National Medicines Symposium for 2026

Ms Hediyeh Vahdat

Chief Executive Officer, Linéaire Projects; Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Royal North Shore Hospital; Adjunct Senior Lecturer, UNSW; Senior Academic, University of Sydney

Hediyeh Vahdat is a nationally experienced health executive, pharmacist and academic with more than 25 years’ experience spanning critical care, health system leadership, research and transformation. She is the CEO of Linéaire Projects, a practicing Senior Clinical Pharmacist at the Royal North Shore Hospital, and an academic with the University of Sydney and UNSW.

The Hon. Mark Butler MP

Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Mark Butler is the Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing and served as Australia’s first Minister for Mental Health in the Gillard Government. Mark has also held the ministries of Housing, Homelessness, Social Inclusion, Climate Change, Water and the Environment. In 2013, he was awarded the Alzheimer’s Disease International Award for Outstanding Global Contribution to the Fight Against Dementia.

Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan

Chief Executive Officer, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan is Chief Executive Officer at the Commission and is a highly respected gastroenterologist with significant leadership experience in a range of healthcare settings. She is also Conjoint Professor at School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle. Anne is passionate about improving health care services through sharing knowledge and collaborating across the health system.

Dr Jay Ramanathan

Senior Staff Specialist, Liverpool and Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital

Dr Ramanathan is a consultant physician with a background in clinical pharmacology, geriatrics and general medicine. His interest spans quality use of medicines and pharmacovigilance. He is also a current member of the Australian Prescriber – Therapeutics Guidelines Editorial Advisory Committee and a member of the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) Medication Safety and Medicines Formulary Committee.

Professor Jason Roberts

Pharmacist, Metro North Health; NHMRC Leadership Fellow, The University of Queensland and Chair of the Commission’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Advisory Committee

Professor Jason Roberts is Deputy Director of the Frazer Institute at the University of Queensland and is Interim Director of the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute (HeIDI). Academically he is an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Fellow and a Fellow of the Australian Academy for Health and Medical Sciences. Clinically, he is a critical care pharmacist at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Dr Thomas Mylne

NACCHO AMS Academy Advisory Group Member and Ophthalmology Registrar, RANZCO Vocational Training Program

Tom is a proud Gangalu man from Central Queensland. His career began in pharmacy, five years as a Pharmacy Officer in the RAAF, before he returned to study his MD/MPH at the University of Melbourne. He completed his junior doctor years at the RBWH before heading back to Melbourne to begin his specialist training.

Professor Jason Trubiano

Infectious Diseases Physician, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne and Director of Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Austin Health

Professor Trubiano is an infectious diseases physician and NHMRC supported clinician research in drug allergy and antimicrobial stewardship from the University of Melbourne (Doherty Institute) and Austin Health. Professor Trubiano leads the international Network of Antibiotic Allergy Nations (iNAAN) and other global international trials to implement antibiotic and drug allergy interventions into practice.

Dr Hester Wilson

General Practitioner and Addiction Medicine Specialist, Chair of the specific interest group in addiction, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)

Dr Hester Wilson is a General Practitioner and addiction specialist and Chair of the RACGP Addiction Specialist Interest Group. She is the Chief Addiction Specialist for NSW, the Clinical Director for Murrumbidgee Drug and Alcohol Service for Murrumbidgee Local Health District and a GP in private practice.

Dr Emma Leitinger

Haematologist and Medical Lead of Anticoagulation Stewardship, Monash Health

Dr Emma Leitinger is a clinical and laboratory haematologist and Medical Lead of Anticoagulation Stewardship at Monash Health. She is undertaking a PhD focused on optimising anticoagulant use in clinical practice and is an active researcher with numerous presentations and publications on anticoagulant stewardship, monitoring, thrombosis and patient safety.

Ms Elizabeth Su

Pharmacist and Senior Project Officer, Medicines Optimisation Service, Austin Health and Professional Officer, Victorian Therapeutics Advisory Group (VicTAG)

Elizabeth leads medicines stewardship initiatives at Austin Health, with a special interest in psychotropic stewardship. Her team was recognised with a Clinical Care Standards Excellence Award in 2025 for dedication to best practice in opioid analgesic stewardship. Elizabeth also authored the first Australian framework for anticoagulation stewardship programs with VicTAG’s expert advisory group.

Mrs Kelly Roberts

Endorsed Nurse Practitioner, Crowley Care, Ballina

Kelly qualified as an Endorsed Nurse Practitioner in 2017, with a specialty focus on older persons, palliative care and chronic disease. Kelly works collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team including medical specialists, pharmacists and General Practitioners to coordinate and manage health, medical and nursing care for older people in residential aged care and in the community.

Dr Janney Wale

Consumer advocate

Janney is an independent consumer advocate with lived experience of health conditions and working at an international, national and state level. Her passion is safe, effective and timely person-centred care within an integrated multidisciplinary team approach.

Ms Kimberley Grima

Peer Mentor Manager and Facilitator, Chronic Pain Australia

Kimberley is a proud Wiradjuri woman, consumer representative and Peer Mentor Manager and Facilitator at Chronic Pain Australia. She is a Board Member for the Agency for Clinical Innovation and Health Consumer NSW and serves on multiple Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District executive steering committees. She is an advocate for lived experience, consumer partnership, codesign and health system improvements. 

Professor Katharine Wallis

General Practitioner and Head of General Practice at The University of Queensland Medical School

Professor Katharine Wallis is a General Practitioner and clinician researcher. Katharine leads the RELEASE (Redressing long-term antidepressant use) program of research, co-developing and testing patient-centred resources designed to inform shared decision-making about continuing or stopping antidepressants, and guide hyperbolic tapering for stopping.

Affiliate Associate Professor Juanita Breen

Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist, Optimal Medication Management and Academic, University of Tasmania

Juanita’s background is a primary care pharmacist. After a decade as a military and community pharmacist she completed a MSc in the UK on medicine decision-making in older people, followed by a doctorate on reducing psychotropic use in RACFs. She now works as an aged care onsite pharmacist.

Ms Emma Shanahan

Proud Palawa Registered Nurse and Clinical Coordinator, Tasmanian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service

Emma Shanahan is a proud Palawa Registered Nurse and Clinical Coordinator within a Tasmanian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. With experience spanning clinical practice, chronic disease management, alcohol and other drug care, clinical leadership, Health Education and Training, and health service improvement, Emma is committed to strengthening culturally safe, equitable and community-led healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Dr Lee Fong

Medical Advisor, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and General Practitioner

Dr Lee Fong is a Medical Advisor for the Commission and general practitioner based in the Hunter region, working in clinical governance, service development, guideline development and advocacy roles. Dr Fong has a particular interest in developing and facilitating connections, collaboration and innovation across healthcare organisations, with the goal of realising system changes that will improve healthcare equity.

Dr Marwa Ahmed

Co-Director, Medicine Shortages Section, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Dr Marwa Ahmed is the Co-Director of the TGA’s Medicine Shortages Section. She leads work to monitor medicines supply, mitigate the impacts of shortages and coordinate national responses with industry, jurisdictions, health professionals and consumer organisations to support safe, equitable access to medicines.

Ms Helen Dowling

Pharmaceutical Advisor, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

As Pharmaceutical Advisor at the Commission, Helen provides advice on and leads a range of medicines safety-related projects.  Helen has extensive hospital pharmacy experience including as Director of Pharmacy at John Hunter Hospital, in Newcastle and Director of Pharmacy Services for Hunter New England (HNE). Immediately prior to joining the Commission, Helen was the CEO for the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) (now known as Advanced Pharmacy Australia). Other roles have included SHPA Federal President and President of the Pharmacy Council of NSW. Helen is a current Director for a not-for-profit organisation and conducts assessment of health services against the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

Mr Daniel McCabe

First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Daniel McCabe is the First Assistant Secretary of the Technology Assessment and Access Division. Daniel is responsible for providing policy advice on access to medicines, devices and other medical technologies through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Life Saving Drugs Program (LSDP) and other targeted assistance programs. Daniel previously had policy responsibility for digital health to connect consumers and health care providers with their health information across Australia’s health system. Daniel is also a Board member of the Australian Digital Health Agency.

Professor Clair Sullivan

Endocrinologist, Research Leader and Director, Queensland Digital Health Centre, The University of Queensland

Professor Clair Sullivan is an internationally recognised clinical informatician, endocrinologist and research leader. As Director of the Queensland Digital Health Centre, she leads major digital health initiatives, personally securing over $70M in funding. Ranked among the world’s top 1% in Medical Informatics, she drives impactful healthcare transformation.

Associate Professor Shannon Nott

Executive General Manager and Chief Medical Officer, Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section

Associate Professor Shannon Nott is an experienced Rural Generalist, health executive, and nationally recognised leader in digital health, virtual care, and rural health system innovation. He is currently the Chief Medical Officer and Executive General Manager for Health and Clinical Services at the Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section).

Adjunct Professor Naomi Dobroff

Chief Nursing, Midwifery and Consumer Information Officer, Monash Health and Fellow Australian College of Nursing

Naomi Dobroff is Chief Nursing, Midwifery and Consumer Information Officer at Monash Health. Naomi has a Master of Public Health and is an Adjunct Professor at Deakin and Monash University. She is an Australian College of Nursing Fellow and Chair of their CNIO Faculty with an extensive nursing career.

Mr Richard Taggart

Chief Executive of eHealth NSW and Chief Information Officer for NSW Health

Richard is a transformative digital health leader with over 20 years of ICT experience, combining a clinical background in pharmacy with a proven track record across both public and private healthcare organisations.

Richard commenced in his role as Chief Executive of eHealth NSW and Chief Information Officer NSW Health, on 20 January 2025. He was previously National Director of Digital Health at Calvary Health Care. He has also served as the Chief Information Officer for Sydney Local Health District (2019 – 2023), leading the Digital Health and Innovation team and overseeing major initiatives including the NSW Health Vaccination Centre systems and the RPA Virtual Hospital.

Adjunct Professor Manya Angley

Director, Manya Angley Research and Consulting

Adjunct Professor Manya Angley is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist and immediate past President of Pharmaceutical Society or Australia SA/NT Branch. Her research and clinical practice focus on medicines stewardship in general practice, disability and aged care. Her professional expertise is complemented by lived experience having a son and sister with intellectual disability.

Associate Professor Dianne Crellin

Associate Professor and Paediatric Emergency Nurse Practitioner at The University of Melbourne and Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne and Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

Di Crellin is a paediatric emergency nurse practitioner, a clinical researcher and a past president of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA). Her research focus is acute paediatric pain management. In addition to research, her academic work includes coordination of the nurse practitioner and the designated registered nurse prescriber programs at the University of Melbourne.

Mr David Follent

Acting Associate Director, Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation and Chairperson of the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners

David Follent is a proud Bundjalung man, nationally recognised Aboriginal health leader, Senior Atlantic Fellow, Master of Philosophy (MPhil) student at the University of Sydney, and Chairperson of the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners. With more than 25 years of experience spanning clinical care, public health, governance, and health system reform, David is a leading voice in Aboriginal Shared Decision Making at the clinician and patient interface and Indigenous-led transformation.

Through his work with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, and his research at the University of Sydney, David is helping shape a future where cultural safety, self-determination, and Aboriginal leadership are embedded across Australia's health systems.

Dr Phoebe Holdenson Kimura

Medical Advisor, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and General Practitioner

Dr Holdenson Kimura is a Medical Advisor for the Commission and a General Practitioner based in Sydney, working in health policy and health professional education. She works clinically at the Hornsby-Brooklyn General Practice Unit and is passionate about promoting equitable and quality primary care.

Conjoint Professor Carolyn Hullick

Chief Medical Officer, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Conjoint Professor Carolyn Hullick is Chief Medical Officer at the Commission and is a Emergency Physician in Newcastle, NSW. She is an expert in geriatric emergency medicine and has developed a program to support acutely unwell residents in residential aged care facilities. Carolyn recognises the need for a health system which collaborates, communicates and places people and their families at the centre of care.