NEHTA Board
David Gonski AC - NEHTA Chair
David Michael Gonski AC is an Australian public figure and businessman. The Sydney Morning Herald has described him as "one of the country's best-connnected businessmen". David Gonski AC has degrees of Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales. He practised as a solicitor with the firm of Freehills from 1977 to 1986, becoming a partner at age 25, before leaving to co-found an investment bank. His current positions held include: Chair, Investec Wentworth Pty Ltd and Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd, Coca-Cola Amatil, Australian Stock Exchange; Director, Westfield Group, ING Group, Singapore Airlines. Outside of business he is Chancellor, University of New South Wales; Chair, Board of Trustees, Sydney Grammar School; President of the Board of Trustees, Art Gallery of New South Wales; and Chair, National Institute of Dramatic Art and the Australia Council. He was Director, John Fairfax Holdings, 1993-2005 and Director, ANZ 2001-2007.
Dr David Ashbridge
David Ashbridge is the Chief Executive of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families where he has held a number of senior positions including General Manager Top End Rural, Assistant Secretary – Community Health and Corporate Services, Regional Director Top End Service Network and Assistant Secretary Health Services. David spent a year with the Commonwealth Department Health and Aged Care as Assistant Secretary and Senior Medical Adviser from late 1999 to early 2001. David is a Fellow of Royal Australian College of Physicians (Public Health) and is a Member of Royal College of General Practitioners. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Health and an MB.BS as well as Diplomas in Child Health and Tropical Medicine. David also holds a Graduate Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mark Cormack
Mark Cormack is the ACT Health Chief Executive. Mark has held a number of senior management positions within public healthcare organisations including the NSW Ambulance Service, Northern Rivers Area Health Service and ACT Health. These positions covered Policy & Planning, Clinical Operations and Corporate Services. He was also Executive Director of Nepean Hospital in NSW.
Dr Peter Flett
Dr Peter Flett is the Director-General of the Department of Health of WA and graduated in medicine in Adelaide, South Australia. After four years in the Royal Australian Air Force he undertook specialist chemical pathology training in Melbourne. He moved to Perth where he worked for 20 years in the private sector of pathology with a consultancy to the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women. He is also the Area Chief Executive of the South Metropolitan Area Health Service, which oversees two major tertiary hospitals and several secondary hospitals.
Jane Halton
Jane Halton is Secretary of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. She is responsible for all aspects of the operation of the Department including the provision of advice on and administration of Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Aged and Community Care, Population Health, regulation of Therapeutic Goods, plus hospital financing and Private Health Insurance. She also has responsibility for leadership on health security issues, including matters related to bioterrorism. Jane also chairs the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council, is a member of the board of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and a Commissioner of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality.
Prof Debora Picone AM
Professor Debora Picone AM is the Director-General of NSW Health. Recent positions include Chief Executive, South Eastern Sydney/Illawarra Area Health Service, Deputy Director-General, Strategic Development, NSW Health and Chief Executive Officer, Corrections Health Service. Debora’s qualifications are in general nurse training, post-basic course in Nephrology and Transplantation and a Bachelor of Health Administration from the University of NSW. Debora holds academic positions as Professor, University of Wollongong; Clinical Professor, Prince of Wales Clinical School; and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney.
Mick Reid
Mick Reid is the former chief of staff for Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, and is now the Director-General of Queensland Health. He was the Director-General, NSW Health (1997-2002) and was the Chief of Staff to the Office of the Minister for Health and Ageing. Mick has an extensive and impressive history in health reform, having overseen health reform projects across Australia. He has worked with every government in Australia in the areas of health policy, science and medical research, He also has international experience having worked with the World Health Organisation to improve health services in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Cambodia and East Timor.
David Roberts
David commenced in the position of Secretary with the Department of Health & Human Services in Tasmania in late 2007, prior to which he was the Chief Executive Officer for University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire in the United Kingdom. David has a successful career as a health leader with an extensive background in health strategy, health system development, clinical service reform and corporate turnaround within the UK Health Service.
Dr Tony Sherbon
Dr Tony Sherbon is the Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Health. Prior to that role, Dr Tony Sherbon had 18 years experience in clinical and administrative management within the New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory health systems. Dr Sherbon has led health services at CEO level in rural (Northern Rivers Area Health Service) and regional (Illawarra Area Health Service) areas of NSW, has management experience at a teaching hospital in NSW (St Vincent's Hospital) and jurisdictional leadership in the ACT.
Fran Thorn
Fran Thorn is Secretary of the Victorian Department of Human Services. Fran previously undertook the role of Secretary of the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development prior to working with the Department of Sustainability and Environment as Under Secretary, Portfolio Performance. From 2002 to mid 2004 she was a Deputy Secretary of the Policy and Cabinet Group in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Between 1996 and 2001 Fran was a Director of KPMG Consulting Pty Ltd, in Australia and then Hong Kong. Prior to joining KPMG, Fran had 17 years experience in public sector administration.