Governance
Sydney Health Partners is an unincorporated joint venture of its 15 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.
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
Mohit Kumar
(Consumer Representative), Sergeant Police Prosecutor, NSW Police
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, University of Sydney Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery
Consumer Advisory Panel
Chair: Mohit Kumar
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SHP Board
Alan McPhail
Sydney Local Health District (Concord)
Bryan Joyce
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Claude Gauchat
Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
Diana Trickett
Northern Sydney Local Health District
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