Jamie Spencer

Executive Director

Jamie brings extensive experience from senior roles across major hospital networks and health services in Australia, including leadership of statewide reform programs, and delivery of improvements in emergency care, patient flow, digital health and aged care.

Most recently serving as General Manager of Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, he has also worked across the Queensland Health Network, including Central Queensland HHS.

With a Master of Health Service Management and a Bachelor of Nursing, Jamie brings both strong clinical insight and executive capability to the role.

Jeffrey Andersen

Director of Operations

Led by Jeffrey Andersen, Director Operations encompasses Safety and Quality, Patient Flow Services and Teamwork and Collaborative Training to provide support for the CKW community.

Providing a global view of hospital operations, the service links 3,000 clinical and non-clinical staff to focus on team performance, improved safety and quality and access to the right model of care in the right location for Queenslanders and beyond.

The service has a commitment to operations at CKW while building relationships and capability across the system to support best outcomes for patients.

Vanessa Smith

Director Nursing and Midwifery

Vanessa provides strategic leadership to our 900 + nursing and midwifery staff who provide person centred, safe and high-quality care. Vanessa advocates meaningful caring and healthful cultures by working with people’s values and beliefs and promoting a shared decision-making approach.  

Vanessa strives to improve patient outcomes and experience through the healthcare system with research, innovation and developing partnerships with community.

Vanessa’s adaptive leadership style strengthens authentic engagement by working holistically and being sympathetically present. Her approach strongly aligns with the Metro North values of respect, integrity, compassion, high performance and teamwork.

Vanessa rejoins Metro North Health after 24 years overseas working throughout the Middle East, London and Northeast of Scotland. Vanessa’s resume includes extensive management and leadership in strategic, higher education (University) and senior operational roles across an international context. Her recent role was Chief Nurse/Perioperative Practitioner and Head of Regional Theatre Academy for NHS Grampian NE Scotland.

Vanessa is a registered nurse holding a Bachelor of Nursing Distinction, Masters in Health Science with a Health Services Management Major. Vanessa is a lifelong learner achieving Masters level learning in Research Methodology/Methods and Higher Education Teaching and Learning. Vanessa is a Practice Development Facilitator embracing and developing cultural change through the methodology and methods of the Person-Centred Practice Framework (McCormack and McCance 2014).

Ansuyah (Anne) Padayachee

Director Allied Health

A dedicated healthcare leader committed to strengthening allied health services through strategic leadership, collaboration, and innovation. Leads multidisciplinary teams across the Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Clinical Directorate, providing executive-level advice, championing professional practice, and driving initiatives that enhance service quality, patient outcomes, and organisational performance.

Dr Robert McGrath

Acting Director of Medical Services

The Director Medical Services for the Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Clinical Directorate provides executive leadership for medical services across multiple healthcare facilities, overseeing a workforce of approximately 250 doctors. As a member of the CKW Executive, the role drives clinical excellence, workforce development, service innovation, and strategic partnerships to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, and equitable healthcare for the community.

Janelle Chin

Director of Facility Services

Janelle Chin is the Facility Services Director at Caboolture Hospital, responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of all non-clinical support services across the facility. This includes administration, engineering, food services, protective services, procurement, infrastructure, and more.

With a strong focus on service delivery, efficiency and safety, Janelle ensures these critical services operate seamlessly in support of clinical care and patient wellbeing. She also plays a key leadership role in emergency and disaster management, infrastructure planning, and service redesign initiatives.

As an integral member of the hospital’s executive team, Janelle contributes to strategic governance forums and fosters cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-quality, patient-centred support services.

Janelle brings extensive experience in health service operations and is passionate about creating systems that are sustainable, innovative, and responsive to the evolving needs of the hospital and its community.

Narika Symes

Director of Clinical Governance

A highly regarded healthcare professional with expertise in clinical governance, safety, quality improvement, and organisational leadership. Leads the Clinical Governance Unit across the Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Directorate, partnering with executives and multidisciplinary teams to advance quality care, strengthen risk management practices, and deliver exceptional outcomes for patients and communities.

Grant Duffill

Director Health Information Management

Led by Grant Duffill, Health Information Services provides specialist services that embrace the overall commitment to the management and provision of quality patient information at CKW.

Health Information Services works in partnership with the facility to improve knowledge, awareness and compliance in – activity counting, clinical coding, data quality, health systems management, provision of patient information for ongoing care, clinical form management, clinical documentation, patient privacy, security of patient information and release of information.

The service is comprised of five key areas: Health Information Services, Clinical Coding, Medical Records and Mail Service, Health Informatics and Information Access. The service provides strategic direction and authoritative advice in all aspects of health information management.

Judy Gentle

Manager People and Culture

Led by Judy Gentle, CKW People and Culture Services provides a wide-ranging business partnering service across the directorate. The experienced People and Culture team have extensive generalist knowledge and experience across the full employee lifecycle. They focus on building and maintaining people manager capability through upskilling, offering advice and supporting local resolution to complex people matters. Recognised for their people-centred approach, and for building strong stakeholder relationships and providing practical, solutions-focused advice to leaders and employees alike. Skilled at navigating complex workplace matters the team adopts positive and compliant solutions that are aligned to our Metro North values and strategic direction.

The team works to build trusted relationships at all levels and foster workplaces where individuals and teams can succeed. Their solutions-focused approach supports the business to deliver outcomes that align with organisational goals while supporting employee wellbeing and engagement.

Tracy Grant

Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services

Tracy Grant is a strong proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman and the Manager of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services for Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Clinical Directorate (CKW). Tracy’s role provides strategic leadership to the CKW Clinical Directorate to inform the cultural appropriateness of service delivery, that aligns to Safety & Quality Cultural Actions requirements and Health Equity actions.

Tracy is responsible for high level operational planning, management and evaluation of designated services and maintenance of professional delivery of health care services within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Team.

Tracy is continuing to support the legacy in creating a welcoming atmosphere in the hospital and satellite’s environment by increasing cultural capability, providing primary health care, co-designing and working with community engagement and growth in the identified workforce.

Tracy is determined and motivated in providing cultural leadership strategically and operationally to contribute for planning and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in the CKW directorate. Life and work experience demonstrates Tracy’s work ethic is working “with” all people in health and community for a simple “way” to have a positive experience and the best health outcome.

Adj Assoc Professor Dr Thuy Frakking

Director Research

Adj Assoc Prof Dr Thuy Frakking is an Advanced Speech Pathologist (Paediatrics) and Research Director with more than 18 years’ experience across clinical and research roles across tertiary, secondary and community hospitals in Queensland Health.

 As Research Director, she leads the growth of research across medical, allied health and nursing/midwifery professions at CKW through research promotion, translation and collaborative partnerships. She is passionate about building research capacity and capability to continuously drive innovation that improves healthcare access and outcomes for our community.

 She is a foundational member and current chair of the CKW Research Council; and has led the establishment of multiple conjoint research positions with academic partners.  Using her demonstrated experience with research translation (e.g. national/international guidelines, co-inventor of swallow sounds algorithm), she mentors and guides research and clinical teams in their pursuit of clinical research that provides a meaningful impact in their chosen field of interest.  

Sam Schefe

Nursing and Midwifery, Director Workforce and Innovation

Led by Sam Schefe, the Nursing and Midwifery Director Workforce and Innovation provides strategic nursing and midwifery leadership that drives innovation, strengthens workforce sustainability, and supports safe, high-quality care across Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford. The role partners with the Director Nursing and Midwifery, operational leaders, and interprofessional teams to optimise workforce resources, lead effective change, uphold professional standards, and enable contemporary, evidence-based practice.

Katherine Carey

Acting Director of Finance

Katherine Carey is the Acting Director of Finance for Caboolture, Kilcoy and Woodford Directorate, overseeing an annual operating budget of more than $450 million. She leads a high-performing team through contemporary leadership, financial management, and business practices that support the delivery of safe, high-quality care. Katherine provides strategic and operational advice to the executive, driving budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis while ensuring compliance, efficiency, and alignment with Metro North’s strategic objectives. Ultimately, her goal is to support the executive and wider teams to deliver better outcomes for both the hospital and the community it serves.

Prior to her current role, she held senior finance positions with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Redcliffe Hospital. Katherine holds graduate and postgraduate qualifications in Science, Education, and Accounting.

Beyond work, she enjoys spending time in her rural setting, where caring for the land and animals provides a grounding balance to her professional responsibilities.