Meet the team > Coaches and Mentors
Karen Hayes
With over 30 years of governance experience, Karen is a dedicated advocate for inclusive leadership within community-oriented boards and organisations. Her expertise is centred on enhancing the board-executive relationship and advancing women's leadership, health, and education initiatives throughout Australia.
Her extensive corporate career has provided her with a diverse skill set, invaluable experiences, and a robust network of influential connections. Most recently, she served as the CEO of Guide Dogs Victoria for over a decade, where she led transformative projects and developed a strategic vision for sustainable growth.
Karen is deeply committed to advancing women's leadership, as demonstrated by her role as a founding member of the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and co-founder of the Australian chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF). Additionally, she has contributed to pioneering initiatives at Melbourne Football Club, including the ‘Field of Women’ to raise breast cancer awareness, ‘The Long Journey’ to highlight Indigenous contributions to the AFL, and ‘Women in Football,’ which secured one of the first official Australian Women’s Football League (AFLW) licenses and showcased the growing number of AFLW players.
She has a rich history of serving on a range of boards, including the Melbourne Football Club, Breast Cancer Network Australia, Multiple Sclerosis Limited, the International Guide Dogs Federation and Vision 2020 Australia. She currently holds positions on the Adelaide Fringe Festival Foundation Board, Cancer Council of SA Board, Adelaide Botanical Gardens Foundation and the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Board.
In recognition of her significant contributions to business and community, Karen was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2017. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours List for her advocacy for gender equity and support for women in sport. Additionally, she was honoured as a Dame in the Order of St John (DSJ) in June 2019 for her contributions to the community.