Tom graduated as an officer from the Royal Military College (RMC) Duntroon in 1983 and served in a variety of military postings, including the Australian Defence Force Academy, Senior Instructor in Leadership at RMC Duntroon, and Commander of a United Nations observer mission on the Golan Heights.

After he left the Australian Army in 2000, Tom worked for Raytheon Australia, where he was a senior project manager and led the team that delivered the Sydney Olympics’ major preparedness and readiness activity. 

Tom also spent a number of years as the Director of Programs and then Executive Director at the Australian Institute of Police Management (AIPM). The AIPM is administered by the Australian Federal Police to deliver highly respected executive development programs for leaders and future leaders of Australasian police and other public safety organisations.

Tom was appointed the Australian Electoral Commissioner in December 2014, having acted as the Electoral Commissioner from December 2013, and previously filled roles as the Deputy Electoral Commissioner and the Australian Electoral Commission’s state manager (and Australian Electoral Officer) for NSW.