OUR TEAM
Ross Townson
Founder, PS Careers
Ross Townson is a governance and strategy leader with over 17 years of experience in the Federal and State public service, spanning legal, policy and executive roles. He has advised Ministers on complex policy, governance and regulatory matters, led major public sector reforms and managed high-performing teams across eight separate departments. As a former senior executive across several policy portfolios, Ross understands the responsibilities of public sector leadership and is passionate about helping others navigate the world of public policy. As the founder of PS Careers, his vision is to build Australia’s leading platform providing expert guidance to those seeking to build successful and impactful careers in the public service.
As a former senior executive across several policy portfolios, Ross understands the responsibilities of public sector leadership and is passionate about helping others navigate the world of public policy. As the founder of PS Careers, his vision is to build Australia’s leading platform providing expert guidance to those seeking to build successful and impactful careers in the public service
Elena Veljanoska
Career coach
Elena is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in Human Resources, Recruitment, and Learning & Development. She has worked across a variety of sectors, including international resources companies and local, state, and federal government agencies. Elena holds qualifications in Human Resources and Training & Assessment.
Throughout her career, Elena has played a key role in sourcing, screening, and interviewing candidates for a broad range of positions, from graduate roles to senior professionals. She has extensive experience in government recruitment processes, including panel-style interviews, assessment centres, and high-volume national recruitment campaigns.
Elena is passionate about supporting clients through career transitions. She provides personalised coaching to enhance job search strategies, boost interview skills, and build confidence.
Outside of her Elena enjoys teaching swimming, pet sitting and discovering new coffee spots.
Greg Lyons
career coach
Greg Did Lyons is an expert in Australian Public Service careers with an exceptional depth of knowledge in government career pathways, career development strategies, interview preparation, and job application standards. Greg leverages his successful career of 27 years in the public and private sectors to support individuals at every stage of their APS career and thrives on making a difference in people’s lives.
Greg’s 20 years in Federal Government includes people leadership, mentoring and coaching, as well as roles as a chair and member of multiple recruitment panels.
Blake Richardson
Career coach
With over 15 years of experience in education and leadership, Blake has dedicated his career to mentoring both professionals and students, designing impactful learning experiences, and developing programs that enhance workplace performance. Holding a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Administration, he has worked extensively in curriculum development, instructional design, and leadership training. His academic research explored the link between the actions of leaders and employee job satisfaction, providing valuable insights applicable to diverse organisational settings.
In addition to a strong background in education, Blake has extensive experience in human resources, recruitment, and executive coaching, particularly within the public sector. Blake’s expertise in performance assessment, staff development, and strategic hiring has enabled professionals to secure leadership roles, and align career paths with public sector expectations. He is skilled in helping professionals position themselves for success in highly competitive fields.
Stacey Adams
career coach
Stacey is a seasoned career coach, resume writer and recruitment manager with 10 years of experience in recruitment and corporate HR across 3 continents. She holds qualifications in Human Resource Management and specialises in interview preparation, helping professionals gain clarity, build confidence and present themselves effectively throughout the job search process.
Stacey has coached 750+ professionals, including those in the government sector, providing tailored strategies, structured mock interviews and actionable feedback. Her coaching is collaborative – using reflective questioning to help clients uncover their strengths and develop impactful career stories. Having worked with professionals at all career stages, Stacey understands what employers look for and how to navigate the ever-changing job market. She’s committed to helping professionals turn high-pressure interviews into confident, well-prepared conversations, equipping them with skills that extend far beyond the interview itself.
When she’s not helping job seekers, you’ll find Stacey learning Spanish, working from cafés or travelling to explore new cultures and experiences.
Mark Cowell
career coach
Mark is a Career Development Practitioner (PCDAA, RCDP, RPCDP, DYLCP) who is focused on helping people make sense of their diverse experiences and provides support to design effective ways to articulate their skills and value to future employers.
Mark is particularly effective at helping people adjust to the highly structured requirements of public service recruitment when transitioning from the private or NFP sectors to their first public service role.
Utilising strengths-based approaches, Mark managed his own transitions across industries, including 14 years as a public servant in diverse State and Federal government roles. He combines this, alongside academic training in career development, with experiences from internal career coaching roles and unique insights into public service recruitment processes to help anyone from interns and graduates, through to aspiring executives to secure new and exciting public service roles.
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