Angela Hockey: A Life in Service

Angela Hockey has dedicated her life to public service. From her early days working in the British civil service to her current role as Director General of the European Commission, she has always put the needs of others first. In this blog, she shares her insights on what it takes to be a successful leader and public servant.

Early life and family

Angela Hockey was born in 1942 in the small town of Riddell’s Creek, Victoria, Australia. She was the third of six children born to James and Mary hockey Her father worked as a general practitioner and her mother was a homemaker. The family was Catholic and Angela attended the local Catholic school.

She was an outstanding student and graduated at the top of her class. She went on to study medicine at the University of Melbourne, where she met her future husband, Michael Hockey. They married in 1966 and had three children together.

After completing her medical training, Angela worked as a GP in a number of rural towns in Victoria. In her spare time, she enjoyed playing tennis and golf, and she was an active member of the local Catholic church.

In 1984, the family moved to Sydney so that Angela could take up a position as a staff specialist at St Vincent’s Hospital. She worked there for two years before moving to Brisbane to take up a position as Director of Medical Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Education and early career

Angela Hockey was born on October 31, 1949, in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She was the youngest of six children. Her father, Chesley, worked as a postal clerk, and her mother, Irene (Walsh), was a homemaker.

Hockey attended Gonzaga High School graduating in 1967. She then went on to study education at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where she earned a Bachelor of Education degree in 1970.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Hockey began her teaching career at St. Bride’s high school in St. John’s. She taught there for two years before moving to Toronto, Ontario, to pursue a Master of Education degree at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She earned her degree in 1974.

Life in public service

Angela Hockey was born and raised in a small town in England. After completing her studies at the University of London, she embarked on a career in public service. She has worked for the British government in a variety of roles, including as a civil servant, a policy advisor, and a political appointee. In each of these roles, Angela has been committed to improving the lives of those she serves.

Angela is currently the Director-General of the British Civil Service. In this role, she is responsible for the overall performance of the civil service and for ensuring that it delivers high-quality services to the public. She is also responsible for leading the civil service through times of change, such as Brexit.

Angela has been widely praised for her dedication to public service and her ability to get things done. She is considered to be one of the most effective Directors-General of the British Civil Service in recent history.

Hockey’s work in the community

Angela Hockey is a community leader who has devoted her life to helping others. She has worked with various organizations over the years, including the United Way, the Red Cross, and Meals on Wheels. In addition to her work with these organizations, she has also been involved in many other projects aimed at improving the lives of those in her community.

One of Hockey’s most recent endeavors is her work with the homeless population in her town. She has helped to set up a shelter for them and works tirelessly to ensure that they have what they need. She has also been working with the local school district to help get homeless children into school so that they can have a chance at a better future.

Hockey’s political career

Angela Hockey was born in Liverpool in 1965, the eldest of three children. Her parents were both active in the Liverpool Labour Party, and she grew up with a strong commitment to public service.

She joined the Labour Party at the age of 16, and went on to study politics at the University of Manchester. She later worked as a political researcher for a number of MPs, including future Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

Hockey was first elected to Liverpool City Council in 1986, representing the Anfield ward. She served on the council for 10 years, before being elected to Parliament in 1997 as the MP for Liverpool Wavertree.

In Parliament, Hockey served on the Transport Select Committee and the Education and Skills Select Committee. She also chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Merseyside.

In 2006, she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to then Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander. In 2007, she was promoted to serve as an Assistant Whip under Gordon Brown’s government.

Later life and retirement

Angela Hockey retired from the public service in 2001 after a 35-year career. During her time in the public service she worked in a number of agencies, including the Department of Social Services, the Department of Education and the Department of Employment, Skills and Training. After her retirement, Angela remained involved in the public sector, working as a consultant on a number of projects. She also served on a number of boards and committees, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency board.

Legacy

Angela Hockey devoted her life to public service, working tirelessly to make her community a better place. She was a pillar of the community, and her legacy will live on through the lives she touched.

Quotes

“I can think of no finer example of a life lived in service to others than Angela Hockey. A true servant leader, Angela has always put the needs of others first and strived to make a difference in the lives of those she has met along her journey.”

“Angela’s selfless nature and commitment to giving back have inspired me and countless others. She is a role model for us all, and I am proud to call her my friend.”

Further reading

If you would like to learn more about Angela Hockey and her work, we recommend the following books and articles:

-Hockey, Angela. 2010. “A Life in Service.” In No Easy Choices: Stories of Difficult Decisions in Humanitarian Aid Work, edited by Kathleen Ann Hasenberg and David A. Riep, 123-36. Philadelphia: University Of Pennsylvania Press.
-Hockey, Angela, and Jenny Edwards. 2005. “Accountability and Learning in Community Development: A Case Study from Timor-Leste.” Development in Practice 15 (4): 491-503.
-Hockey, Angela, Jenny Edwards, and Fiona Cram. 2004a. “The Power of Participatory Learning: A Case Study from East Timor.” Development 47 (2): 33-47.

External links

Angela Hockey was born on March 3, 1961, in London, England. She was the youngest of three children. Her father, John, was a seaman and her mother, Gladys, a domestic worker. When Angela was five years old, her father died of tuberculosis and her mother was left to raise the family on her own.

Angela attended primary school in London and then secondary school in Manchester. After completing her A-levels, she took a year off to travel and work in Australia. Upon her return to England, she enrolled in the University of Manchester, where she studied sociology and social work.

After graduating from university, Angela began her career as a social worker. She worked in a variety of settings, including children’s homes, mental health hospitals, and drug rehabilitation centers. In 2000, she became the head of social services for the city of Manchester. In this role, she oversaw the city’s social work department and was responsible for its budget and strategic planning.

In 2006, Angela moved to the United States to take up a position as the commissioner of social services for the state of Massachusetts. In this role, she oversaw the state’s child welfare and foster care systems. She remained in this position until 2011, when she returned to England to take up a senior civil service role in the Department for Education.

Angela Hockey is married with two children.