Board of Directors
Board of Directors is the ultimate governing body for Colac Area Health. It was established with the creation of Colac Area Health in 2002 by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister for Health at the time.
Dr Georgina Hayden – Board Chair
Georgina is an Emergency Consultant with over 20 years of experience in public and private healthcare settings. Her recent roles included Director of Emergency Medicine at St John of God in Geelong and Director of Cardiac Emergency at Victorian Heart Hospital, Monash Health. Georgina completed her undergraduate degree at Monash University and her intern and resident years at the Alfred Hospital. After working in the NHS in the UK, she returned to Australia and settled in Geelong, where she completed further training in Emergency Medicine. Georgina’s interests lie in patient centred care, providing excellent patient experiences in the health care setting and improving the interactions between primary health care, acute hospital care and the sub-acute areas. Georgina grew up in Colac and was inspired by local medical practitioners to pursue a career in Medicine. She has been a Colac Area Health Board member for three years and Chair of the Quality and Safety Subcommittee.
First Appointed: 01/07/2021
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2024 – 30/06/2027
Ms Anne-Marie Leslie – Vice Chair
BA (Hons) Latrobe University Major in Politics Masters Human Resource Leadership Rutgers University
Anne-Marie is currently on the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee and undertakes advisory work to business, learning institutes and non for profit organizations. Prior to this from 2007-2016 she was Senior Vice President Human Resources for Cochlear responsible for global human resources management, and developing the organizations capabilities to meet the demands of a growing, global company.
She has over 25 years’ experience in local, regional and global human resource management roles. Prior to Cochlear she worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb in both Australia and in the USA. Earlier experience included leading quality management initiatives at Kodak as winners of the Australian Quality Prize and as an evaluator with Business Excellence Awards in Australia and the USA
First Appointed: 01/02/2018
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2023 to 30/06/2026
Ms Sarah McKew
Sarah is Manager Governance at Greater Geelong City Council, following many years in her role as Manager Governance & Communications as part of Colac Otway Shire Council’s Executive Leadership Team. She also founded the South West Governance Network which facilitates local government governance collaboration between 20 member councils in western Victoria. With a strong focus on legislative compliance and accountable decision-making, Sarah’s governance and broad management experience has been gained from this and previous state government and private sector roles.
Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and is interested in communication advancements, strategic engagement and consultation, workplace diversity, leadership, and accessibility of services. She considers her appointment an opportunity to contribute to improved health outcomes and information for the patients and consumers of Colac Area Health’s services.
Having moved to Colac six years ago, Sarah has firmly entrenched herself in the local community, holding executive positions in two local fundraising associations. Sarah’s keen interest in outstanding design – both architectural and landscape – and its recognised positive health effects led to the establishment of a home and garden society in the district in 2017, of which she is President.
First Appointed: 01/07/2020
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2022 – 30/06/2025
Dr Margaret Grigg OAM
Margaret is an experienced health professional with extensive experience in senior leadership roles. She has worked as CEO Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental (Forensicare), Executive Director of Health Services Policy and Commissioning at the Victorian Department of Health and COO at Mind Australia. Other Board Director appointments include HealthShare Victoria and Mind Australia. Previously she was Deputy Chair Kyneton District Health Service. She lives in Geelong and has strong family connections across the Barwon South West region.
First Appointed: 30/08/2022
Term of Appointment: 30/08/2022 – 30/06/2025
Mr Brendan Morris – Treasurer
Brendan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. Brendan has over 30 years’ experience in senior management roles, including 7 years working in Europe and Asia.
Brendan commenced his career with KPMG before moving into Industry in senior finance and then CEO roles. Brendan is currently the CEO and Managing Director of Plantic Technologies Limited a world leading biomaterials company. Brendan has a strong background in leading high performing organisations, innovation, business systems, strategy development and corporate governance.
Brendan lives in Geelong with his family and has a farm in Simpson. He is engaged in his local community and is passionate about innovation, sustainability and the environment.
First Appointed: 01/07/2020
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2022 – 30/06/2025
Ms Joanna Carden
Jo Carden is a business consultant in the healthcare sector where she has designed, delivered and evaluated healthcare programs, services and business functions. She brings to the Colac Area Health Board, more than 25 years of local and international experience in a range of clinical (nursing), operational, executive, program management and strategic roles, in both the private and public sector.
Jo is interested in continually improving health outcomes and system performance. Her major projects include the commissioning of new hospitals, redesigning health services, designing and delivering governance frameworks, enterprise and program risk functions.
First Appointed: 01/07/2020
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2023 – 30/06/2026
Dr Lisa-Jane Moody
Lisa-Jane has over 30 years’ experience in the Health, Disability, and Community Services Sectors. She graduated with a PhD from Deakin University in 2017 and holds a Conjoint Senior Lecturer appointment with Deakin University, Faculty of Health. In addition to professional qualifications in Audiology, Lisa-Jane has a Master of Arts degree (Applied Linguistics), a Diploma of Business and a vocational certificate in Consumer Engagement.
Lisa-Jane Moody is currently Executive Director, Policy & Planning at Barwon Child, Youth & Family where she is responsible for leading key portfolio areas including quality and risk, research, community relations, strategic planning, evaluation, and service design.
Lisa-Jane is drawn to work that is complex and challenging and is focussed on improving experience and outcomes in health, disability and community services while preventing and addressing inequality and harm.
As an Audiologist, Lisa-Jane worked in Colac with Hearing Australia and Barwon Health for many years and is delighted about the opportunity to contribute to Colac Area Health through the Board.
First Appointed: 01/07/2022
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2022 – 30/06/2025
Ms Sue Walpole
Susan has extensive experience across a multitude of industries in senior leadership and governance roles. She has over 30 years’ experience in public policy development, 30 years in high level representation roles and 20 years in governance and compliance. Directorships Susan has been appointed to include; Nurses Board of Victoria, Westernport Water Board, Victorian Legal Aid Commission, VicForests, Zena Women’s Services, Chair of Barwon South West Women’s Health and Wellbeing and MTAASuper.
First Appointed: 01/07/2023
Term of Appointment: 01/07/2023 – 30/06/2026
Ms Valerie Callister
Valerie is a past Regional Director (Gippsland) of the Department of Health and Human Services. She has a wealth of experience in primary care and community services having previously been the Chief Executive Officer of Latrobe Community Health Service. Between 2000 and 2003 Valerie was President of the Board of Latrobe Regional leading its transition back to public ownership. In 2012 she was awarded a Public Service Medal for Outstanding Public Service in the field of Emergency Management due to her contribution in Relief and Recovery following the Black Saturday Fires. Between 1981 and 1988 Valerie was the Member for Morwell in the Victorian Parliament. Valerie is the current Chair of Victoria’s Fire District Review Panel. She has always lived and worked in rural settings and is dedicated to the delivery of high quality and responsive health and community services at local and regional levels.
First Appointed: 21/11/2023
Term of Appointment: 21/11/2023 – 30/06/2026