[1] She is best known for her work in establishing protocols and programs for cultural heritage management in Australia.
[3] Her Honours thesis, supervised by Isabel McBryde, was the first completed on prehistoric archaeology in Australia.
[4] In 2003, Sullivan was conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters from James Cook University.
[5][6] Sullivan began her 20-year career as a public servant for the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service where she advocated for heritage management legislation.
In 2005, Sullivan was awarded the Rhys Jones Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Archaeology.