An enduring passion for community and a drive to lead with purpose has allowed CEO of Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury, Elizabeth Lovell, to ‘help more people in new ways.’ This is the second in our Female Changemakers series. Catherine Lewis reports.
Elizabeth Lovell believes that everyone has something special to bring to the table. Over the course of her corporate career at the University of Sydney, Transport for NSW and her time as a Rotary president, she has seen first-hand the power of community to pull together and benefit others. It’s that purpose, passion and positivity that has seen her continue to build on Lifeline’s enduring – and crucial – work.
It is no mean feat to head one of the largest and most prolific members of national charity Lifeline, which provides 24-hour support to Australians who are in crisis and experiencing distress. Elizabeth, who took the helm in 2022, is clear that with every year that passes, Lifeline strives to evolve, to ‘help more people in new ways’ as demand grows, with workforce and scale rising by two-thirds since she joined.
“Individuals and families in our community need connection, hope and support. Lifeline is made up of the community, and our common purpose is for the community,” she tells NL.
With a catchment area covering seven local council areas and more than 600,000 people, Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury (Lifeline HH) has trained thousands of individuals to offer an emotional port of call for almost six decades. Of the 1.32 million Australians that contacted Lifeline nationally for help with issues such as financial distress or domestic violence in 2024/25, Lifeline HH responded to more than 11% of those calls, and 18% of interactions through its text and chat service.
Elizabeth, a mother of three, lives in Church Point close to the Pittwater with ‘two cats, several hundred bees and a semi-unchartered garden,’ but her formative years were spent on the North Shore. She attended Lindfield Public School and North Sydney Girls High and it is this long-held association with the community that was one of the driving factors behind her decision to leave her corporate career.
Before joining Lifeline HH, Elizabeth had worked as director of student administration at the University of Sydney, and CEO at Transport for NSW’s Registered Training Organisation.
“People have often asked why I have moved from a corporate career,” Elizabeth says. “I had been coached from a young age by my late mother that women can and should lead and have a strong voice, along with a commitment to make a difference in the society in which we live.
“I have long been involved in making large, complex organisations stronger, more people-focused and resilient. In 2017, I also became involved in Rotary, as president of the Upper Northern Beaches Club and a board member, and saw how powerfully we can all work together to make communities stronger,” she says.
Elizabeth delivers a speech at Lifeline’s Annual General Meeting. She says the charity’s purpose is to achieve an Australia without suicide
“Individuals and families in our community need connection, hope and support.”
Elizabeth Lovell, CEO Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury
“I was attracted to Lifeline’s strong local and national presence with which I associate an ability to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community, as well as actively participate in local and national conversations about mental health and suicide prevention. So, for many reasons, the Lifeline role was a rich opportunity to embark upon.”
The silver thread that has always run through Elizabeth’s work is purpose. “Leading a purpose-based organisation has the potential to generate enormous motivation and commitment across our workforce, donors, government and supporters,” she says. “Even though we may encounter people at their most vulnerable, being able to play a role in leading the collective impact and difference Lifeline makes, is personally very rewarding.
“Our purpose is to achieve an Australia without suicide, and, with nine people each day still tragically losing their life to suicide and many more at risk, this goal can seem insurmountable.
“However, I take great satisfaction in the power of Lifeline to make tangible traction on the ground. Daily, I have the joy of encountering the richness of experience, commitment and purpose amongst our volunteers, donors, government, corporate and service partners and hear stories about lives strengthened and saved,” she adds.
The focus of Lifeline calls may shift, but the need is constant. During the core COVID-19 years, calls linked to anxiety and loneliness ramped up, while the post-pandemic phase brought Lifeline a new group struggling to stay afloat financially. “When encountering suffering, sadness or grief, this just makes us even more determined to do more. Every day is filled with hope and an urgency to help more people,” says Elizabeth.
Lifeline’s busiest day on record came in 2024, when the charity fielded almost 3,500 calls and 1,000 text and webchat messages – 20% above the annual average – following a week of renewed spotlight on violence against women in Australia. Thousands across the country had been marching at rallies demanding an end to the family and domestic violence national crisis, after 25 women died as a result of gender-based violence, including NSW woman Molly Ticehurst.
Elizabeth (centre) with Helen Daunt and Jodie Williams from Lifeline Central West at last year’s Spring Cycle
“Our new call centre has been fully operational since July 2025 and is on track to answer another 10,000 calls in its first year, saving more lives.”
Elizabeth Lovell, CEO Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals that an estimated 3.8 million Australians have come forward to report physical and/or sexual family and domestic violence since the age of 15, equating to 20% of the population.
This stark reality prompted a rise in volunteer numbers, with over 1,000 people now volunteering at Lifeline HH, both on the national crisis lines and in ‘our own backyard’ on the North Shore. “This can include volunteering in one of our shops, or as a clinical or financial counsellor, or raising funds for us via our book fairs. My role as leader also includes ensuring we uphold the trust of the community, ensuring it is supported by highly skilled people and the careful stewardship and prioritisation of funds towards direct service delivery,” Elizabeth adds.
As for what’s to come, Lifeline is rising to meet the challenge of a new year – and new help seekers – head-on. “Two years ago, we announced that we were launching in-person crisis support in local libraries, using the expertise built from over 60 years on the phones. Connect Hubs are now a major success and operate weekly in Chatswood, North Sydney and Hornsby, with further plans to expand.
“Last year, we announced that Lifeline needed to answer more calls and that we wanted to set up a new call centre in North Sydney. With thanks to North Sydney Council and two donors, the centre has been fully operational since July 2025 and is on track to answer another 10,000 calls in its first year, saving more lives. With the crisis lines as our foundation, combined with Lifeline’s local footprint on the North Shore and the power of technology and partnerships, we are now working to reach even more people, including live, digital and multi-lingual options for people to access free and confidential help, and not feel alone.
“As a result, my role leading Lifeline HH feels like an incredible gift every day!” Elizabeth says.