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Speakers
2025 one-day health leadership conference speakers
Fri 21 March 2025
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Debby Blakey
Chief Executive Officer
HESTA
Debby Blakey has been CEO of HESTA since 2015.
She has more than 25 years’ experience in super and financial services, including 12 years as founder and principal of an employee benefits consultancy.
Debby’s leadership of the $88 billion fund is dedicated to responsible investment, and she has overseen HESTA’s commitment to a Climate Change Transition Plan which is on target to achieve ‘net zero’ by 2050.
On behalf of HESTA’s more than one million members (80% women) Debby is a strong advocate for a fairer financial system that prioritises their financial security.
Debby is the President of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, a Director of the International Corporate Governance Network and Chair of the 40:40 Vision initiative.
Debby holds a Bachelor of Science with majors in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and a graduate of the AICD.
Cameron Schwab
Chief Executive Officer
designCEO
Cameron Schwab was appointed CEO of the famous Richmond Football Club at age 24, the youngest in the history of the AFL, having cut his teeth as a successful Recruiting Manager at the Melbourne Football Club.
He then spent the next 25 years as the CEO of three AFL clubs, Richmond, Melbourne and Fremantle, when those clubs were at their lowest ebb, playing a central leadership role in major transformations whilst founding enduring legacies. He is the second longest-serving CEO in the modern game.
Over the past decade, he has channelled his deep experience in leadership in professional sport and business, mentoring CEOs, AFL Coaches, senior and emerging leaders and their teams across many industry sectors.
He explores the deep personal and professional challenges he faced as a leader with openness and generosity to create connection, building on the insights and wisdom from a fully-lived leadership experience.
He holds an MBA and Master of Marketing from the Melbourne Business School and has completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at the Harvard Business School.
He is also a writer, artist, and illustrator studying fine arts at the Victorian College of the Arts.
Andrew Dillon
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Football League (AFL)
Andrew began is AFL Career in August 2000 as Legal Counsel and was appointed General Manager – Legal and Business Affairs in July 2004. In December 2011, was appointed as General Manager of National and International Development and General Counsel. In 2013 was Appointed General Manager, Legal, Integrity and Compliance in addition to General Counsel. In March 2017, in addition to the role of General Counsel, General Manager of Integrity and Compliance, Dillon took on the responsibility of Game Development, which saw him responsible for all the community and state football leagues, community and state football facilities and infrastructure and the relationships with all AFL state bodies. In July 2021, Dillon acted as Executive General Manager Football Operations in addition to his other duties and was formally appointed that position in September 2021. On May 1st 2023, Dillon was formally announced as the new AFL CEO and officially took over from Gillon McLachlan on October 2nd 2023.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne and a post-graduate diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia. Undertook Articled Clerkship at Corrs Chambers Westgarth in 1994 and was subsequently employed as a solicitor in Corrs’ Commercial Division. From October 1997 to August 2000, worked as in-house legal counsel at Village Roadshow Limited before joining the AFL.
Dilllon played 290 games with Old Xaverians Football Club in the VAFA (1989-2005), playing in six A Grade Premierships and Life Member of the club. He represented VAFA on two occasions and played two Reserves game with Mansfield in Goulburn Valley Football League 2011. Served as an Old Xaverians Committee member from 1998 to 2003, Assistant Coach at Old Xavs 2011-212, and has coached Kew Comets junior Girls football 2014 – 2018.
Dr David Hansen
Chief Executive Officer and Research Director
Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO
Dr David Hansen is CEO and Research Director of the Australian e-Health Research Centre at CSIRO – Australia’s national science agency. The AEHRC is CSIRO’s digital health research program and a joint venture between the CSIRO and Queensland Health.
With over 150 scientists and engineers the AEHRC is Australia’s largest digital health research centre. The AEHRC undertakes research in data semantics and interoperability, genomics, medical imaging, artificial intelligence and machine learning across healthcare. The technology developed by AEHRC scientists is aimed at enabling digitally enabled services to improve the safety, quality and efficiency of healthcare.
David is involved in leadership positions in many national research initiatives including the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Digital Health and the Australian Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. David is on the board of the Australian institute of Digital Health and is a member of the Connected Care Council for the Australian Digital Health Agency.
Prior to joining CSIRO, David has held senior positions leading technology research and development for SRS with LION Bioscience Ltd and before that the European Bioinformatics Institute.
David is passionate about the role of information and communication technologies in health care and the role of digital health professionals in developing a safe, high quality efficient and sustainable healthcare system in Australia.
Dr Jill Gallagher AO
CEO
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)
Dr Jill Gallagher is a proud Gunditjmara woman from Western Victoria and is an accomplished strategic leader, championing the needs and self-determined outcomes of First Nations communities in Victoria.
Jill has spent more than 26 years advancing Aboriginal health and wellbeing through her work with VACCHO and has over 30 years of experience in leadership roles.
As a respected Aboriginal leader who has dedicated her life to advocating for Community, Jill has been inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2009), awarded the Order of Australia (2013), and inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll (2015).
From 2017 to 2019, Jill served as Victoria’s first Treaty Advancement Commissioner and led the establishment of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.
In recent years, Jill championed the establishment of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ageing & Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC), Ied the Cultural Review of the Adult Correction System for the Department of Justice in 2022 and was an influential figure in Victoria’s ‘Yes’ campaign in the 2023 Voice Referendum.
In 2023 Jill received an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Melbourne.
Susi Tegen
Chief Executive
National Rural Health Alliance
Susi Tegen is the Chief Executive of the National Rural Health Alliance, which has a remit to ensure the 30 per cent of people who live in rural Australia has access to services which improve their health outcomes, support medical and health practitioners as well as health researchers and train the future rural medical and health practitioner workforce.
Susi has spent most of her working life living and working in rural, remote, and regional Australia, advocating for these areas. She has lived in South Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria. Until recently, she was a partner in a sheep meat and wool, cattle trading, and grain property along the Limestone Coast of South East and South Australia. During her 30 years on the property, she also raised several well-balanced and grounded children.
Susi is passionate about improving access to health and education, primary industries, and economic development in rural and remote areas. She has also focused on access to telehealth and asynchronous healthcare, farm safety, mental health, multidisciplinary planning, and remote monitoring to support medical and health service access in these areas.
In her career, Susi has held several Chief Executive roles for medical and health organizations, including MedTech and other peak organizations, and has led RANZCO specialist training programs for medical professionals, policy, and research. She has been on several government and health portfolio advisory or reform committees, Medicare review panels, providing insights from a service delivery, strategic policy, and consumer access lens to further the cause of rural and remote health. She is an independent member of the ACRRM Federal Council and AOA Federal Training Committee, RACS SIMG, and Rural Committees. She has served as Deputy Chair of Farmsafe, Deputy Chair of FarmBis, and Member SA Farmer’s Federation Policy Committee.
She has been a non-executive director of several health, medical, education and primary industry entities, as well as been on various medical and primary industry ministerial committees, reviews, monitoring boards and committees.
Dr Paul Eleftheriou
Principal, Nous Group
Dr Paul Eleftheriou is a Principal at Nous with 10 years experience as a health service executive, most previously as Chief Medical Officer at Western Health, a multi-campus health network with a budget >$1 Billion. He has extensive experience across health administration, ranging from clinical governance and operations through to people management, higher education, clinical informatics, research and commercialisation, within the public and private sectors.
Paul has been an executive lead for major projects including the organisation-wide National Standards Accreditation, the Dual-Diagnosis Drug Rehabilitation Centre, and Electronic Medical Record implementation. Paul has a passion for improving systems to deliver safe and quality healthcare through innovation at the grass-roots. Paul has a strong interest in health services research, having published several articles published in high-impact journals and was recently made Adjunct Professor at Victoria University. An educator for more than a decade, Paul has been invited to dozens of conferences and workshops as a presenter, facilitator and panellist. Paul was responsible for leading the development of major innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the ‘McMonty’ Hood, the early phase of COVID Monitoring Pathways and the PPE program.
Daniel Pilbrow
Chief Executive Officer
InteliCare
Daniel Pilbrow has more than 25 years’ experience in healthcare, aged care and disability sector leadership roles in Australia and the UK.
As InteliCare’s CEO, Daniel leads the Australian ASX listed Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology company towards its goal of empowering care providers to deliver tailored care solutions and improved outcomes for individuals. This is achieved by equipping care providers with patient/client insights using smart technology, artificial intelligence and InteliCare’s predictive analytics platform.
Before joining InteliCare in July 2022, Daniel worked in senior executive roles for internationally renowned institutions including the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Silver Chain Group, AMP Capital, Opal Healthcare and the Plenary Group. Within these organisations he honed his expertise in strategy, planning, transformation and delivery for private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Daniel holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) from the University of Melbourne and completed his Juris Doctor (post-graduate law degree) at Monash University.
Lisa Fitzpatrick
Secretary, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch)
Lisa Fitzpatrick is a Registered Nurse with more than 35 years’ nursing and union experience. She practised in a variety of clinical settings in Australia and in London. She became an Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) Job Representative in 1982 and has held several positions within the Branch and on its Executive Council, including Victorian Branch President and Federal Vice President. She has also served on the Executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and served as the Victorian Trades Hall Council President.
In 2001, Lisa was elected the Australian Nursing & Midwifery (Victorian Branch) Secretary. She has been a strong advocate for nurse/midwife patient ratios as the solution to ensuring that Victoria has a qualified nursing and midwifery workforce and high standards of patient care and safety, successfully lobbying the Andrew’s Government to make ratios Victorian law.
With a strong emphasis on recruitment during Lisa’s twenty three years as Branch Secretary, the Victorian Branch’s membership has increased from 32,000 to over 107,000.
Prof Mark Cormack
Professor, National Centre for Health Workforce Studies (NCHWS), ANU
Professor Mark Cormack was appointed to the Australian National University (ANU) College of Health and Medicine in 2020, following a long career in the Commonwealth, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and New South Wales (NSW) Government services. His professional background covers early work as an allied health professional, and health services manager. Mark has served as a Chief Executive (ACT Health ; Health Workforce Australia) and Deputy Secretary (Commonwealth Departments of Health, Veterans’ Affairs and Home Affairs) and has had portfolio responsibilities covering a wide spectrum of public policy. In national health policy these included mental health, health financing, primary health care, workforce, public hospitals, health technology assessment, research, and health provider compliance.
In the area of national health workforce, he led policy, planning, clinical training and workforce reform as the CEO of Health Workforce Australia. In international health, Mark was Australia’s delegate to the OECD Health Committee and WHO Western Pacific Region.
Mark has a professorial appointment the National Centre for Health Workforce Studies (NCHWS) at the ANU in 2022, and is currently undertaking a PhD at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, researching policy change through intergovernmental health financing agreements in Australia.
Current appointments include
• Independent Review Lead, Unleashing the Potential of our Health Professionals – Scope of Practice Review – 2023. (Appointed by Minister for Health and Aged Care)
• Professor, National Centre for Health Workforce Studies, ANU
• Non-Executive Director, Leukaemia Foundation of Australia
• Associate Editor, Australian Health Review
• Principal at MCA Consulting
Mark’s areas of interest include public policy and administration; health system governance; health services program management, financing and delivery; health workforce and intergovernmental relations and agreements.
Elizabeth Koff AM
Managing Director, Telstra Health
In April 2022 Elizabeth was appointed Managing Director of Telstra Health, Australia’s largest digital health company and a subsidiary of Telstra Corporation.
Prior to this Elizabeth was Secretary, NSW Health for a six year term. As Secretary, Elizabeth was responsible for the management of the NSW health system, the largest health system in Australia with a $30 billion budget and 124,000 FTE. Key strategy achievements include the implementation of value based care across NSW, the progression of e-Health initiatives and a $2bn/year capital infrastructure program. In 2020/2021 Elizabeth lead the NSW Health system through the COVID-19 pandemic and advised NSW crisis cabinet on the management of COVID-19 in NSW, and the subsequent vaccination roll out.
Elizabeth was chair of the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council (AHMAC) and its subsequent iteration of Health Chief Executives Forum. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women.
Elizabeth was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours. In September 2022 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Western Sydney University for her contribution to healthcare in Western Sydney.
Bill Appleby
Chief Executive Officer Albury Wodonga Health
Bill joined Albury Wodonga Health in June 2022 as Chief Executive Officer. Bill relocated from Melbourne with his wife to the beautiful region of Albury Wodonga following twelve years as CEO at Jewish Care Victoria.
Originally trained as a Registered Nurse, Bill holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) (RMIT), Graduate Diploma Industrial Relations/Human Resource Management (RMIT), and an Associate Diploma Occupational Health & Safety (RMIT).
Bill is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and has served as a Non-Executive Director on several Boards over the last 20 years, notably as the Victorian Health Minister’s appointment on the Tweddle Child & Family Health Service Board (VIC); Leading Aged Services Australia – Victorian Board; and the East Timor Hearts Fund Board. He is currently a Trustee Director of Calvary Ministries (the PJP) and Trustee Director of Calvary Ministries Limited (a large National Hospital & Aged Care Group) and Director at Stand Up.
Bill is a highly effective executive leader with extensive operational and strategic experience across health, aged and community services. Bill is passionate about value-based leadership and how he can influence the development of a “good society”. Driven by a personal objective to care more than others think is wise, to risk more than others think is safe, to dream more than others think is practical, and to expect more than others think is possible, Bill is driven in his desire to create value through change.
Annette Schmiede
Chief Executive Officer Digital Health CRC
Annette was appointed CEO of the Digital Health CRC in March 2022, having been a Senior Adviser and Research and Education Committee Member with the DHCRC since its establishment in 2018.
She has worked in Australia’s health and aged care sectors for several decades and has a broad knowledge and deep understanding of the complex policy issues facing the provision of these services. She has held leadership and governance roles that include public and private healthcare, industry, universities and research entities.
Prior to joining the DHCRC, Annette was Executive Leader of the Bupa Health Foundation. She was Board Member and Deputy Chair of Northern Sydney Local Health District, 2011-2021. She is a current Board Member of Research Australia and was Chair from 2020 – 2023.
Tom Symondson
Chief Executive Officer
Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA)
Tom Symondson is a respected voice for aged care as the inaugural CEO of the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA), which represents over 1,100 aged care organisations providing care and housing for older Australians.
A leader in the $23.6 billion aged care sector representing residential aged care, home and community care, and retirement living, Tom joined ACCPA in 2022 to help shape and advocate for a high performing, trusted and sustainable aged care sector.
Tom’s experience on matters relating to advocacy, government and aged care policy and strategy contribute to supporting an aged care system that improves the lives of over 1.5 million older Australians in care.
In January 2024, Tom was appointed to represent ACCPA and its members on the National Aged Care Advisory Council. The Council was established in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and council members provide expert advice to government on key matters relating to the aged care sector.
With diverse expertise in the local government, public health and aged care sectors, Tom has been at the fore of policy reform, through driving thoughtful and effective advocacy, for two decades in both Australia and the UK.
Before joining ACCPA, Tom led the Victorian Healthcare Association as CEO, and prior to that he held senior policy positions in one of the United Kingdom’s largest local councils before moving to Australia in 2011. Tom has also served on a range of government boards and taskforces, including the Australian Government’s Aged Care Taskforce and as a Board Director of one of the largest superannuation funds in Australia, Aware Super.
Dr Neale Fong FCHSM CHE
ACHSM College President
Dr Neale Fong has more than 40 years’ experience in medical, health care and aged care leadership roles. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Bethesda Hospital, Chair of the WA Country Health Service Board, Chair of the Wyllie Group, President of the Australasian College of Health Service Management, a Non-Executive Director of ASX-listed companies Little Green Pharma and InteliCare, a NED at the Digital Health CRC, Chair of Mineral Resources Ltd (Health) and Chair of the WA Institute of Sport.
He was formerly, the Director General of the WA Department of Health, Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Hospital Subiaco, Project Director for the establishment of the Curtin University Medical School, and Chairman of the WA Football Commission.
He currently consults widely through Australis Health Advisory to a number of key health clients in Australia. He holds Bachelor Degrees in Medicine and Surgery, a Masters in Theological Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration.