Kerry Sanderson

The Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC CVO
32nd Governor of Western Australia
In office 20 October 2014 – 1 May 2018
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Premier	Colin Barnett Mark McGowan
Lieutenant Governor	Wayne Martin
Preceded by	Malcolm McCusker
Succeeded by	Kim Beazley
Agent-General for Western Australia
In office November 2008 – December 2011
Preceded by	Noel Ashcroft
Succeeded by	Kevin Skipworth
Personal details
Born	Kerry Gaye Smith[1] (1950-12-21) 21 December 1950 (age 73) Subiaco, Western Australia
Alma mater	University of Western Australia

Kerry Gaye Sanderson, AC, CVO (née Smith; born 21 December 1950) is a retired Australian public servant and business director, who served as the 32nd Governor of Western Australia, in office from 20 October 2014 to 1 May 2018. She is the first woman to have held the position. She has since served as Chancellor of Edith Cowan University for 2019–2021.^[2][3]

Sanderson attended Churchlands Senior High School and the University of Western Australia. She entered the public service after graduation, serving in senior positions in the Treasury and Transport Departments of the Government of Western Australia. Sanderson was chief executive officer of Fremantle Ports from 1991 to 2008. In the position, she undertook a restructuring of the operations of Fremantle Harbour, and was credited with increasing the port's efficiency and returning it to profit.

After leaving Fremantle Ports, Sanderson was named Agent-General for Western Australia for a three-year term (from 2008 to 2011), representing the government in the United Kingdom and Europe. On her return to Australia, she entered the private sector, holding board-level positions with several publicly traded companies. She was appointed to succeed Malcolm McCusker as Governor of Western Australia in August 2014.