Health Service Board

Angie Paskevicius
Board Chair

Ms Angie Paskevicius is an experienced Chair, Non-Executive Director, and Chief Executive Officer, with a career that spans over 30 years as a health practitioner, business owner, senior executive, and executive coach, working in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Her previous roles include Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Holyoake, Chair of Interchange WA and Non-Executive Director of Mid-West Ports Authority.

Currently the Chair of 360 Health + Community and Leadership WA, and Executive Coach at Angie P. Coaching, Angie is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Management and the Institute of Public Administration Australia WA.

Professor Tarun Weeramanthri AM
Deputy Board Chair
Safety and Quality Committee member

Prof Tarun Weeramanthri AM is a public health physician with extensive healthcare and senior executive experience. His previous roles include Chief Health Officer in Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services (2004 to 2007), and Chief Health Officer and Assistant Director General for Public and Aboriginal Health in Western Australia Department of Health (2008 to 2018).

He is currently President of the Public Health Association of Australia, an Adjunct Professor at the School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, and an independent public health consultant. In recent years, he has been a panel member on the National Contact Tracing Review and conducted 2 independent inquiries in WA – into Impacts of Climate Change on Health (2020), and into Hotel Quarantine (2021).

Professor Christobel Saunders AO 
Forensic Biology Advisory Council Board representative

Prof Christobel Saunders AO, MB BS, FRCS, FRACS, FAAHMS is internationally recognised as one of Australia’s most prominent research-orientated cancer surgeons. She substantially contributed to breast cancer research, including clinical trials of new treatments, and psychosocial, translational and health services research. She is currently the James Stewart Chair of Surgery, Head of Department in Surgery at the University of Melbourne (Royal Melbourne Hospital precinct), Director of Medical Research at Melbourne Medical School, and consultant surgeon in the Department of General Surgery at Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute. In recognition of her sustained career excellence and innovation, she has been publicly acknowledged through numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Australia (2018), the Uccio Querci della Rovere Award (2018), WA Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee (2018), WA Scientist of the Year (2017), Cancer Council WA Career Achievement Award (2021) and was elected to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science (2016).

She has performed research for more than 30 years evaluating the efficacy and utility of therapy for early breast cancer. In the past 5 years, Professor Saunders has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles. She sits on the boards of several health and research organisations including as Vice-President for All.Can International and on the boards of All.Can Australia, Breast Cancer Trials, the Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care and PathWest.

Christobel is closely involved in strategic planning and management of health and cancer services in Australia, including being a member of the Medicare Review Advisory Committee, panel member of the Medical Services Advisory Committee, past President of the Breast Surgical Society of ANZ, and past Advisory Council member of Cancer Australia. She was the inaugural Board Chair of PathWest.

Professor Gelareh Farshid
Safety and Quality Committee member

Prof Gelareh Farshid is an experienced and internationally renowned senior consultant anatomical pathologist, executive and non-executive director in medicine. A pathologist with 30 years’ experience, her principal areas of interest are in breast, soft tissue and bone pathology. Currently practising in Adelaide as a Senior Consultant Pathologist in the Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Directorates at South Australia Pathology, Royal Adelaide Hospital. She is also a Clinical Professor in the Schools of Medicine and Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide. She holds various board and committee roles, including serving as Chair of Structured Pathology Reporting for Breast Cancer for the Royal College of Pathologists, Director representing Australia on the Executive Board of the International Academy of Pathology and Executive member of the Australian Society of Breast Diseases. Professor Farshid serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the ANZ Breast Cancer Trials, the ANZ Sarcoma Association, and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia’s Anatomical Pathology Advisory Board. Her current areas of research include applications of AI for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment planning, optimising breast cancer care, and innovative approaches towards reducing surgery for benign conditions.

Samantha Elder
Chair, Finance, Risk and Audit Committee

Ms Samantha Elder is an experienced senior business leader and has held a range of executive and non-executive director roles across a broad range of industries including, public and private healthcare, mining, oil and gas services, and manufacturing. Having worked in United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Canada, her experience as a qualified accountant spans more than 25 years in both multinational and not-for-profit organisations.

Now permanently based in Australia, she is passionate about the provision of high quality patient care and is currently the Director of Finance and Performance for St John of God Healthcare.

Kevin Taylor
Chair, Safety and Quality Committee

Mr. Taylor is an experienced senior executive with expertise in strategic and operational management for over 30 years.

As a former senior executive at St John of God Health Care, Mr. Taylor was responsible for national portfolios including Corporate and Community Services and was the Chief Executive Office for St John of God Pathology for over 16 years.

Mr Taylor has also previously contributed to the strategic development of pathology and laboratory medicine in Timor Leste.

Susan Rooney
People and Culture Committee member

Ms Susan Rooney has held executive and senior management positions in not-for-profit and government organisations operating in complex, multifaceted and challenging environments in health, welfare, emergency services, disability services and aged care. She has been the Chief Executive Officer for St Vincent de Paul Society WA (Vinnies WA) since 2017 and was formerly Chief Executive Officer of the Cancer Council WA from 2002 to 2017.

Prior to this, she held senior executive roles with the Fire and Emergency Services Authority. Ms Rooney is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, has a Master of Business Administration, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. 

Mr Tony Vis is an experienced non-executive director and chair with extensive experience in corporate governance. He has held Chief Executive Officer, senior executive and legal roles with major organisations across insurance, aged care, healthcare, disability, property, and legal sectors.

He holds a number of board roles including a member of the Carers Advisory Council WA, Deputy Chair of Southern Cross Care (WA) Inc and Therapy Focus Limited Boards and Chair of Disability Assembly WA Limited. He was recently the Chief Executive Officer of Activ Foundation Inc until 2016, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Paul O'Farrell
Finance, Risk and Audit Committee member 

Mr Paul O’Farrell is an experienced corporate advisor, banking professional and chartered accountant with over 30 years of international banking and risk management knowledge with PricewaterhouseCoopers, National Australia Bank and Bankwest. He is an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee for Racing and Wagering Western Australia and holds several private company directorships. Paul spent 8 years on the Board of Richmond Wellbeing – a mental health services provider – and was chair of its Governance Committee for 4 years.

Mr O’Farrell holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Limerick, a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, a Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a Fellow of the Advisory Board Centre, Accredited Advisor for the Family Business Association, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Ms Brand is an Eastern Arrernte woman from Mparntwe country in Central Australia and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, Perth. Previously, she was the General Manager of Health Services, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and the Executive Director of Community Service Programs, MacDonnell Regional Council. Ms Brand has extensive board experience and has worked in Aboriginal health, social and community services for over 3 decades, providing her with vast experience in strategic Aboriginal leadership and governance, management, service delivery and community development.

Ms Brand holds a Master of Business Leadership and a Master of Business Administration from Charles Sturt University. Ms Brand’s focus is improving life outcomes for Aboriginal people, families and communities and she has a strong understanding of issues affecting their access to health and social services, delivered within a culturally secure and responsive framework.