Speakers
We are incredibly thankful to our wonderful line up of presenters as follows:
MB ChB, MD, FRCP (Ed), FRACP, Cert Med Ed
Professor Wood is a geriatrician and general physician at Redland Hospital and the Metro South Movement Disorders Service. He is also the RACP Adult Medicine Division (AMD) President-Elect.
Professor Wood completed his medical degree at the University of Aberdeen and trained in geriatric and general medicine in the Northeast of England (including a fellowship in Sydney). He also completed a two year teaching and research fellowship studying falls in Parkinson’s disease obtaining a doctoral degree.
Emigrating to Queensland in 2016 with his family, Professor Wood became a Senior Staff Specialist at Redland Hospital. Along with maintaining an education interest andbecoming a Professor at Griffith University, he is also one of the medical directors of the Queensland physician training network. Throughout his career, he has worked in a variety of medical management roles.
Professor Brendan Murphy, FRACP
Former Chief Medical Officer of Australia and Former Secretary, Department of Health
Professor Murphy commenced his role as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care on 13 July 2020, a position he held until July 2023. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Australian Government, following a significant tenure as the CEO of Austin Health in Victoria.
Currently, Professor Murphy holds several prestigious positions. He is a Professorial Associate, with the title of Professor, at the University of Melbourne, and an Adjunct Professor at both Monash University and the Australian National University. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAAHMS), the Royal Australian College of Physicians (FRACP), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD). His earlier roles include serving as the CMO and Director of Nephrology at St Vincent’s Health, and he has contributed to governance in the health sector through his board memberships at the Centenary Institute, Health Workforce Australia, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Additionally, he is a former president of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology.
B.Med MM, FRACP, FACSHM
WA Health Director General Dr Shirley Bowen is a skilled physician with extensive experience across all aspects of health service delivery. Shirley is passionate about person-centred care and delivering excellent health care to the people of Western Australia.
Prior to her appointment as Director General in May 2024, she served as North Metropolitan Health Service Chief Executive and CEO of St John of God Subiaco Hospital.
Throughout her career, Dr Bowen has demonstrated leadership and held notable positions across public and private health sectors, including Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Capital Territory, Executive Director of Fremantle Hospital and Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia. In these roles, she advanced healthcare standards, fostered medical education and led innovative research and community services.
Dr Bowen holds dual Fellowships in Infectious Diseases (FRACP) and Sexual Health medicine (FAChSHM), underscoring her extensive clinical experience. Her professional journey reflects a commitment to excellence in patient care, focusing on compassionate and evidence-based medicine.
As Director General, Dr Bowen will ensure healthcare services are timely, accessible and grounded in the latest evidence-based practices. Additionally, she will support and empower the health workforce in their pursuit of excellence, building a robust and resilient healthcare system for Western Australia.
Professor Jennifer Martin, FRACP
President, RACP
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Professor Martin is President of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. She is a citizen of both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and a practising physician, educator and academic healthcare leader. She gained Fellowship in 2001 and continues to train Basic Trainees and Advanced Trainees in internal medicine and clinical pharmacology.
She has been the Southside Medical Dean at University of Queensland and is the current Chair of Clinical Pharmacology in Newcastle. Her more recent leadership roles include the NSW State Secretary for Rhodes Scholars Australia where she has broadened the selection and representation of NSW Rhodes scholars, elected Councillor of the NSW Divisional Council and Corporate Governance Committee of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and elected staff representative of the University of Newcastle Council.
Sonia is a former ABC radio journalist and program presenter who works with a range of clients providing media and presentation skills training and coaching. She is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Dr Harvey Lander is Director of Systems Improvement at the Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) in Sydney, Australia. Harvey is responsible for leading the adult, older persons’, paediatric, neonatal, maternity, mental health and medication safety programs. He contributes at a state level in supporting clinicians, executives, and health services to improve the quality and safety of patient care across all public health services in NSW. He is passionate about systems’ improvements to help support safe, reliable, integrated and sustainable person-centred systems of care, which reduce harm and improve patient experience and outcomes.
Harvey has previously worked as a Director of Medical Services in range of acute tertiary, outer metropolitan and regional hospitals (including an original Area Health Service Clinical Governance Unit) across Australia, where he had responsibility for clinical governance, quality and safety, medical, nursing and allied health staff. He has previously served on the RACMA (Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators) Council and supported other RACMA Fellows and trainees, as well as the Victorian Health Service Board Subcommittee. Additionally, he has contributed to publications on improving the recognition and response to sepsis and the deteriorating patient.
Professor Inam Haq FRACP
Executive General Manager, Education, Learning and Assessment, RACP
Professor Haq’s medical training was at United medical and dental schools of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London from 1987-1993. He entered rheumatology training in London between 1997-2005, working at national centres of excellence such as the Royal Free Hospital, University College Hospitals London and Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.
He undertook a higher degree by research, looking at primary care education in rheumatology in North London, supervised by Professor Jane Dacre (Past President of RACP).
In 2005, he joined the new Brighton and Sussex Medical School as a senior lecturer and led curriculum and assessment development and successful GMC accreditation. In 2015, he moved to the University of Sydney as Co-Director of the MD Program and led a wholesale renewal of the curriculum which launched in 2020. He became the first Associate Dean of Education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health in 2018, responsible for all underand postgraduate education programs across health disciplines.
In 2023, he joined RACP as Executive General Manager of Education Learning and Assessment.
Inam has expertise in curriculum design, assessment and accreditation, and is a member of the AMC Medical Schools Accreditation Committee. He has led accreditation teams reviewing medical schools and specialist colleges.
Rick is the Deputy CFO and Director of Support Services at Northern Health. His responsibilities include financial management governance, budget control and financial and commercial analysis and reporting. Prior to his career as a finance leader in public health, Rick held senior finance roles across the public and private sectors. Outside of Northern Health, Rick serves as councillor on the Banyule City Council.
Dr Mike Freelander has been the Member for Macarthur since 2016, following nearly 40 years as a pediatrician in Campbelltown and Camden. In both roles, he has been dedicated to supporting the local community and ensuring the best possible outcomes.
Mike’s connection to Macarthur dates back to 1984 when he opened his first clinics in Campbelltown and Camden, coinciding with the establishment of Medicare. He and his wife Sharon have raised their six children in Macarthur and witnessed the region's growth. From 1986 to 2013, Mike served as Head of Paediatrics at Campbelltown Hospital, treating over 200,000 patients during his career.
His experiences with patients struggling to access healthcare, housing, and education motivated him to run for the Federal seat of Macarthur in 2016. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2022. As the largest electorate by population, Macarthur has benefitted from Mike’s advocacy for better healthcare, economic, environmental, and infrastructure outcomes.
Under the Albanese Government, Mike has delivered key local services such as the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and bulk billing incentives, as well as infrastructure improvements like the multi-deck car park at Campbelltown Station.
Mike continues to push for further infrastructure investment, such as a rail line from Macarthur to Western Sydney Airport and upgrades to Appin Road. He also advocates for improved public transport and road safety, often collaborating with the NSW Government.
Currently, Mike chairs the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care, and Sport, leading inquiries into Long COVID and diabetes management. Despite his parliamentary duties, he still sees patients at Campbelltown Hospital and teaches as an Associate Professor at Western Sydney University.
Lynette Taylor, HardyGroup's Executive Director, Search and Recruitment leads a team of highly skilled principal consultants to attract and grow public and private sector talent for some of Australia and New Zealand's largest and most complex organisations.
A senior executive with a multinational company for almost 20 years, Lynette brings a global and commercial perspective to the attraction, retention, and development of executive level candidates. Her background in business operations, marketing, customer service and distribution, combined with her experience in negotiating major contracts with public sector entities across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia Pacific, provides her with strong insights into the skills and abilities required to support leaders working across multidisciplinary teams and jurisdictions. She is adept at recognising talent with superior skills in thought leadership and system-level thinking.
Lynette started her career in healthcare, and her clinical knowledge, combined with her business acumen, has seen her spearhead national and international contracts and recruitment assignments in public and private health and in community sectors.
Dr Bethan Richards
FRACP
Head of the Department of Rheumatology and Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Dr Bethan Richards is a staff specialist rheumatologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, and Co-Director of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. In 2019, following her return from Stanford, Bethan had the honour of being appointed Chief Medical Wellness Officer in Sydney Local Health District – an Australian first. She is also the District’s inaugural MDOK Centre Director.
Throughout her career, Dr Richards has had extensive experience and a passion for designing and implementing mentoring, teaching, leadership and wellbeing programs. Following a successful pilot in junior medical staff, her evidence-based BPTOK wellbeing program has been rolled out to over 14,000 staff in Sydney Local Health District as MyDistrictOK (MDOK). Dr Richards is a national thought leader and researcher in the field of workplace wellbeing and has advised and mentored local, national and international organisational leaders on how to improve healthcare staff burnout and promote professional fulfilment.
More speakers to look forward to:
Dr
Arnagretta Hunter, FRACP, Human Futures Fellow (College of Health and
Medicine) and Clinical Senior Lecturer (SMP Rural Clinical School), Australian
National University
Mr Samuel Dettmann,
Senior Policy Officer, RACP, Former ministerial
advisor, NSW Government
Photos and biographies will be available shortly.
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