Chief Digital Officer, Griffith University 

Sandie Matthews is a senior executive digital transformation leader with extensive experience shaping strategy, governance, and large-scale technology delivery across the higher education and public sectors. As Chief Digital Officer at Griffith University, she leads the institution’s digital strategy and digital transformation agenda, driving innovation in learning, research, and operations while strengthening digital capability, governance, and delivery discipline.

Sandie has held executive leadership roles across some of Australia’s most complex technology environments, including Chief Information Officer at the University of Sydney and Chief Information and Data Officer at the NSW Department of Education. Her broader experience spans Whole-of-Government CIO for the Northern Territory, alongside senior executive roles in eHealth Queensland, Defence, and the Department of Human Services, where she has led large-scale, mission-critical technology ecosystems and delivered transformation initiatives at significant scale.

She is recognised for her pragmatic, outcomes-focused leadership style, underpinned by strong stakeholder engagement and a commitment to transparency and accountability. Sandie brings a particular focus on aligning technology investment to institutional strategy, strengthening delivery maturity, and fostering high-performing, collaborative teams.

An active contributor to the higher education sector through CAUDIT, Sandie is passionate about advancing shared approaches to digital innovation. She champions practical collaboration across institutions and partners to address common challenges and deliver sustainable, sector-wide impact.