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.

Mary O'Kane
  • Dr Teresa Anderson 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

  • Kay Hyman

    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

    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


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

Associate Professor Jeremy Booth
Head of Medical Physics, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre
Royal North Shore Hospital
Northern Sydney Local Health District

Dr Paula Bray
Director, Allied Health
Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

Professor Emeritus Warwick Britton
Research Director
Sydney Local Health District

Professor Clara Chow
Director, Westmead Applied Research Centre
Western Sydney Local Health District

Associate Professor Mark Douglas
Research Academic Director - Clinical Science
Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney

Professor Meg Jardine
Director, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney

Professor Lyn March
Liggins Professor of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology
The Kolling Institute/Northern Clinical School
Northern Sydney Local Health District

Professor Mark McLean
Executive Director Research
Western Sydney Local Health District

Professor Don Nutbeam
Executive Director
Sydney Health Partners

Professor Philip O'Connell
Executive Director
Westmead Institute of Medical Research

Professor Bruce Robinson
Chair of Research
Northern Sydney Local Health District

Adjunct Associate Professor Vicki Taylor
Executive Director, Sydney Research
Sydney Local Health District

Associate Professor Angela Todd
Research Director (ex officio)
Sydney Health Partners

Professor Kate White
Chair, Cancer Nursing, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Sydney


Consumer Advisory Panel

Co-Chair: Diana Trickett
Northern Sydney Local Health District

Alan McPhail
Sydney Local Health District (Concord)

Co-Chair: Claude Gauchat
Chris O'Brien Lifehouse

Mohit Kumar
Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

Erron Palmer
Western Sydney Local Health District

Keith Soady
University of Sydney

Murray McLachlan
Health Consumers NSW nominee

Natalie Rosten
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

Sonia Dixon
Northern Sydney 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:

Anthony Brown
Health Consumers NSW

Carrie Hayter
Health Consumers NSW

Don Nutbeam
Sydney Health Partners

Angela Todd
Sydney Health Partners

Linda Komarek
Sydney Health Partners