Marlo Baragwanath is a dedicated public servant who has been a trail blazer for women in significant areas of the Victorian State Government. Her career has been built on ensuring that people are treated fairly by Government; that justice is delivered; and that verity is at the forefront of public life.

Marlo completed Year 12 in 1990, having attended Loreto Toorak for all her secondary school years. She completed a Law/Arts (Honours) degree at Monash University before travelling with friends from school and then settling overseas. In the UK she worked as a member of the legal team throughout an official inquiry into the Bristol Royal Infirmary, which led to her interest in public policy and service. In 2001 she graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics.

On her return to Australia, Marlo took on a range of roles in the Victorian Ombudsman’s office, the Department of Justice and WorkSafe Victoria. In 2016 she was appointed as the first female Victorian government solicitor. In 2020 Marlo moved to work at IBAC as its first female CEO before being appointed in 2024 to a ten-year term as the Victorian Ombudsman. In this role she acts as the “watchdog for the people", again ensuring that Government deals fairly with its citizens in circumstances where there is a significant power imbalance. Marlo is the first woman to hold this key position in Victoria.

Marlo is committed to supporting the public sector to make fair and reasonable decisions, to uphold integrity, and to promote human rights.