OUR BOARD
Dr Pamela Williams (Chair) has a background in education, consumer advocacy and health promotion. She is Chair of Southern Health Community Advisory Committee and a member of Southern Health Breast Services Consumer Reference Group. She is Chair of the steering committee for a consumer participation project that is working towards selecting, training and supporting appropriate consumers for the Southern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Services especially for the tumour streams. Pamela has taken a number of roles as a consumer advocate for Breast Cancer Network of Australia and is a Acting Chair of the Executive of the Breast Cancer Action Group. Pam is the Hon. Secretary for the National Council of Women Victoria - an advocacy avenue for women's groups. Her major aim is to help gain the best outcomes in health care for consumers and clinicians.
Ivan Kayne (Deputy-chair)has a background in Audio Engineering and Industrial Relations with the ABC. He is a Board Member of the Victorian Quality Council, a member of the Eastern Health Community Advisory Committee, a member of the Management Committee of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (VASM) Victorian Audit into Surgical Mortality Committee, Consumer Member Medical Technology Association of Australia Code of Practice Complaints Committee, a former Board member of Heart Support Australia and Foundation President of the Knox Branch of Heart Support, he has served as a member of several MSAC committees, a former member of the Rehabilitation Committee of the Heart Foundation, he is President of Donvale Lions Clubs International with a strong commitment to health issues in the community.
Sophy Athan first became involved in the health area 12 years ago as a carer. She has been a consumer advocate for more than a decade. Her direct experience with primary, secondary and tertiary health services made her become aware of the significant issues that can affect consumers. Her experiences have made her committed to seeing improvements in the areas of quality and safety, mental health, aged and disability, as well as all aspects of health service delivery with an emphasis on capacity building and prevention and wellness approaches in the delivery of service. Since then she has become involved with numerous health committees in a variety of areas and capacity. Prior to working for her company Sophy was employed as a public servant at the state and local government levels. Over the years Sophy has been involved on numerous committees and boards. She is currently on the Eastern Health Community Advisory Committee, on a number of Eastern Health Quality and Safety Committees, Chair of the Consumer Reference Group of the Outer East Health and Community Support Alliance, Chair of the Service Coordination Committee for the Outer East Health and Community Support Alliance, on the Mental Health Board of the Office of the Public Advocate, Regional Convenor Disability Area with the Office of the Public Advocate, as well on a number of DHS committees. Sophy Athan is currently Managing Director for Euroforce Music Pty Ltd.
Lisa Allwell is a health professional with a background in research, education and policy analysis. She currently works as the Research Manager for beyondblue: the national depression initiative. She is interested in advocacy and ensuring that consumers have meaningful representation and voice across the health sector. Lisa previously worked as the Primary Care Project Manager with the National Resource Centre for Consumer Participation in Health.
Demos Krouskos has had more than 25 years experience working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Since 1985 he has held a number of positions in health care including six years as Executive Officer with the health consumer organisation Preston/Northcote District Health Council. He is presently the Chief Executive Officer of North Richmond Community Health Centre and Director for the Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health (CEH). His health interests include health and cultural diversity and the development of innovative social health programs to address health inequalities.
Jon Evans
Profile to come
Twanny Farrugia involvement in consumer participation stems from a personal and professional perspective. Personally, as an individual with multiple long term chronic health issues and a carer for an elderly parent of CALD background. Professionally as an Allied Health Care service provider in the aged, dementia, disabilities and CALD sectors. His belief similar to that of the Health Issue Centre is that consumers require a health system that focuses on people who are using that system, so that they not only feel safe but are safe. Therefore, the health system must meet consumer’s needs irrespective where they receive that health service (ie hospital, health community centre, general practitioner etc).
Sue Viney has a background in management consulting to public sector and not for profit organisations, both in Australia and overseas, with a focus on public sector reform, policy development and health. She is a member of the Southern Health Breast Services Consumer Reference Group, a member of the BreastScreen Victoria Consumer Advisory Committee, a member of the BreastScreen Victoria State Accreditation Committee and is a member of the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria’s Community Consultative Committee. She is interested in increasing services’ responsiveness to consumers’ needs and is particularly interested in the challenges faced by services resulting from changes to workforces and populations.
