CESPHN board OF directors

Dr Michael Wright is a general practitioner working in Woollahra, Sydney, is the Chief Medical Officer of Avant Mutual, Australia’s largest medical defence organisation, and is a researcher/health economist with the Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE) at the University of Technology Sydney.

Michael completed his PhD in 2019 investigating the association between continuity of care in Australian general practice and health outcomes.  Michael has previously worked in Queensland and spent four years in the UK, where he worked in private and NHS general practice and was a Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Michael is Deputy Chair of the NSW/ACT RACGP Faculty Board, chairs the RACGP Reference Committee for Funding and Health System Reform and has strategic appointments with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and NSW Health’s Agency for Clinical Innovation.

Michael was previously Chair of the CESPHN Clinical Council, and a member of the Federal Government’s Primary Health Care Advisory Group. Michael is keen to improve the coordination in our health system, reduce fragmentation of care, and highlight the benefits of safe and high‑quality primary care.

Special responsibilities: FAR Committee and Governance Committee

Dr Gary Nicholls is an experienced Board Director and Medical Leader who trained in the UK at Cambridge University and St Bartholomews’ Hospital Medical School, University of London. He has 30 years of experience in acute and general hospital medicine, community health and general practice in both the UK and Australia.

He is especially passionate about connecting services between primary and community care, and hospital care – aiming to improve the health care journey of patients whilst improving service efficiency.

Gary holds positions as a Staff Specialist Physician for Justice Health, NSW Health and as a GP in Sydney. He has special interests in the health care of disadvantaged patients, quality use of medicines, patient safety, governance, and medical education. Gary is a Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Clinical School, University of New South Wales and works collaboratively with international health groups including the World Health Organisation (Europe) and the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians (UK).

Special responsibilities: Nominations Committee (Chair)

A strategic and commercially astute clinical leader, Chris has extensive experience as a Non-Executive Board director in the health sector. He was the founding director of the Lifestyle Clinic (a local health service operating as a division of the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW), and has been an integral driver of several local, state and federal health initiatives.

He commenced his career as an accredited exercise physiologist coordinating evidence based chronic disease management programs including PLWHA and mental health. His previous posts include Chair of the multi-disciplinary group within the Translational Cancer Research Network (TCRN) in Sydney Chair, Chair of Exercise Is Medicine – Australia (the Australian arm of the global health initiative), Board Director of Eastern Sydney Medicare Local, Executive Committee of the NSW Cancer Survivors Centre and the primary care representative to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC).

He is also a member of the Central and Eastern Sydney Allied Health Network and was previously a Board Director of Eastern Sydney Allied Health Network. An advocate for allied-health services playing an integral role in person-centred care, Chris is passionate about translating research into practice to promote healthy lifestyles and keep people out of hospitals. He has contributed extensively to Central and Eastern Sydney PHN through various Board sub-committees and advisory councils.

Special responsibilities FAR Committee and Nominations Committee

Sharlene has worked across the sector in Executive positions within NGOs that deliver services to the community. She has had some 16 years experience within the community sector. Sharlene has managed delivery of services within mental health, aged care, disability and youth to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. For this work she was awarded and Order of Australia medal in 2022.

She was also a finalist in the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2019. Sharlene is Managing Director of Allawaw Aboriginal Corporation and the former Chairperson of CESPHN Community Council of which she was a member from its inception.

Sharlene was a member of the Aboriginal Advisory for the NSW Ministerial Carers Strategy, Chairperson of the Disability Justice Project, Advisor to the NSW Ministerial Ageing Strategy, Member of the Suicide Prevention Lived Experience Network, Recipient of the Benevolent National Leadership award and a current member of the NSW Serious Young Offenders Review Panel. Sharlene is a Wiradjuri woman who is passionate about Closing the Gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Special responsibilities: Governance committee

Rene graduated as a physiotherapist in 1989 (Sydney University) and spent the first 15 years of his career working in the public sector for South Western Sydney Area Health service performing both clinical and management roles. In 2004, he became the CEO of the Macarthur Division of General practice and during the ongoing primary health care reform, progressed to the CEO of South Western Sydney Medicare Local (SWSML) and then South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN).

Rene completed a post graduate diploma in Gerontology (Sydney University) and the Board Directors course (AICD). Rene is currently working for himself as a consultant in the health sector working with various organisations. Most of his professional career has been working in the primary and community sectors, working with allied health, nursing and medical specialties such as General Practitioners, Geriatricians and Pediatricians.

He has been commissioning services since his time in SWSML with an increased focus on this type of business as CEO of SWSPHN. He is currently a Director on the Board of Down Syndrome Association NSW and Australia and Murrumbidgee PHN. His key achievement over the last 10 years would be the implementation of Quality in General practice Support services, Practice Nursing workforce support, the implementations of a Health Alliance model of care and the commencement of an interoperability platform to enable real time sharing of clinical data between the acute and primary care sector. His current independent role enables him to share expertise and knowledge across a wide range of sectors and regions.

Special responsibilities:  FAR Committee (Chair)

Tobi Wilson is an experienced health leader, currently holding the position of Chief Executive for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.  Prior to this, Tobi has held a range of executive positions, including General Manager of Prince of Wales Hospital and Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospitals, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.

In addition to this directorship, Tobi is Chair and President of Health Roundtable, a Director of Mindgardens Neuroscience Network, and Director of the Health Science Alliance. Tobi began his career as a physiotherapist, before completing a Masters of Health Science Management at the University of South Australia.

Tobi is passionate about clinical redesign to improve service delivery, the role of virtual care in supporting care for people in their homes and the use of informatics to support decision making.

Peggy has clinical experience providing individual and group dietetic and exercise physiology services across a variety of settings including general practice, hospitals, rehabilitation, youth, aged care and with CALD communities. Before joining the EIS board, Peggy was Chairperson of the Central and Eastern Sydney Allied Health Network (CESAHN) Board of Directors, member of the CESPHN Clinical Council and allied health representative on Sydney Health Pathways and the CESPHN SLHD Liaison Committee.

With a varied background in health and community services, education and training, project management, and leadership development, supplemented by an MBA and Masters of Law at UNSW, Peggy brings to the board strategic advice through multiple professional lenses. She is also a Non-Executive Director for 3Bridges Community.

Peggy is committed to achieving better health for all and building stronger communities through responsible management, whilst engaging stakeholders and the community in creating shared value.

Special responsibilities: Governance Committee

Sarah Reed is a senior business executive with diverse capabilities in health technology, health communications and social services. Sarah is a valued advisor in the health industry to national corporations, small businesses, and not-for-profit organisations. She has consulted to professionals in life science, food science, pharmaceuticals, human services and animal health.

Sarah takes a strategic view when facing issues, based on experience in health technology, medical communication and involvement with clinical research organisations. Sarah was General Manager Business Development at Telstra Health, where she worked alongside the mergers and acquisitions team to spearhead post implementation operations for every significant acquisition during the start-up period.

Sarah was General Manager Business Development at Mission Australia, helping shape the NFP’s social service portfolio to end homelessness in Australia. Sarah founded and led two successful private businesses: one in healthcare communications/public affairs and one in clinical research (patient cohort recruitment). Both businesses focused on the health sector and delivered impact for prescribers, dispensers and allied health professionals across multiple therapeutic areas. Throughout her professional career, she has demonstrated integrity, resilience, and leadership.

Special responsibilities: Governance committee (member)

Larissa is an experienced strategic commercial and legal advisor and Non‑Executive Director with an extensive and diverse background in‑house and in private practice both in Australia and internationally.  Larissa’s professional focus is on identifying, mitigating and managing commercial, legal, regulatory and reputational risk.

As a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an experienced Director, Larissa has a comprehensive understanding of corporate governance, risk and compliance and has been involved in significant review and implementation processes in this area. Larissa specialised in healthcare and medical law at one of Australia’s largest law firms for more than 20 years and was also the General Counsel for Litigation and Dispute Resolution at an ASX 100 financial services company.

Larissa was, for nearly a decade, a Director, Deputy Chair and then Chair of the Board of a profit for purpose company in the education sector.  Larissa is currently a director of St John Ambulance NSW and Chairs its Clinical Governance Committee.  She is also a Director of Hunter Health Insurance, where she sits on the Risk Committee and Chairs the Climate Change Working Group.

Larissa has also served as a Senior Legal Member of the Guardianship Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. In addition to her professional experience Larissa is also a breast cancer survivor.  Consequently, she has lived experienced of the importance of primary healthcare in prevention, screening and co‑ordination of care. Larissa is passionate about the critical role which primary healthcare plays in making our health system more effective and efficient by easing the burden on frontline resources and improving health outcomes for individuals and the community as a whole. She is keen to contribute to improving these outcomes in the Central and Eastern Sydney area.

Special responsibilities: FAR Committee

Professor Charlotte Hespe is the Head of General Practice and Primary Care Research at the Sydney School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA). She leads a research network specialising in primary care and General Practice projects. In addition to her academic role, she is an active GP clinician and practice owner of Glebe Family Medical Practice (GFMP), a medium-sized general practice in Inner City Sydney, with 16 doctors (8 FTE), 3 practice nurses, and 3 part-time allied health practitioners. . GFMP is a teaching practice for medical students and GP registrars in the RACGP training program and was recognised as the RACGP Practice of the Year for NSW/ACT in 2018.

Professor Hespe also serves as a Deputy Director of Professional Services Review, Clinical Lead for the Australian Digital Health Agency, and advisor to the NSW Health Department on GP-related issues, including the Lumos project and ACI GP Advisory Committee.

Her research focuses on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the implementation of best practice guidelines, driven by her belief in the critical role of GPs in reducing patient morbidity and mortality through quality improvement strategies. This culminated in her PhD thesis, “Implementing Quality Improvement Strategies in Real-World General Practice: A Study Focused on Cardiovascular Disease,” completed in 2022.

In 2024, Professor Hespe was awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to general medicine as a practitioner, academic, and mentor. She was also recognised on the COVID-19 Honour Roll for her contributions during the pandemic.