CESPHN board OF directors

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)

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

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

Michael is a GP and medical director of an independent, multi-disciplinary practice in Balmain. He led the Inner West GP respiratory clinic and the Sydney West COVID Vaccine Centre during the pandemic working closely with the CESPHN executive team and the Commonwealth government to deliver respiratory care and vaccine services. Previously, he was a uniformed medical officer in the Royal Australia Navy where he served for 13 years.

Michael was the President (2022-2024) of the Australian Medical Association (NSW) where he championed the value of primary care and the need for holistic community services. He continues to chair public health for the AMA nationally. As the deputy chair of GP Synergy (2014-2023), he provided board leadership to major organisational changes and initiatives.

He was President of the Australian Medical Students’ Association (2008) and then a member of the Board of beyondblue (2008-2014). He was then selected as a Churchill Fellow (2009) to investigate international systems that support better practitioner wellbeing.

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.

Deb is the Chief Executive of Sydney Local Health District. She most recently held the role of Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience, Ministry of Health, with statewide responsibility for areas including mental health, capital planning, patient experience, Commonwealth and State relations, health and social policy and allied health. Deb was Chief Executive, Northern Sydney Local Health District from 2017 to 2022. From 2015 to 2017 Deb held the combined role of Director of Operations, Sydney Local Health District and General Manager, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Deb’s career has included roles in both government and non-government organisations and her experience spans clinical, corporate services, government departments, the research environment and senior government advisor roles.

Prior to NSW Health, Deb held senior positions in government, including Chief of Staff in the portfolios of Planning, Housing and Aboriginal Affairs and Advisor to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, overseeing clinical portfolio areas including planned surgery, critical care and emergency departments.

Deb started her career in nursing at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and later studied law, having been admitted as a Legal Practitioner in New South Wales.

Deb received a Member of the Order (AM) in the 2023 Australia Day Honours for her significant service to health administration and to the community.

Consultant in Mental Health & Credentialled Mental Health Nurse Board Director & former Regional Vice President Oceania World Federation for Mental Health; Representative for Western Pacific Region, Global Mental Health Action Network.

Julie Millard AM is a consultant in mental health, social justice and equity advocate, educator, and Credentialed Mental Health Nurse in Australia. Julie is an active member of CESPHN Clinical Council and the Clinical Leaders Network. She works professionally as a consultant in mental health, where she advocates, develops and implements state and national projects, with a focus on promoting recovery and improving health outcomes for individuals, population groups and communities. Julie works with a diverse range of peer led, community managed and government organisations, and co-designs and co-facilitates advocacy, wellbeing and mental health workshops with a Sydney Recovery College and supports and facilitates recovery for lived experience experts and enhanced learning for nursing students at Recovery Camps.

Julie holds the positions of Board Director and Chair of the Women’s Mental Health Section for the World Federation for Mental Health. She is the Representative for Western Pacific Region for the Global Mental Health Action Network, and member of the Global Alliance for Mental Health Advocates. Julie was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Award for significant services to the mental health sector in the Kings Birthday 2024 Honors List on 10 June 2024. She is the recipient of the Exceptional Contribution to Mental Health Services in Australia and New Zealand 2023 TheMHS Award.