Governance
Sydney Health Partners is an unincorporated joint venture of its 17 partner organisations
In 2020 a review led to the establishment of a Board to replace the Governing Council and detailed changes to the governance structure to enhance guidance of our operations.
Led by our Chair, Professor Mary O’Kane AC, the Board provides clear direction to the management team, while the Research Development Committee, and Consumer Advisory Panel provide expert advice to inform the agenda of the Board.
This structure encourages connectivity and collaboration from top to bottom to achieve our vision of transforming the way research improves patient care and public health.
Consumer Advisory Panel
The Consumer Advisory Panel is a sub-committee of the SHP Board that provides advice to Sydney Health Partners reflecting consumer perspectives on translational research. It recognises the diversity of the communities that it works alongside and values their different and unique perspectives. The panel includes representatives from across our Partnership.
Research Development Committee
The Research Development Committee is a sub-committee of the SHP Board, established to provide support and advice to Sydney Health Partners. With representation from across our Health Service, University and Medical Research Institute partners, the Committee will also consider the health and research priorities of SHP’s partner organisations. View Research Development Committee membership.
Supporting Groups
Two research advisory groups report to the Research Development Committee. The SHP Clinical Trial Advisory Panel (CTAP) oversees the clinical trial support activities and is currently chaired by Professor John Simes AO, Co-Director Cancer Trials and Senior Associate Director, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC).
The HeSANDA Steering Committee supports the SHP-CTC Node that is part of the Health Studies Australian National Data Asset (HeSANDA) program. HeSANDA is a program of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) that aims to build coordinated infrastructure across Australia to support the sharing and reuse of health research data. The Steering Committee is chaired by Professor Angela Webster, SHP-CTC Node Leader and Director of Evidence Integration, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC).
Sydney Health Partners Board
Professor Mary O'Kane AC
Board Chair
Professor O'Kane has an exceptional breadth and depth of experience in innovation, research and public policy. As a computer engineer Professor O’Kane undertook pioneering work in artificial intelligence and was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1996-2001. Between 2008-18 Professor O’Kane served as New South Wales’ first Chief Scientist and Engineer, during which she was instrumental in establishing the NSW Medical Devices Fund.
Deb Willcox AM
Chief Executive, Sydney Local Health District
Cathryn Cox PSM
Chief Executive, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
Prof Jim Elliott
Executive Director, Kolling Institute of Medical Research
Assoc Prof Anthony Schembri AM
Chief Executive, Northern Sydney Local Health District
Lee Gregory
Chief Executive, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Diana Trickett
(Consumer Representative), Northern Sydney Local Health District
Graeme Loy
Chief Executive, Western Sydney Local Health District
Prof Don Nutbeam AO
Executive Director, Sydney Health Partners
Prof Phil O’Connell
Executive Director, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research
Susan Pearce AM
Secretary, NSW Health
Prof Roger Reddel
Director, Children’s Medical Research Institute
Prof Robyn Ward AM
Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney
Research Development Committee
Chair: Professor Phillip O'Connell
Executive Director, Westmead Institute for Medical Research
Professor Stephen Alexander
Professor, Paediatrics & Child Health
Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
Dr Karen Arblaster
Director Allied Health, Research and Strategic Partnerships
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Professor Andrew Baillie
Chair, SHP Implementation Science Steering Committee
Professor Allied Health
Sydney Local Health District
Dr Paula Bray
Director, Allied Health
Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
Professor Emeritus Warwick Britton AO
Research Director
Sydney Local Health District
Professor Clara Chow AM
Director, Westmead Applied Research Centre
Western Sydney Local Health District
Associate Professor Anthony Delaney
Senior Staff Specialist, Malcolm Fisher Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital; Professorial Fellow, Critical Care Program, The George Institute for Global Health
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Associate Professor Mark Douglas
Research Academic Director - Clinical Science
Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Associate Professor Naomi Hammond
Executive Director, Research
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Professor Meg Jardine
Director, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Professor Mark McLean
Executive Director Research
Western Sydney Local Health District
Professor Don Nutbeam AO
Executive Director
Sydney Health Partners
Dr Faraz Pathan
Head of Cardiac Imaging and Cardiac Research
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Professor Camille Raynes-Greenow
Deputy Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Professor Emeritus Bruce Robinson AM
Chair of Research
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Associate Professor Angela Todd
Research Director (ex officio)
Sydney Health Partners
Associate Professor Brett Toelle
Deputy Director
Woolcock Institute of Medical Research
Professor Kate White
Chair, Cancer Nursing, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Sydney
Consumer Advisory Panel
Dr Alan McPhail
Sydney Local Health District (Concord)
Co-Chair and SHP Board Representative 2025: Claude Gauchat
Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
Co-Chair: Diana Trickett
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Erron Palmer
Western Sydney Local Health District
Gayatri Talla
Western Sydney Local Health District
Grace McGowan
Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
Matt Roger
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Murray McLachlan
Health Consumers NSW nominee
Scott Thrift
University of Sydney
Sonia Dixon
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Dr Stephen Poole
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Steve Kouris
Sydney Local Health District (RPAH)
Tony Maxwell
Sydney Health Partners nominee
Willy Bagatcholon
Western Sydney Local Health District
Ex-Officio Members:
Carrie Hayter
Health Consumers NSW
Anthony Brown
Health Consumers NSW
Don Nutbeam AO
Sydney Health Partners
Angela Todd
Sydney Health Partners
Linda Komarek
Sydney Health Partners
Izabella Pokorski
Sydney Health Partners