Development for Mater Health Services, responsible for all organisational and professional development, education, and training for over 7000 medical, nursing, allied health and executive staff. There he developed and honed his knowledge and skills as a business development consultant—nationally and internationally.

In 2004 Dr Carrington became Director, Teaching and Learning at Queensland University of Technology, responsible for teaching evaluation and quality assurance across the University. After three successful years there, he became Director of the National Leadership Centre at the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER). Within 12 months, Dr Carrington moved ACER from a $3 million-dollar loss into a profitable business unit.

Having presented at more than 650 conferences throughout Australia, the United Kingdom, Middle East, the United States of America, New Zealand and Asia, Dr Carrington is an internationally-recognised executive coach and motivational speaker—particularly for people working in the helping professions and not-for-profit sector.

Dr Carrington is currently a Board Member and Chairman of the Governance, People and Culture Committee for Brisbane South PHN, a not-for-profit organisation that works in partnership with local community organisations; regional hospital and health services; state and federal governments; and the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to support a well-coordinated and collaborative primary health system. Since 2003 he has been a Board Member of Youthrive, an organisation that supports children’s learning and development by devising tailored therapy plans for the children and their families.

In 2021 Dr Carrington was awarded a highly commended in the category of Outstanding Alumnus in the Arts, Education and Law (AEL) Group for the 2021 Griffith University Outstanding Alumni Awards.

Dr Carrington’s career has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to combine multidisciplinary business operations to address important community needs. Dr Carrington has made a remarkable and lasting impact on a diverse cross-section of Australian society—ranging from business leaders to government and, most meaningfully, some of the most vulnerable and marginalised people in our society.