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Update your browserPractice Lead - Strategy, Governance and CEO Excellence
Cynthia Payne has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience and over 25 years as a Director in both NFP and FP boards. Cynthia founded the Anchor Impact Group in 2018 and has now impacted over 45% of the Australian aged care market via its suite of Key Brands – Anchor Excellence including Anchor Consulting, Anchor Policy and Anchor Academy, SAGE Study Tours & Impactful-Leaders an industry agnostic focus for all organisations looking to develop and enable high performance
Passionate about leaders, supporting and enabling them, as defined by consumers’ lived experience, Cynthia and the twenty strong team together have a formidable level of expertise and commitment to the entire aged care ecosystem- residential, homecare (Support at Home), NDIS and retirement living.
Cynthia holds an MBA, Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing, Cert IV qualified Yoga teacher (800HrRYT), Certified Practitioner of Balanced Scorecard, Certified Aged Care Board Advisory Chair and Certified Practitioner with Team Management Systems – TMP, Quotient and LLP.
She is Member of AICD, Fellow of the Governance Institute Australia and long term member of the Australian College of Nursing, Fellow of the Manager and Leaders Institute & Member of the Advisory Board Centre where she has been an active member of the Aged Care Community of Practice. She is currently INED for listed entity Painchek (2022-Current), Director of Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure (May 2026- current). She is past Board Advisor to Total Construction (2019- June 2026), Past Director of the Mind Connections Foundation (2021-2026) and past INED for the National Heart Foundation (2017-2021). Cynthia also volunteers as an Independent Review Panel member for Business Excellence Australia and is an Honorary Member of the Organisational Excellence Specialists organisation.
Cynthia was noted in the Top 15 in the 2025 ‘Women of Influence’ by CEO Magazine, she was awarded the Business Women of the West for the University of Western Sydney in 2018. She was Finalist in the 2023 & 2025 Small Business Women’s Award (Professional Services Category) and Finalist for the ICON Woman of the Year. In 2026 Cynthia is a finalist in the CEO Magazine Women in Leadership Awards.
Cynthia represented Australia at the 2003 Commonwealth Study Conference and contributes as as public officer for the Association of Commonwealth Leadership Conferences and proud alumni with CSC Global Alumni.
Anchor Excellence stands at the forefront of aged care consultancy, dedicated to enabling leaders to enhance their capabilities and elevate the quality of life for our elderly.
Backed by a team of more than 20 accomplished Anchor Leaders, we have been instrumental in driving substantial change, positively impacting over 40% of the industry and championing lasting, sustainable transformations.
