Amy Capuano has commenced her new role as Head of Strategic Communications at Universities Australia, bringing more than two decades of experience spanning journalism, government communications, speechwriting and higher education public affairs.Capuano joins the peak body representing Australia's 39 universities after serving for two-and-a-half years at The Australian National University (ANU), most recently as Head of Public Affairs. At ANU, she led strategic communications initiatives and played a key role in translating complex policy and research issues into accessible public narratives.Before joining ANU, Capuano spent five years at Australia's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as a speechwriter, drafting speeches, opinion pieces and ministerial communications for three Prime Ministers, the Foreign Minister and the Education Minister.She began her career in journalism, spending around 15 years across some of the world's leading news organisations, including SBS Australia, the ABC and CNN in Hong Kong and London. Her journalism background has informed a career focused on communicating complex public policy issues across government, academia and the media.Capuano is also a recipient of a Churchill Fellowship, awarded in 2023 to study the global decline of trust in democracy. As part of the fellowship, she travelled to the United States, the United Kingdom and Finland to examine how democratic institutions can strengthen public trust and engagement. Her writing has appeared in publications including The Interpreter at the Lowy Institute and E-International Relations.At Universities Australia, Capuano takes on a senior leadership role responsible for shaping the organisation's strategic communications agenda. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the position oversees media, campaigns, digital communications, events and stakeholder engagement while supporting the organisation's advocacy efforts on issues affecting Australia's higher education sector.Her appointment comes at a pivotal time for Australian universities as the sector responds to reforms stemming from the Australian Universities Accord, changing international education policies and growing debates around research, skills development and workforce needs. Universities Australia has been increasingly active in shaping public and policy discussions around the future of higher education and its contribution to Australia's economic and social development.