Dr Verna Blewett BSc MPH(OH) MBA PhD
Verna is the Director of New Horizon Consulting Pty Ltd and a Visiting Research Fellow in the Discipline of Labour Studies, School of Social Sciences, at the University of Adelaide.
Verna has over twenty years experience in the management of change, in ergonomics and in the management of occupational health and safety.
Verna's work experience includes
- OH&S Manager for a Federal Government Department with 18,000 staff
- Change Manager in a large automotive components manufacturer
- University and private researcher
- Director of her consultancy service, New Horizon Consulting Pty Ltd, which works to improve organisations.
As a consultant she has worked in both the private and public sectors, in service industries, light and heavy manufacturing, health, transport and food industries. Verna's academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science (BSc - Adelaide), Masters degrees in OHS (MPHOH - Sydney), and in Business Administration (MBA - Adelaide) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD - Adelaide) in the management of organisational change. Verna also holds an Advanced Diploma in Typographic Design and a Certificate IV in Workplace Training Category 2.
Verna is a member (and Past President) of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia, a member of the Industrial Relations Society, a member of The Australian Sociological Association and a member of the UniSA Circle of Friends.
Verna observes that companies interested in becoming the best in the world attend to OH&S issues in a participative manner because these issues affect the culture of the organisation, the performance of employees and ultimately the organisation's bottom line. Verna finds that organisations that work best are built on foundations of individual respect, respect for diversity, and high levels of autonomy and job control. She is a champion of social justice at work. In her private life Verna loves hiking, riding camels and a good laugh.
