Board Members 2023-24

The Board establishes the Commission’s strategic direction, including directing and approving its strategic plan and monitoring management’s implementation of the plan. The Board also oversees the Commission’s operations. It ensures that appropriate systems and processes are in place so that the Commission operates in a safe, responsible and ethical manner, consistent with its regulatory requirements.

Board membership

The Australian Government Minister for Health and Aged Care appoints the Commission’s Board, in consultation with all state and territory health ministers. The Board includes members who have extensive experience and knowledge in the fields of healthcare administration, provision of health services, law, management, primary health care, corporate governance and improvement of safety and quality.

The Board is established and governed by the provisions of the National Health Reform Act 2011 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

Professor Villis Marshall AC (Chair)

Professor Villis Marshall brings to the Board experience in providing healthcare services, managing public hospitals, and improving safety and quality. Professor Marshall has had significant clinical experience as a urologist, and as Clinical Director (Surgical Specialties Service) for the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Adelaide.

Professor Marshall was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2006 for services to medicine, particularly urology and research into kidney disease, to the development of improved healthcare services in the Defence forces, and to the community through distinguished contributions to the development of pre-hospital first aid care provided by St John Ambulance Australia.

His previous appointments include General Manager at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Senior Specialist in Urology and Director of Surgery at Repatriation General Hospital, and Professor and Chair of Surgical and Specialty Services at Flinders Medical Centre.

Qualifications: MD, MBBS, FRACS

Dr David Filby PSM

Dr David Filby has worked extensively across the Australian healthcare landscape in several significant policy and executive roles. He has held senior national health policy roles and senior executive positions in Queensland and South Australia. In July 2016, he completed a term of six and a half years as Executive Consultant for South Australia Health and the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council.

Dr Filby was a board member of the National Health Performance Authority until June 2016 and a board member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for 14 years. In August 2016, he finished a nine-year term, including six as Chair, with Helping Hand Aged Care. In 2008, he was awarded a Public Service Medal, and in 2007 was awarded the Sidney Sax Medal by the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association. Previously, he was on the board of South Australia’s Child Health Research Institute Council.

Qualifications: PhD

Ms Christine Gee AM

Ms Christine Gee brings to the Board extensive experience in private hospital administration, having held executive management positions for more than 30 years. She has been the CEO of Toowong Private Hospital, a mental health service, since 1997 and is Chair of the Commission’s Private Hospital Sector Committee.

Ms Gee is involved in a number of state and national boards and committees, including the Australian Private Hospitals Association, the Private Hospitals Association of Queensland, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Queensland Board of the Medical Board of Australia. She is the Chair of the Medical Board of Australia’s National Special Issues Committee. Ms Gee is the 2021 recipient of the Gold Medal of the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. She was appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) on 12 June 2023.

Qualifications: MBA

Professor Christine Kilpatrick AO

Professor Christine Kilpatrick has had a 20 year career as a senior executive including 15 years as a chief executive, most recently at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Prior to these appointments she was a neurologist specialising in epilepsy, working in both public and private practice.

Professor Kilpatrick is a board member of Healthdirect Australia, WEHI, and the Florey as well as the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. She has previously served on the boards of HealthShare Victoria, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance and Chair of the Doherty Institute and the Victorian Quality Council (VQC). Professor Kilpatrick is an Enterprise Professor Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne.

Professor Kilpatrick was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001, was included in the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2014, was a recipient of the Distinguished Fellow’s Award, Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators in 2017 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019.

Qualifications: MBBS, MBA, MD, FRACP, FRACMA, FAICD, FAHMS, DMedSci (Hon)

Professor Anthony Lawler

Until 23 June 2023, Professor Anthony Lawler was Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Secretary – Clinical Quality, Regulation and Accreditation with the Tasmanian Department of Health. He was a member of the Australian Medical Council’s Special Education Accreditation Committee, the MBS Review Advisory Committee and the National Medical Workforce Reform Advisory Committee, and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

On 26 June 2023, Professor Lawler assumed the role of Deputy Secretary Health Products Regulation Group with the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. He continues as a Professor in Health Services at the University of Tasmania, and as a member of the Audit Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council and a Director of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators.

Professor Lawler holds dual specialist qualifications in Emergency Medicine and Medical Administration. He is a past President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. He has previously been a Medical Advisor to the Tasmanian Minister for Health, Deputy Head of the Tasmanian School of Medicine, and Tasmanian Branch President of the Australian Medical Association.

Qualifications: BMedSci, MBBS, FACEM, FRACMA, MBA (Health Mgmt), GAICD, FIFEM

The Hon Peter McClellan AM KC

The Hon Peter McClellan was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1975 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1985. He practised in many areas of the law, in particular, environmental law. He was Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into British Nuclear Tests in Australia ('Maralinga') and was an Assistant Commissioner of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption. He also appeared in and conducted a number of other government inquiries, including the Sydney Water Inquiry which examined the safety of Sydney’s water supply.

Justice McClellan was appointed a judge of the NSW Supreme Court in 2001. He was later appointed Chief Judge of the NSW Land and Environment Court in 2003. In 2005 he was appointed as the Chief Judge of the Common Law Division of The Supreme Court of NSW. In that role he was responsible for the management of major criminal trials and appeals. He also had oversight of major civil cases including medical negligence, and in 2013 was appointed a Judge of Appeal.

In his various judicial roles, Justice McClellan has been responsible for bringing many changes to court procedures. He was responsible for the introduction of the process which allows experts to give evidence concurrently.

Justice McClellan was Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses To Child Sexual Abuse which was completed in December 2017.

He is presently the Chair of the NSW Sentencing Council.

Qualifications: BA, LLB

Dr Hannah Seymour

Dr Hannah Seymour is a practising geriatrician at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, where she looks after older people in partnership with orthopaedic surgeons. Dr Seymour has experience in using data to improve care, and has been involved with the Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry since its formation. Her passion is improving outcomes and experience for frail older people in hospitals.

Dr Seymour has extensive clinical leadership experience. She has held positions in the Western Australian Department of Health in falls prevention and aged care. She gained experience in transformation through the Four Hour Rule Program at Royal Perth Hospital and led the clinical commissioning of Fiona Stanley Hospital, where she was a Medical Director until 2020. Dr Seymour was the clinical nominee on the Sustainable Health Review and is currently the clinical director of the Western Australian Electronic Medical Records program. Dr Seymour recently graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Qualifications: BSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP, GAICD

Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward

Professor Ward currently serves as CEO of the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) and CEO of the Australian College of Nursing Foundation. She has led a program of transformation, including raising awareness of the profession and building a legacy of nursing leadership, policy, advocacy, and social impact, as well as creating hundreds of leadership and representation positions for nurses Australia wide. As such, ACN is now Australia’s beacon for Nurse Leadership.

Professor Ward holds honorary professorships with seven leading Australian universities, and has been awarded several fellowships, including a Wharton Fellow, USA.

In 2023, Professor Ward was awarded a Commendation from the Chief of the Defence Force, for her exceptional devotion to military nurses and for raising the statue of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel at the Australian War Memorial.

Professor Ward is a multi-award winner. In 2022, Professor Ward was named National Winner of Executive / Team Leader of the Year and Overall National Winner at the Outstanding Leadership Awards. In the same year, Professor Ward was named the ACT Winner of the Excellence in Women’s Leadership Awards by Women and Leadership Australia and was a National Finalist for two of CEO Magazine’s prestigious awards, CEO of the Year and Not-For-Profit Executive of the Year. She was previously named Telstra ACT Businesswoman of the Year for Purpose and Social Enterprise.

Qualifications: RN, MMgt, FACN, FCHSM (Hon), Wharton Fellow, GAICD

Dr Helena Williams

Dr Helena Williams brings to the Board active clinical expertise as a practising general practitioner, most recently at the South Australia Refugee Health Service. She is currently the Executive Medical Director, South Australia/East Coast, for the Silverchain Group and has just completed five years as a HealthPathways GP Clinical Editor in South Australia. She is a Member of the Clinical Advisory Group of the SA Commission on Excellence and Innovation.

Dr Williams is currently on the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network Board and previous governance experience includes six years as the Presiding Member of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Governing Council. Past directorships include the Southern Adelaide Health Service, the Cancer Council South Australia, Noarlunga Health Services, the South Australian Divisions of General Practice, and the Australian General Practice Network.

Qualifications: MBBS, FRACGP