Board & Management

Dr Robin Williams is a General Practitioner and hospital Visiting Medical Officer at Molong and Yeoval.

Having spent a year in Australia as a doctor at Dubbo Base Hospital in 1985/86, before returning to his home in Wales, life as a doctor in rural NSW beckoned and Dr Williams emigrated to Australia in 1997, settling as a General Practitioner in Gulgong.

Dr Williams was Chairman of the Dubbo/Plains Division of General Practice from 2000 to 2016. He has also served as a Director and past Chair of the Rural Doctors Network. Dr Williams was the Chair of the Western NSW Local Health District Board until his term finished at the end of 2016, and was also a member of the NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on Rural Health. He has been a General Practitioner VMO at Molong Health Service and Yeoval UPA since 2007. Dr Williams is also currently a Clinical Lecturer, General Practice, School of Rural Health, University of Sydney, providing placements in General Practice for undergraduates, and a member of the Charles Sturt University Council.

Mr Shaun McDonagh has held Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director and Company Secretary roles with complex service organisations across Australia including with the Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences. His industry experience includes education, training, media, health, disability and community services, employment services, financial services, construction, and property development.

Mr McDonagh possesses skills in marketing, communications, governance, media, business development, government, strategy, and analysis. He has board experience with health, disability support, employment services and financial services through various board roles nationally including at Ostara Australia, Board Chair at are-able Ltd and Independent Director - Financial Advisors Association of Australia.

Mr McDonagh holds degrees in Business and Law, Master of Marketing Management, Master of Commercial Law and completed the Executive Development Program at Kellogg School of Management – Northwestern University. Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute, Certified Practising Marketer, Golden Key International Honour Society and Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Shaun has spent decades working with rural, regional and urban communities to help overcome situations of disadvantage.

Ms Melina Saunders is a proud Wiradjuri and Gunditjmara woman who is passionate about empowering Aboriginal people to build capacity in their own communities.  As a consultant at KPMG Ms Saunders specialises in providing core governance, operations and advisory services for Government projects working with Aboriginal organisations and draws on her extensive experience in facilitating workshops and stakeholder engagement to achieve this. Ms Saunders has spent her career working in Aboriginal organisations, such as the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) and the Wirrpanda foundation, helping them to transform into strong and effective institutions to the benefit of the community. She is also a current member of the Netball Australia RAP working group.

Ms Julie Toma is passionate about making a difference to improving the health and wellbeing of people and society.

Julie’s career spans senior executive leadership roles for global healthcare corporations including Sonic Clinical Services, Cochlear, Kimberly-Clark Healthcare and Becton Dickinson (BD) as well as not-for-profit sector C-suite roles covering healthcare, aged care, allied health, mental health and social services. Julie provides deep expertise regarding business strategy, marketing, customer and employee experience, philanthropy, transformational growth and stakeholder engagement.

Julie holds Non-Executive Director roles with Western Health Alliance Limited, the Combined Dispensaries Friendly Society and the Barbara May Foundation. Previous board and committee roles include Jannawi Connections, the ADA Dental Health Foundation, LiveBetter Ltd and the Asthma Foundation ACT. Committee experience includes the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, the Northern Sydney LHD Primary and Community Health Advisory Committee, Chair for the Australian Marketing Institute State Council and member of the Cancer Australia Research Grant Advisory Committee. Board sub-committee experience includes governance, remuneration and nominations, finance, audit and risk as well as community advisory councils.

Tertiary education includes a Bachelor of Applied Science (Biomedical), MBA and GAICD qualifications complimented by leadership programs with Harvard, Yale and Wharton.

Industry recognition includes a Financial Review BOSS Most Innovative Companies Award in 2023, Australian Marketing Institute Marketing Awards for Excellence State Award Winner 2022 & 2020, Outstanding Leadership Awards Finalist 2022, CEO Magazine Marketing Executive of the Year Finalist 2017 & 2019, and shortlisted for the Telstra Business Women’s Awards in 2019.

• Member of the Governance Committee
• Member of the WNSW PHN & W LHD Joint Board Committee
• Member of the WNSW PHN & FW LHD Joint Board Committee
• Member of the Western Community Advisory Council

Matthew Banning has a proven record of positively impacting and influencing organisations and industry, delivering for customers, staff and stakeholders, while maintaining honesty, integrity and respect in looking after the wellbeing of the business and its people.

Matt has strong finance and operational management experience in the private health insurance (PHI) market and in diversified markets, including mining, education, and manufacturing industries with expertise in dealing with complex issues and managing key stakeholders, strategic business, and government relationships, as well as executing change management initiatives.

A certified practicing Speech Pathologist, Danielle’s current work with Royal Far West involves leading a large multidisciplinary clinical service delivering high quality allied health services to schools throughout rural and remote Australia.

Danielle's experience includes working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to enhance service delivery, improve indigenous health, and develop strategic decisions particularly at the interface of health and education.

Danielle also brings significant expertise in healthcare within rural and remote communities, particularly in Western NSW, ensuring that services are tailored to meet their unique needs and challenges.

Mr Newman has a broad experience in Aboriginal community engagement, service delivery and policy development across a number of human service sectors spanning sixteen years working in both NSW Public Service, and more recently in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector.

Mr Newman has been involved in a number of Aboriginal community governance structures which began in his teens and continues with his long-standing service as board member of Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Mr Newman has been part of a number of reference groups attached to government reviews of services such as Child Wellbeing Units (CWU), the Aboriginal Knockout Health Challenge and the Aboriginal-led Commissioning Steering Committee with NSW Peak Body AbSec.

Mr Newman was also recently appointed to the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services of New South Wales Aboriginal Partnership Group which supports reform in the child and family sector in NSW.

• Member FARM Committee
• Member Governance Committee

Passionate about the health industry, Brad Porter has been a registered paramedic since 1998, and prior to joining WNSW PHN, spent the previous 15 years working in the Central West as Associate Director Clinical Operations, Western Sector and Western Control Zone Manager at NSW Ambulance. Having recently held the Chief Operating Officer at WNSW PHN, Brad is pleased to return as the Chief Executive Officer to drive change, lead, support and strengthen placed-based co-designed changes to the primary healthcare sector in Western NSW for better access and patient outcomes. People and patients are Brad’s highest priority, and he lives and works on Wiradjuri land in Bathurst.

Graeme Allen is a Dubbo local, born and bred. Graeme loves living in the Western NSW region and is a passionate advocate for health and wellbeing, and the health outcomes of local communities. Graeme has completed a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), CPA and holds over ten years of experience in business services as a tax accountant and ten years as Management Accountant and Executive Manager in health, demonstrating a huge commitment to the not-for-profit sector.

As Executive Manager of Corporate Services, Graeme oversees Information Technology, Quality and Risk, Finance, Procurement and Administration functions. Outside of the office, Graeme loves to play basketball and cricket and volunteers with the Rural Fire Service. 

Donna Stanley is a proud Gunggari Umbi woman living on Wiradjuri land. Donna has over 30 years of experience working in the mental health and wellbeing space and supported the implementation of the NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Workforce Training Program by supporting many trainees and clinicians across NSW. She also made significant contributions towards Aboriginal mental health first aid, as well as the development of a grief and loss training package for Aboriginal people.

In 2019, Donna was engaged as an expert knowledge consultant for the Mental Health Service Planning for Aboriginal People in New South Wales Report, which informed the development of the 2020-2025 NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

In 2022, Donna was recognised and celebrated for her outstanding Aboriginal mental health leadership at a national/community level by being awarded the Australian Mental Health Prize in the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander category.

With a deep commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal communities, Donna has been a pivotal figure at WNSW PHN in developing and implementing culturally appropriate health initiatives. Her leadership and vision are rooted in a profound understanding of the unique challenges faced by Aboriginal people in Western NSW.

Donna's work is characterised by her dedication to community engagement, advocacy, and collaboration with various health services and organisations. She strives to create inclusive and effective health programs that honour and respect Aboriginal culture and traditions. Through her efforts, Donna continues to make significant strides in advancing the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal communities, ensuring they receive the support and care they need.

Janine's primary health care experience spans 25 years, working across areas such as strategic development and performance, planning and evaluation, and more recently commissioning within WNSW PHN.

Prior to the WNSW PHN, Janine worked as the Strategic Development Manager at Medicare Local and worked directly with GPs at the Division of General Practice across GP workforce, primary health program development and capacity building within general practice.

Key aspects of Janine’s work have involved working closely with general practice, communities and the wider health sector alongside passionate people committed to addressing local health needs and striving to improve health service gaps in rural communities.

Some key achievements that Janine has led, with the support of strong partnerships, include: the development of the first After Hours Clinic in the region, establishing the first WNSW PHN Aboriginal Health Council, obtaining infrastructure funding for general practice enabling more GP registrars and medical students to work in small regional communities, and leading organisational needs assessments including the foundational Regional Mental Health Plan.

Janine holds a Bachelor of Organisational Development and a Diploma in Project Management.

Michele Smith is a Registered Nurse with a Masters in Health Administration from Monash University and a Diploma in Management. Her nursing career began in the operating theatre and later moved into remote nursing in the Northern Territory. While in the Territory, Michele managed various Primary Healthcare Clinics in very remote areas (Canteen Creek, Epenarra, Borroloola, Hermannsburg) with the Department of Health, then held the General Manager/Director of Nursing role at Tennant Creek Hospital, and for a period of 12 months, acted in the Regional Director Barkly Region role. Seeking new challenges, Michele moved to NSW in mid-2021 to take up the role of Health Services Manager for a Rehabilitation, Palliative Care, and Community Services Hospital before joining WNSW PHN in 2023.

Michele is committed to service delivery that is effective, efficient, and sustainable, with robust systems and a quality focus on both clinical and management practices. Her work ensures good clinical outcomes by adhering to organisational policies and clinical governance principles. Michele believes in a patient-centered care model, where meaningful engagement with patients is paramount to understanding their needs and establishing effective communication between patients and clinicians.

Freddy is an experienced Executive Leader known for driving meaningful improvements across profit and not-for-profit sectors. With a focus on operational transformation and performance, Freddy has optimised processes and provided effective leadership in utilities, retail, community services, education, and disability and aged care.

His expertise includes managing complex operations such as planning, system implementation, strategy design, finance, and risk management. He has led diverse teams in operations and corporate services, developing strategies to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Freddy has held executive and senior management roles in finance and operations, ensuring business readiness and fostering cross-functional collaboration.

Freddy has led major health programmes in PNG and the South Pacific and is committed to improving health outcomes in challenging environments. He has also implemented strategies at a leading educational institution, enhancing income and effectiveness.

Freddy delivers tailored solutions that support organisational growth and achieve positive outcomes for communities.