Get In Touch
- 11/41-43 Higginbotham Rd, Gladesville NSW 2111
- (02) 8753 5100
- Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm
- Saturday - Sunday: Closed
View our privacy policy
Menu
2025 congress speakers
Dr. Abdi Mahamud is a globally recognized public health leader and medical epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in clinical medicine, trauma surgery, humanitarian health response, and the coordination of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response. He currently serves as the Director of Health Emergency Alert and Response Operations department at the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), where he leads WHO’s global alert and response functions for acute public health events and emergencies.
Dr. Mahamud has directed WHO’s response to over 100 graded emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, global mpox upsurge, the Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks in East Africa, WHO’s response to the complex humanitarian emergencies in Ukraine, Middle East and Sudan. As WHO’s Global COVID-19 Incident Manager he coordinated the organization’s technical and operational response across 170 countries. He also led the initial COVID-19 response in the Western Pacific Region from Manila in early 2020.
Prior to his work at WHO headquarters, Dr. Mahamud served as the National Team Leader for the Polio Eradication Programme in Pakistan, managing one of WHO’s largest field operations and contributing to a significant reduction in polio cases. He has also worked in complex humanitarian settings, including Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, where he led outbreak responses for measles, cholera, and H1N1.
Andrew Grill is a globally recognised AI expert, futurist, and tech industry leader with over 30 years of experience driving innovation and success within technology companies.
Ranked among the world’s top 10 futurist speakers and a finalist for Digital Leaders AI Expert of the Year, Andrew is renowned for delivering insightful, action-oriented keynotes that resonate with audiences worldwide.
As a former Global Managing Partner at IBM, Andrew has worked closely with board-level executives from Vodafone, Adobe, DHL, Nike, Nestle, Bupa, Wella, Mars, Sanofi, Dell Technologies, and the NHS.
His expertise spans critical topics such as AI, Web3, digital transformation, and workplace innovation, making him a trusted advisor across multiple industries.
Andrew has delivered 600 keynotes in 50 countries, captivating corporate audiences with clear strategies for leveraging AI and digital disruption.
His bestselling book Digitally Curious and his popular podcast of the same name explore how technology is reshaping society and business, offering tools to stay ahead of change.
This talk will equip you with ways to better use and understand technology and be ready for a digital-first world. Disrupt or Be disrupted – What is digital disruption, how can companies prepare for disruption, and how can you have a discussion with your board about the issues? How can innovation drive digital transformation, how the network effect will drive innovation, and what can happen to your company if you become disrupted? More information can be found at actionablefuturist.com
Professor Jenny May AM has been passionate about rural health since her first rural medical student placement in 1980 and then as a trainee rural doctor at Tamworth Hospital in 1985.
Professor May’s vast and extensive knowledge working across Australia and internationally has provided multiple opportunities to contribute through research on health workforce matters. She now calls Tamworth home and has had the incredible privilege to live and work with her doctor husband and family in a number of remote and regional locations.
Professor May holds fellowships with RACGP and ACRRM and has extensive experience in clinical practice, research, education and rural health advocacy. In 2016 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to community health in rural and regional areas, as a general practitioner, member of professional medical groups, and as an educator.
With over 35 years of working and supporting rural, regional and remote health care, her appointment as the third National Rural Health Commissioner has been widely welcomed.
Professor Dale Fisher is an Australian infectious diseases physician. His undergraduate degree was obtained from UTas but he moved to Darwin for his internship. He returned to Royal Darwin Hospital from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney to complete his physician training in 1992. By 2002 he was director of the Division of Medicine, RDH was a member of the Australian Casemix Clinical Committee and the Board of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
After a stint in March 2003 at the National University Hospital, Singapore during the SARS outbreak, he left Australia in 2005 to pursue his interest in Infectious Disease Emergencies. Since then, he has had many leadership roles in international outbreak missions and outbreak response trainings across Africa and Asia. He was chair of the steering committee of WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network (2018-2022). Additionally, he has supported many WHO guideline efforts, chairing several, and was one of 12 international technical experts who visited China in February 2020 to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak. He subsequently advised the WHO Director General and many countries and states during the pandemic.
In Singapore he is the Group Chief of Medicine at the National University Health Systems cluster and leads many efforts for the Ministry of Health including being the inaugural chair of the National Infection Prevention and Control Committee (2014 – 2024). He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and given almost 200 invited and plenary presentations at international conferences. He has many awards including Singapore’s National Outstanding Clinician Award, 2021.
Brother Thomas Oliver (“Olly”) Pickett AM is co founder and volunteer factory manager of Wheelchairs For Kids Australia (WFKA). WFKA builds a fully adjustable paediatric wheelchair for children in less developed countries to WHO-guidelines.
Under Br Olly’s steadfast leadership, the charity has donated more than 64,000 wheelchairs across 80+ nations since 1998.
In January, Br Olly was 2025 Senior Australian of the Year, recognising for over 27 years of service to WFKA. In June he was also awarded the 2025 Western Australian of the Year by the Celebrate WA Day Council.
Br Olly’s gentle leadership, humility and innovation continue to inspire volunteers and communities worldwide.
Sarah Brown AM is the Chief Executive Officer of Purple House, working with its board of Indigenous directors to run the organisation since its inception two decades ago.
Sarah was recognised with an Order of Australia in 2020 “for significant service to community health, to remote area nursing, and to the Indigenous community”. In 2017 she was Hesta Australia’s Nurse of the Year and in 2018 made the AFR BOSS magazine’s ‘True Leaders’ list.
A fearless advocate for high quality, community-led healthcare for Indigenous Australians, Sarah has invested three decades of her life in this work across Australia. She holds a Master of Nursing, a Graduate Diploma in Aboriginal Education and a Graduate Diploma in Health Service Management. Prior to joining Purple House, Sarah worked as a remote area nurse in communities as diverse as Cape Barren Island (TAS), Balgo (WA), Yuelamu and Harts Range (NT). She has also been an Aboriginal health service manager in the Kimberley and a university lecturer.
Sarah paints, has exhibitions across Australia and overseas, has 3 grown up kids and drives a 1959 Morris Minor. She thinks ‘work/life balance’ is irrelevant if you love what you do!
Riana is a skilled strategic, and visionary leader within the Māori and health sectors, with extensive experience leading kaupapa Māori organisations.
Riana is a registered nurse practitioner, who has based her career in community and Māori healthcare. Prior to her appointment as Chief Executive for Te Aka Whai Ora, Riana was Nurse Director at Waikato District Health Board, Chief Executive of Hauraki Primary Health Organisation and rural iwi-based health provider Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki.
Riana’s aim has always been to ensure people in both rural and urban areas have services appropriate to their communities, rather than applying a universal approach to healthcare.
Riana Is a mother and grandmother and this is by far her most favourite role but is also one of the main reasons she strives to see a more equitable system for all people in New Zealand.
Mauri ora
Peter Susanto, 18, is a second year Doctor of Medicine student from Darwin. In 2022, Peter commenced university at age 15, and has since completed a Bachelor of Clinical Sciences with a perfect GPA. He is also a dedicated community contributor and high achiever, for which he has been acknowledged as 2024 NT Young Australian of the Year and 2025 Darwin Young Citizen of the Year.
With his sister Eva, he fundraises for a different charity every year by selling his grandma’s delicious Indonesian food at Cullen Bay every Saturday evening and Nightcliff Foreshore every Sunday evening. Peter has been the Australian neuroscience champion and medaled for Australia in the International Brain Bee Olympiad. With a passion for health advocacy, he has successfully advocated for every NT resident aged 18 years and under to have access to free oral health services.
In 2024, Peter made history as one of only four Australian youth delegates to COP29 for the 2024 Emerging Climate Leaders Program, the first ever representative from the Northern Territory. Currently, he is serving as the NT’s only UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador for 2025-2026, and on the 2025 NT Youth Round Table. He aspires to be part of solving challenges the world faces, and improving lives.
Professor Kelly is the former Australian Government Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control, where he led the Government’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A public health physician and infectious disease epidemiologist, he has worked in research, health systems development, post-graduate teaching and as a health service executive in four Australian jurisdictions and internationally.
He has a particular interest in climate change and health, One Health and pandemic preparedness. He was the executive lead for Australia’s National Health and Climate Strategy and has recently joined the board of the Climate and Health Alliance.
Professor of Practice at the Health and Climate Initiative of Monash University
Dr Angie Bone is a Professor of Practice at the Health and Climate Initiative of Monash University. She is a former director of the Transitions to Sustainable Health Systems consortium, which is a group of health sector leaders working to improve sustainability and resilience in the Australian health system, and is now a senior advisor to the program. Angie is a public health physician, with over fifteen years of public health leadership and research experience regarding environmental influences on health and health equity in government departments in England and Australia, and is a former Deputy Chief Health Officer (environment) at the Department of Health in Victoria. She has also worked for international organisations such as the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
Cherlyn Ngan is a second-year Health Service Management intern, currently completing her third placement at Monash Health. Her previous rotations at Safer Care Victoria and Northern Health have fostered her passion for driving systemic improvements in healthcare. At Safer Care Victoria, she explored the critical role of Quality and Safety; at Northern Health, she supported initiatives to strengthen Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and at Monash Health, her focus is on Finance and Business Partnering.
Cherlyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy (Honours) and a Certificate in Clinical Governance. She has also completed a Master of Health Leadership and Management at the University of New South Wales. With hands-on experience across diverse healthcare settings, including acute and rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential aged care, and community services, Cherlyn brings an extensive understanding of the healthcare landscape. Her professional journey spans both Melbourne and Hong Kong, offering her a cross-cultural perspective on healthcare delivery. Cherlyn is committed to contributing to the ongoing improvement of healthcare services across Victoria and Australia, with a strong focus on enhancing system performance and health outcomes for all.
Samara is a proud Luritja woman, raised in Papunya and states that she attributes her cultural knowledge and strength to her family as she was raised by a village. She has strong cultural connections to the Warlpiri, Pintupi and Western Arrernte people. She attended school in Alice Springs and went on to become a member of the NT Police Force. Her passion to help people who are disadvantaged grew, and with her ingrained philosophy of helping others, she moved into Child Protection leadership roles both in South Australia and Victoria. Her involvement in Operation Evolve in Victoria resulted in the establishment of the Aboriginal Self Determination and Outcomes Division responding to the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
Samara is a qualified Child Wellbeing practitioner and was a Practice Lead in Victoria at the Orange Door leading a team of Social Workers in responding to child abuse and neglect. Her hope is that all vulnerable people have access to culturally appropriate, high-quality, and timely health care. She is the proud mother to 3 children.
Rob McPhee has been the Chief Executive Officer for Danila Dilba Health Service in Darwin since 2021. Prior to this, he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services for six years.
Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Audio Production and a Master of Health Services Management. Having worked in both public and private hospitals for over a decade, she has experience from the frontline through to the executive offices of the Hospital and Local Health District levels. Having a background in administration and substantively working in Clinical Governance, Tiffany is passionate about health literacy and health advocacy for consumers. Outside of work, Tiffany spends time with her young family.
Rex O’Rourke is a highly experienced executive leader in rural and remote healthcare, with a strong track record in the strategic leadership of health and human services across Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland.
In his current role as Chief Executive of Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Rex leads one of Australia’s largest providers of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Under Rex’s stewardship, the Health Service is achieving real change in working to deliver equitable healthcare to a culturally rich resident population, of which around 70 per cent identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Rex was previously accountable for the development and delivery of a network of remote and very remote health services over 24,517 square kilometres in Western Australia’s Kimberly region. These remote roles also encompassed the Northern Territory and the Pilbara region.
Rex has engaged and collaborated across a broad spectrum of partnerships that have included Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations, elders, NGOs and government in NT, WA, QLD and the ACT to improve service deliveries and close the gap.
This passion for health equity that drove Rex’s earlier work in the United States, to advance health reforms that would improve the delivery of health and social services for seniors, people with disabilities, their families and carers.
Dr Neale Fong has more than 40 years’ experience in medical, health care and aged care leadership roles. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Bethesda Hospital, Chair of the WA Country Health Service Board, a Non-Executive Director of ASX-listed companies Little Green Pharma and InteliCare, a NED at the Digital Health CRC, Chair of Mineral Resources Ltd (Health) and Chair of the WA Institute of Sport.
He was formerly, the Director General of the WA Department of Health, Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Hospital Subiaco, Project Director for the establishment of the Curtin University Medical School, and Chairman of the WA Football Commission.
He has been awarded the Gold Medal from the ACHSM and the ACHS as well an Honorary Doctor of Medicine from Curtin University in recognition of services to health care, and especially leadership development.
He currently consults widely through Australis Health Advisory to a number of key health clients in Australia.
He holds Bachelor Degrees in Medicine and Surgery, a Masters in Theological Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration.
Appointed to the ACHSM Board in 2011 and elected President in 2016.