COTA SA President Emeritus Professor Anne Edwards AO today announced that Chief Executive Jane Mussared is leaving the organisation after seven years of outstanding service. Jane has resigned to head to Canberra, where she is taking up another age related role on 2 September.

“The Board is grateful for the contribution of Jane Mussared. She has brought enormous energy, passionate commitment, highly-developed leadership skills, and personal integrity to her work with COTA SA, which we all greatly appreciate and have earned COTA SA widespread recognition and respect. One of her lasting legacies has been to build an outstanding staff and volunteer team in SA. Everyone at COTA SA is enormously proud that Jane will now have the chance to positively influence ageing policy at a national level.

“COTA SA has been the advocate and voice for and with older South Australians since 1957. Its strength lies in its statewide engagement, independence, and deep reserves of people power drawn from our staff, volunteers, and community.

“In a period of continuing challenges for all Australians as they age and the critical need for action to identify and overcome inequalities and policy challenges, COTA SA has transformed itself under the leadership of Jane Mussared as our Chief Executive. COTA SA has built a strong reputation for its strategic and principled stance on all issues affecting older South Australians and is well-placed to face the next phase of its life.”

Jane Mussared, Chief Executive since the beginning of 2015, said that her term has been enormously satisfying.

“Our focus in my time at the helm has been to modernise COTA SA. In 2022 COTA SA reflects the diversity of older South Australia, it has challenged our community to be contemporary in its understanding of modern ageing, and it has the internal systems and capabilities that make it strong and viable.

“COTA SA must always keep an eye on those things that cause real disadvantage and distress as we age. I have no doubt that COTA SA will continue to speak out about housing, cost of living, ageism, regional disadvantage, climate change, and the double jeopardy of age and gender.

“There remains much to be done. I am looking forward to watching a new CE lead the next stage in the life of this vibrant and enduring organisation.”

Anne Edwards continued, “We are very confident in our team continuing the great work of COTA SA.”

General Manager Miranda Starke will step into the Acting CE role while COTA SA undertakes a search for the next Chief Executive.

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