Wendy Elizabeth McCarthy AO (born 22 July 1941) is an Australian businesswoman, activist and former university administrator.
[3] McCarthy's first experience as a political lobbyist came about in 1968 when, newly pregnant, she and her husband joined the Childbirth Education Association, campaigning for, among other issues, the rights of fathers to be present at the births of their children.
[6] In 1995 she was appointed to the Economic Planning Advisory Commission's four-member task force to the prime minister on Australia's child care needs to 2010.
[4] International appointments include four years was Chair of the Advisory Committee of World Health Organization's Kobe Centre in Japan[5] from 1999 to 2002.
[4] Other significant appointments include services as the CEO of the National Trust of Australia NSW (1990-1993); chair of the Australian Heritage Commission (1995–1998); a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Council and subsequently chair of Symphony Australia; a director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation; and a director of Star City.
[4] As of 2015[update] McCarthy was deputy chair of Goodstart Early Learning, and a non-executive director of IMF Bentham, a litigation funder.
[11] In December 1964, Wendy Ryan married Gordon McCarthy born 17th March 1940, whom she met on a blind date in September 1963.