Margaret Seares holds a PhD from UWA in Music, her field of specialty being the keyboard music of the 18th century.
From 1991-1995 she was Head of the School of Music, and Deputy Chair of the University's Academic Board.
In 1995 she accepted a two-year secondment to the position of CEO with the West Australian Department for the Arts (now the Ministry for Culture and the Arts), and in 1997 she was appointed to a four-year term as Chair of the Australia Council.
She has been a member of a wide range of boards and councils in the government, not-for-profit, and arts sectors and is currently a board member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, a Councillor with the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry and with Scotch College WA, a member of the Australian Research Council’s advisory council, and a member of the board of the Council for the Humanities Arts and Social Sciences.
In 2003 Professor Seares was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of her work for the arts and education.