Having started her career as a primary school teacher, Elizabeth subsequently held several senior leadership positions over three decades at Australian Catholic University and the University of Notre Dame Australia, where she was most recently Deputy Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching). 

She is currently a member of the Initial Teacher Education Quality Assurance Oversight Board and the boards of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. She has previously served on the National Schools Resourcing Board, the board of Sydney Catholic Schools Ltd and as a director of Loreto College, Normanhurst. 

Professor Labone has a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Education (with Merit) from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Canberra.