Board

Dr Andrew Jamieson – Interim Chair

Dr Andrew Jamieson is a FACRRM awarded Rural Generalist Medical Practitioner who has lived and worked in remote and metropolitan Australia, as well as parts of Africa and Asia.

He now works across the whole of WA in the role of Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

With a background of rural and remote clinical service provision and oversight, he is particularly committed to insightful technology-based reform of health care delivery for rural and remote patients.

He has held clinical leadership roles within medical executive services, telehealth, medical workforce enhancement, chronic disease management, and various digital healthcare initiatives.

He holds Australian post-graduate qualifications in Occupational Health and Aviation Medicine, and has recently completed the Harvard Medical School Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership program.

Mr Paul Forden – Representing the WA Area Health Services

Paul is a Certified Accountant who joined the health sector over 22 years ago. He started out as a Director of Finance before becoming a Chief Operating Officer then 17 years ago a Chief Executive.

Paul has been Chief Executive of a number of UK teaching hospitals and large hospitals. He also spent 3 years in the private sector as Managing Director for Health for a number of non-hospital European health businesses.

Paul came to Perth almost 3 years ago as Executive Director of Fiona Stanley & Fremantle Hospital Group. In December 2017 he was made Chief Executive of the South Metro Health Service. Paul has a passion for improving clinical quality and creating engaged organisations.

In his spare time Paul enjoys the fantastic outdoor facilities Perth has to offer and still tries to participate in a number of sports. He also enjoys travel.

Professor Caroline Finch AO – Representing the University sector

Professor Caroline Finch AO is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Edith Cowan University (ECU), a role she has held since 2018.  She is a highly accomplished academic and world-renowned public health focused injury prevention researcher. Over her career, she has authored 600+ publications and received >$24M in health-related research funding, including as an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow (2004-2017) and holder of continual and multiple ARC and NHMRC grants over 2004-2020.

Following her MSc and PhD in mathematical statistics, she has worked as an epidemiologist and public health researcher since the mid-1980s. She has received formal international recognition as one of Australia’s leading injury prevention and injury surveillance experts. At ECU, she maintains her international research leadership and has been the Editor-in-Chief of the prestigious international peer-review journal BMJ) Injury Prevention since late 2022.

Her influential research outcomes have directly informed the implementation and evaluation of health and safety policies and programs for Government Departments of Health and Sport, health promotion/injury prevention agencies, and peak sports bodies worldwide. In 2018, she was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her distinguished service to sports medicine, particularly in the area of injury prevention as an educator, researcher and author, and to the promotion of improved health in athletes and those who exercise.

Mr Steve Arnott – Representing the Medical Research Institute sector

Professor Desiree Silva – Representing the Private Health Care sector

Desiree Silva is the Professor of Paediatrics at Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) (part of Ramsay Health Care) and the University of Western Australia. She is also the inaugural Director of Research at JHC and was Head of Paediatrics and Neonatology at JHC for 14 years (2007-2021). She qualified as a doctor in the UK and completed her paediatric specialist training in Western Australia and Northern Territory. She has a strong interest in early identification and evidence-based management of neurodevelopmental disorders and an advocate for improving the lives of families with mental health conditions, having published the ADHD GO-TO GUIDE for parents and teachers. She is currently the project co-director for the ORIGINS study, which is a community intervention birth cohort that will generate a new research platform with a strong translational focus. Desiree is keen to promote a good work life balance through being active, adventure and nature connectedness.

Ms Jodie South – Representing the WA Department of Health

Jodie South is the Acting Deputy Director General of the Western Australian Department of Health, leading the delivery of government key priorities in major health infrastructure projects and medical research and innovation. Prior to her current role, Jodie was the Acting Assistant Director General of the Clinical Excellence Division at the Department of Health.

Jodie has a wealth of experience in the public sector, having held senior positions across the WA health system where she has worked for 26 years.  She was co-lead in the development of WA’s first Clinical Services Framework; led the planning of the South Metropolitan Health Service reconfiguration (SMHS) to support the development of Fiona Stanley Hospital; and led the original establishment of the East Metropolitan Health Service and the subsequent SMHS realignment. Jodie was also the mental health co-lead during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Professor Romola Bucks – Representing the Centre Agent

Born and educated in the UK, Romola obtained her qualification in Clinical Psychology at the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1991, before specializing in Clinical Neuropsychology. In Australia, Romola is a Psychology Board of Australia endorsed Clinical Psychologist. She obtained her PhD in Cognitive Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol and moved to the University of Western Australia in 2007.

Whilst publishing work across the lifespan, she is internationally recognised for her work in the diagnosis of cognitive decline and dementia, and for her expertise in the cognitive and affective consequences of key disorders of ageing, including obstructive sleep apnoea and Alzheimer’s.

In 2018, she was made a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science for her contribution to the field. A former Head of the School of Psychological Science and Deputy Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science, UWA, Romola is the Director of the Raine Study – https://rainestudy.org.au/ and Pro Vice Chancellor (Health and Medical Research), at the University of Western Australia.

Professor Peter Klinken AC – Chief Scientist of Western Australia

Professor Klinken is a leading Western Australian medical research scientist, highly regarded for his work in advancing the understanding of genes involved in leukemia, cancer and anaemia. After obtaining his PhD from the University of Western Australia, he undertook research at the US National Institutes of Health in Washington and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne.

His previous roles have included Professor in Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Western Australia; Director of Research at the Royal Perth Hospital; and the Director of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research (previously the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research). Under his stewardship, the Harry Perkins Institute attracted world-class researchers to the State and made numerous acclaimed medical discoveries. He also spear-headed the development of two new state-of-the-art medical research facilities at the QEII Medical Centre and Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Professor Klinken has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role of Chief Scientist of Western Australia, providing independent expert advice to the State Government. His has supported the Government in growing the State’s science industries to achieve future prosperity for Western Australians, as well as assisting with changes to legislation.

He is passionate about issues for Indigenous people, and ensuring that the Education system provides opportunities for everyone in a rapidly changing world. Professor Klinken was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 2017. He was Western Australian Citizen of the Year (Professions) in 2008, and made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2015) and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (2016).

Professor Klinken began his tenure on 10 June 2014, and is Western Australia’s third Chief Scientist. He has since been reappointed four times, with his tenure continuing to June 2025. Professor Bruce Hobbs AO was the inaugural Chief Scientist of Western Australia (2003-2006), followed by Professor Lyn Beazley AO (2006-2013).

Ms Rael Rivers – Consumer Representative

Rael is the Executive Manager, Strategic Programs at Respiratory Care WA and has worked in the public and community health sector for more than 13 years in a variety of program management and service development roles. Prior to her work at Respiratory Care WA, Rael spent six years at the WA Country Health Service developing specialist training pathways for Junior Doctors in rural WA and coordinating medical education.

Rael has been involved in research for more than 10 years as a person with lived experience, as an associate investigator, and is currently on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre. She is involved in informing numerous respiratory research projects using her lived experience as an adult and parent of three children with asthma. She has worked closely with the WAHTN CCIProgram in a number of ways, including co-presenting in their Masterclass Series. Rael enjoys assisting researchers communicate in plain language, utilising her skills as a teacher and understanding of learning principles, to help them succeed in communicating to consumers and research participants. Rael’s consumer experience also involves assessing and reviewing individual grant applications together with being a member of grant assessment panels. She is passionate about guiding and supporting research with a lived experience voice to enhance the translation process to make a difference in people’s lives.

Dr Debbie Turner- Ex officio

Dr Debra Turner BSc(Hons), PhD is the Chief Operating Officer of WAHTN. Debbie has an extensive background in medical research and government sectors. Prior to joining WAHTN in 2018, Debbie managed the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the Assistant Director of Clinical Services and Research in the WA Department of Health. She has 10 years experience in public sector policy development and strategic planning within the health and disability sectors. Debbie studied at UWA and undertook postdoctoral studies at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. She spent 20 years as a medical researcher based at Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Physiology Department at UWA and the Respiratory Department at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. Her research focus has been on paediatric asthma, atopy and lung disease.