Executive team2025-02-28T15:09:03+10:00

Executive team

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    The Board appoints and delegates the administrative function for Metro North Health to the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive and leadership team are responsible for the operational implementation of the strategic direction and day-to-day management of Metro North Health.

    Chief Executive

    Jackie Hanson

    Adjunct Professor Jackie Hanson

    Jackie has extensive executive, strategic and tactical leadership experience spanning more than 15 years across public health systems in Queensland and South Australia.

    As Australia’s largest Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive, Jackie provides authentic and inspirational leadership to a workforce of over 24,000 staff to deliver high quality public health services to over 1 million people.

    Throughout her career, from the bedside to Chief Executive, Jackie’s commitment has remained focussed on increasing access and equity particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, ensuring high quality safe services and improving patient outcomes and experience through the healthcare system, research, innovation and partnerships both nationally and internationally across a wide range of sectors.

    Jackie has led systemwide transformation and improvements based on strategically assessing the environment and providing foresight to maximise impact across the care continuum.

    Jackie is a respected leader with a collaborative style and people focused approach which strongly aligns with the Metro North values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion, High Performance and Teamwork.

    Jackie is a registered nurse, and holds a Bachelor in Nursing Science.

    Office of the Chief Executive

    Prior to joining Metro North, Stephen was the Chief Operating Officer at Townsville Hospital and Health Service since late 2018. He brings comprehensive experience in the operational leadership of health care organisations, and has also held a number of senior management roles across public, private and non-government organisation sectors, while based in Europe and South East Asia.

    Rob held a number of senior financial leadership roles across various Queensland health services, including at Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Metro South Health, Health Support Queensland and most recently at Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

    In addition to his healthcare expertise, Rob’s background spans project consultancy, commercial management, financial accounting, governance, support systems and strategic advisory.

    Dr Jason Brown is a Burns and General Surgeon, the A/Director of the Stuart Pegg Adult Burns Centre and the Chief Digital Health Officer at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH).

    He has been delivering health outcomes across Queensland for over 25 years, 14 of those at the RBWH. He is passionate about delivering innovative, person-centred healthcare and optimal patient outcomes. Jason is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a member of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.

    He is also currently the clinical lead for the Burns Program at Herston Biofabrication Institute (HBI), where he leads a diverse team that implements innovative, safe and optimal recovery solutions for injured burns patients.

    Grant Carey-Ide is an experienced health leader, having worked across three Australian jurisdictions. He is a Registered Nurse by profession and holds an Executive Masters degree in Public Administration. He has worked across acute, community and mental health settings, and is passionately committed to patient safety and the quality-of-care health services provide, as well as the achievement of health equity for First Nation peoples.

    Grant’s commitment to the Metro North community is shaped by a long career delivering and leading the delivery of health care, and in developing platforms of change to empower consumers in their health care journey, and to embedding patient-centred health care as a guiding principle.

    Chief Medical Officer: Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook

    Dr Liz Rushbrook is a Specialist Medical Administrator who graduated Medicine from The University of Queensland in 1994. She has extensive medical and military experience and is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators.

    Liz initially worked as a young doctor in Queensland before serving in the Royal Australian Navy. She rose steadily through the Navy ranks as a Medical Officer to Commodore, serving ashore and afloat before returning to Queensland in 2016. She is passionate about Emergency and Disaster Management, Business Continuity, Medical Workforce Wellbeing, and Management and Clinical Governance.

    Liz separately serves as a Member and Director of the Australian Medical Council (Member with experience as a Senior Executive of an Australian Public Hospital) and as a Director (and Chair) of Disaster Relief Australia.

    Liz is married to Andrew. They have three (mostly independent) sons who they enjoy supporting making their way in the world.

    Adjunct Associate Professor Alanna Geary

    Adjunct Professor Alanna Geary has a nursing and midwifery career spanning more than 30 years and has worked in various specialties at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital including surgery, intensive care, orthopaedics, general medicine and infection control. Alanna holds a Masters of Health Science, and is Adjunct Professor at University of Queensland and Adjunct Associate Professor at Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University.

    Michelle has held several senior leadership roles with Metro North, including most recently as Director Allied Health STARS and Senior Director Clinical Operations Community and Oral Health.

    For twenty years, she has worked in designing, implementing and evaluating allied health workforce and service reforms, for both Metro North and across Queensland, using her Masters of Health Services Management and post graduate studies in leadership and digital healthcare.

    Michelle’s desire to help people live healthier, better lives pointed her to a career in healthcare. She chose her first degree in occupational therapy for its pragmatic, holistic nature.

    Outside of work and study, Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and their golden cocker spaniel Jasper.

    Sherry HolzapfelSherry Holzapfel is a proud Yidinji woman from the Atherton Tablelands and has cultural blood line connections with the Kuku-Thaypan tribe from Laura, Gungarri tribe from Mitchell and the Butchulla tribe from K’gari (Fraser Island).

    Sherry has over 25 years of extensive health experience, working in a variety of roles including health worker, registered nurse and midwife, management and senior leadership roles within Queensland Health and the Aboriginal community controlled primary health care sector.

    Sherry’s priority is community and clients, she demonstrates on a daily basis that their voices, lived experience and stories are heard. Sherry listens and learns with her community and follows through by ensuring better health outcomes, improved access, and the delivery of culturally appropriate services.

    Sherry led the implementation of the Metro North Health Equity Strategy which made history of being the first strategy launched across the state. She worked in true co-design and consultation with the community and stakeholders and remains committed to achieving life expectancy parity for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples by 2031.

    Sherry holds a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Midwifery from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and a Master of Applied Management at University of Newcastle. She was awarded the 2021 USQ Alumni of year for Health and Wellbeing.

    Metro North Executive Director Clinical Services Dr Jason Jenkins is a vascular surgeon and Executive Director of the Surgery Stream (since 2014). He is also RBWH Director of Vascular Surgery and Director of Procedural Services for STARS.

    Dr Jenkins is a distinguished surgeon renowned for unwavering commitment and vast expertise in providing support to hundreds of vascular clinicians through comprehensive training and mentorship. Additionally, he acts as an indispensable point of contact within Metro North, offering invaluable surgical support for executives, his surgical colleagues and for emergency and complex vascular cases. Throughout this career, he has contributed to numerous published vascular research studies and papers, further solidifying his reputation as a leading authority in the field.

    Jason is focussed on providing quality care to patients with highly complex vascular issues, and champions preventative care and opportunistic screening where possible to ensure better health outcomes. He has been extensively involved in pursing health equity for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Queensland and is the Executive Sponsor for the Deadly Feet Vascular Outreach Program.

     

    Ms Vivienne Hassed

    Vivienne has extensive experience in the Queensland public sector, leading small teams across a range of departments. Her versatility and proven ability in problem solving, planning and capacity for network building are coupled with an extensive knowledge of the Queensland and Australian health systems. Vivienne is committed to increasing operational performance and high-quality outcomes through strategic reform, business improvement, and effective collaboration and engagement with stakeholders. Throughout her career, she has honed her understanding of the Queensland Government objectives and the challenges and opportunities for the delivery of sustainable and appropriate public healthcare services, complementing her well-developed understanding of Metro North’s priorities, challenges and opportunities.

    Vivienne’s focus on people first enhances her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to integrity, openness and accountability. She brings motivation and energy to her role, working closely with team members to build skills and capacity. Vivienne has qualifications in public sector management.

     

    Board Secretary: Ms Jane Albatal

    Operations

    Chief Operating Officer: Mr Stephen Eaton

    Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Executive Director: Ms Louise Oriti

    The Prince Charles Hospital, Executive Director: Ms Tami Photinos

    Redcliffe Hospital, Executive Director: Mr Cang Dang

    Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Clinical Directorate, Executive Director: Ms Karlene Willcocks

    Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS), Executive Director: Ms Dale Dally-Watkins

    Community and Oral Health, Executive Director: Ms Glynis Schultz

    Mental Health, Executive Director: Dr Kathryn Turner

    Clinical services

    Clinical Services, Executive Director: Dr Jason Jenkins

    Heart and Lung, Executive Director: Professor Peter Hopkins

    Medicine, Executive Director: Dr Michael O’Sullivan

    Surgery, Executive Director: Dr Jason Jenkins

    Critical Care – Emergency Medicine, Executive Director: Dr Michelle Davison

    Critical Care – Anaesthetics and Intensive Care, Acting Executive Director: Dr Michelle Davison

    Women and Families, Executive Director: Dr Lee Minuzzo

    Paediatrics, Executive Director: Dr Peter Stevenson

    Cancer Care, Acting Executive Director: Mr Michael Smith

    Research, Executive Director: Professor Steven Lane

    Contact us

    Metro North Chief Executive
    Located: Level 14, Block 7
    Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
    HERSTON QLD 4029
    Phone: (07) 3647 9501
    Email:  MD16-MetroNorthHHS@health.qld.gov.au

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