Executive Board

Ms Angela Kelly PSM – Interim Chair

Angela Kelly PSM is the Deputy Director General of the Western Australian Department of Health.  Ms Kelly has more than 25 years’ experience in the Western Australian public health system, from system performance and financial management, to strategic planning and corporate governance, and she has led numerous projects and teams in system wide reforms.

Ms Kelly has held several leadership positions across the Department of Health, including Assistant Director General, Purchasing and System Performance and in 2018, served as acting Chief Executive at North Metropolitan Health Service for three months.

Since 2020, Ms Kelly has undertaken various senior roles across the Western Australian public sector, assisting in guiding the State’s planning and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In her current role, she leads the delivery of Government key strategic priorities through Major Health Projects and Infrastructure and the Office of Medical Research and Innovation.

In 2022, Ms Kelly received a Public Service Medal in recognition of her outstanding service in the Western Australian health system, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 Harlene Hayne ONZM – Representing the University sector

Professor Harlene Hayne is Vice‐Chancellor of Curtin University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and of the Association for Psychological Science. In 2009 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to scientific and medical research. In 2012 she received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Colorado College, USA, and in 2021 she received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Otago where she had been the Vice‐Chancellor since 2011.

Originally from the United States, Professor Hayne received a Bachelor of Arts from Colorado College, and a Master of Science and PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience from Rutgers University. She spent three years as a post‐doctoral fellow at Princeton before joining the University of Otago in 1992. She subsequently served as Head of the Psychology Department and as Deputy Vice‐Chancellor Research and Enterprise before being appointed as Vice‐Chancellor.

Professor Hayne continues to conduct research and she has published widely in the area of memory development and adolescent risk taking and has also supervised numerous PhD, master and undergraduate honours theses. She is an Associate Editor of Psychological Science in the Public Interest and of Memory, and is a member of the Editorial Board of Infant Behaviour and Development and of Developmental Psychobiology.

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).

Associate Professor Dan McAullay – Representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Associate Professor Dan McAullay is the Director of the Centre for Improving Health Services for Aboriginal Children and Families (ISAC). He runs his own consulting company (Dan McAullay Consulting) and is a Director with the majority Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and managed communication consulting company, Mode Black.

Dan has considerable experience in health research, policy and practice. He has worked in a number of senior positions in these areas as well as in tertiary education. He is a registered nurse with postgraduate qualifications. He has a strong research track record including presentations, publications and grants. Dan’s primary research areas of interest include maternal, infant and child health, primary health care and other health services research.

Professor Bill Morgan – Representing the Medical Research Institute sector

Professor Bill Morgan MBBS, PhD, FRANZCO is Managing Director of The Lions Eye Institute (LEI) and has been a leading ophthalmologist and medical researcher at the LEI for 25 years. Professor Morgan is a glaucoma specialist and his research interests include studying the response of the optic nerve and retinal veins to pressure gradients including cerebrospinal fluid pressure, glaucoma surgery and the epidemiology of blinding eye disease.

Professor Morgan has recently secured a $680,000 grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study orbital pressure alteration and interactions with intracranial and intraocular pressure. Professor Morgan was part of the team at the LEI that developed the basis for XEN glaucoma surgery – a surgical treatment that successfully reduces intraocular pressure and now implanted in over 100,000 eyes. He regularly teaches in Indonesia, and co-invented the Virna Glaucoma Drainage Device now implanted in 1,000 patients. Professor Morgan is also a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, a Professor at The University of Western Australia, the University of Udayana and co- director of the LEI McCusker Glaucoma Centre.

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.

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.