Santa Cardenia

Assistant Director General
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Santa Cardenia

Santa has a 37 year career with the Public Sector, including 23 years with the WA Police Force as an Executive Manager, Chief Finance Officer, and Director of Finance and Business Services  overseeing Finance, Strategic Procurement and Contracts, Insurance and Value Management Office functions for the agency.  She also has government experience in the previous Department of Housing, in both Finance and Strategy, and prior to that Santa held several roles in the Premier’s and other ministerial offices.

Santa is a Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant with a Bachelor of Business Degree (Double Major in Accounting and Finance, and sub-major in Public Accounting (Taxation)).  Her post graduate studies include a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management, and Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership.

Santa has previously been awarded the Commissioner of Police’s Medal of Excellence, for consistently contributing to the achievement of goals and objectives of the WA Police Force with commitment and dedication at the highest level.  In 2023 Santa was the recipient of the Institute of Public Administration - Lonnie Awards - Chief Finance Officer of the Year and Institute of Public Administration – Department of Finance - Finance Practitioner of the Year.

On a personal level Santa is the proud mum of her six-year-old daughter, Sophie, that she refers to as the ‘love of her life’.