Anne Summers

Dr. Anne Summers AO is a Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Business School, appointed in 2022. Her research focuses on ending domestic and family violence, informed by her roles as an inaugural Paul Ramsay Foundation Fellow (2021-22) and extensive career in media, politics, and activism. She is a best-selling author with nine books, including the seminal feminist text Damned Whores and God’s Police (1975) and a memoir Unfettered and Alive (2018). A Walkley Award-winning journalist, she has held leadership positions in media, government, and non-profits, including editor-in-chief of Ms. magazine and chair of Greenpeace International (2000-2006).

Education:

• BA (Hons), University of Adelaide
• PhD, University of Sydney
• Honorary Doctorates from Flinders University (1994), UNSW (2000), University of South Australia (2014), University of Adelaide (2015), and University of Sydney (2017)

Her research intersects social policy, gender studies, and domestic violence, with recent works analyzing economic impacts of violence on women’s employment and education. She has produced influential reports such as The Choice: Violence or Poverty (2022), blending academic rigor with public advocacy.

Awards & Honors:

• Australian Legend postage stamp honor (2011)
• Australian Media Hall of Fame inductee (2017)
• Walkley Award for journalism
• Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to journalism and women (1989)

Her advisory roles include federal government positions under Prime Ministers Hawke and Keating, and she has led major cultural institutions such as the Powerhouse Museum (Deputy President, 1999-2008). Her interdisciplinary work spans journalism, academia, and activism, advocating for systemic change in gender equity and social justice.