About Anne McDowell
The Positivity and Transformation Specialist, and Master of Change
Speaker | Coach | Author | Change Consultant
Anne McDowell is a transformational speaker, coach, author, and change consultant with over 30 years of experience helping individuals and organisations move from stuck to empowered
Known for her warm, intuitive presence and strategic mind, Anne brings a rare blend of heart and expertise to everything she does
Whether she’s working with executive decision-makers, teams navigating change, or individuals rebuilding after unexpected transitions, Anne leads with insight, compassion, and practical tools that create lasting transformation
Anne believes that change—whether chosen or unexpected—holds the key to growth, clarity, and reinvention
Her work spans both personal and professional transformation, offering B2B and B2C coaching, consulting, and tailored learning experiences that move people forward
As the creator of Learning Long Lunches, host of online workshops, and a sought-after international speaker and podcast guest, Anne connects deeply with audiences, delivering life skills with humour, humanity, and impact
If you’re ready to lead your life—or your organisation—through change with more confidence, courage, and clarity, Anne is your trusted guide for the journey
A message from the Master of Change
Change – some changes are easy, and others, well, let’s just say they can be painful
I have found that we do like change when we can choose it – what we don’t like is being changed/forced to change by someone/something else
We all go through tough times, but it’s what and how we think, and what we do when times are tough that really make a difference to how quickly (or not) we get through the pain
I positively influence people’s ability to cope with, and move through life’s challenges, by focusing on mindset, developing resiliency, coping with change and creating optimism/confidence
I influence transformational change in people, by coaching them to learn to think positively, in order to make better and more emotionally intelligent decisions when times are difficult and tough
My 2 x international award winning book “Creating Eternal Optimism: redesign your thinking and transform your life in 30 days” contains 101 Strategies to redesign thinking, so audiences can then use the very hints, tips, tricks and tools to overcome adversity that I use!
I believe that “life was meant to be enjoyed, not endured©”, so together, we can create and shape your future
Professional Credentials
- Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, University of Newcastle, 2000, (Leadership and Organisational Change)
- Diploma of Business (Frontline Management)
- Diploma of Training and Assessment Systems
- Certificate IV in Training and Education (TAE)
- Certificate IV in Assessment and Training (TAA)
- Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment (WTA)
- Certificate IV in Workplace Training (Cat 2)
- Certificate in Small Business Enterprise
- Certificate in Public Relations
Selected Projects within Functional areas
Comprising of www.amc.id.au and www.professionalresumes.com.au
Providing end-to-end professional services from a one-stop-HR-shop, and facilitating and influencing transformational change through positive and emotionally intelligent decision making:
- Leadership/Management Coaching, Entrepreneurial Coaching, and Life Coaching
- Change Management, and Change and Resiliency Training/Coaching
- Outplacement and Transition Services including challenging conversations and counselling
- Career Guidance, Professional Resume and Selection Criteria Development, and Interview Coaching
- Recruitment and Behavioural Interviewing
- Training Management, Training Facilitation and Instructional Design of learning
Known as “The Positivity and Transformation Specialist”, involving leading the “Resiliency Revolution” emotional self-mastery movement, helping people bounce back from life’s challenge
A 2 x international award-winning Author in the transformational mindset/change, self-help and positivity arena
- Author of a 2 x international award winning book in the positivity, mindset and change arena titled “Creating Eternal Optimism: redesign your thining and transform your life in 30 days”
- Provided one-on-one mindset, change and resiliency coaching to individuals who have encountered life’s challenges and are wanting their lives to get back on track
- Provided one-on-one resiliency coaching helping people get bounce back
- Wrote and delivered Mindset Makeover Workshops, Resiliency Revolution Workshops and Managing Change Workshops
- Wrote and delivered Surviving Redundancy Workshops
- Executive Leadership Coaching of Women in Australian Defence Force
- Performance-managed a manager who was facing probable termination, into being offered a promotion after 3 coaching sessions over a 6 month period
- Leadership Development Training (own program) for leaders
- Facilitation of Leading and Managing Change, Resiliency and Resume Writing and Interview Skills Workshops
- HR Lead – Outplacement of 2 redundancy waves, outplacement/transition meetings
- Resiliency Training (own program) for managers to re-motivate remaining workforce
- Outplacement and Transition Coaching across executive, white and blue collar workers
- Outplacement and Transition Coaching for the closure of a disability/aged care centre
- Facilitated change management initiatives, including fact-finding interviews, engagement, and reporting
- Designed 3 agile recruitment change strategies to overlay and eventually replace current BAU methodology for specific teaching roles
- Developed 29 elearning modules in 11 months, including material for a major transformational change project: change, leadership, intrinsic motivation and systems training
- Developed/facilitated cultural change, and learning and development programs that increased staff morale
- Developed and facilitated a Mini-Olympics Team Building Day for local government to boost morale
- Facilitated/mentored managers through leadership/management programs (over 1000 people)
- Instructionally designed learning material and programs for a range of soft skills accredited national training
- Developed intensive 6 and 12 month leadership/management development coaching programs
- Developed intellectual methodology for the Certificate III, IV, Diploma of Business (Frontline Management)
- Successfully recruited hundreds of workers across all industry groups (incl government) and positional levels (entry to executive)
- Stepped in and turned around the recruitment function for a disability services provider from being outsourced
- Successfully advertised, resourced, evaluated and placed an international Principal Chemical Process Engineer/Business Sector Lead within 2 months, previously advertised for 15 months
- Pulled 2 “rabbits out of a hat” chemical process engineers within a 2 week period, including resourcing, evaluating, interviewing, negotiating and onboarding
- Secured “rare as hen’s teeth” electrical engineer for billion dollar brownfields/greenfields project within 3 weeks, previously advertised for 6 months
- Conducted (in a team environment) weekly behavioural assessment centres as assessor/recruiter over
- a 3.5 year period for underground coal production workers – electricians, fitters and feds
- a 6 month period for open cut coal production workers – truck drivers and machinery operators, to assess team work and commitment/attitude/cognitive behaviour to ensure a cultural fit
- Developed behavioural questionnaires, interview guides, capability statements, job specifications
- Provided global career guidance and counselling to individuals from pre-employment to retirement, and entry to executive
- Developed Professional Resumes/Profiles and Cover Letters for entry level to executive clients seeking employment in the private, government and nfp sectors
- Developed Selection Criteria/Focus Capability for individuals seeking employment in the government, higher education and nfp sectors
- Conducted behavioural Interview Coaching and Confidence building sessions with clients
Anne's Thoughts - blog
