Member profiles

Professor Andrew Wilson

Independent Chair

Professor Wilson is Co-Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Co-Director of the NHMRC Australian Prevention Partnership Centre (Sax Institute) and Professor of Public Health at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney. He is the Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee for the Australian Government. He has specialist qualification in medicine and public health medicine and a PhD in epidemiology.

He has extensive experience in clinical workforce planning, education, training and accreditation in government and academic roles. As Chief Health Officer and Deputy Director General Public Health, NSW Health (1997-2001) and Deputy Director General Policy, Strategy and Resourcing, Queensland Health (2006-2010) he had responsibilities relating to clinical workforce supply and training. He was Deputy Dean of the University of Queensland Faculty of Health Sciences (2005-2006) and Executive Dean of the Health at Faculty of Health at Queensland University of Queensland (2010-2012). He has served on accreditation teams for medical programs and specialist training programs and competency standards working groups for the Australian Medical Council. He was a member of the NSW Medical Board and a Board member of Health Workforce Australia (2010-2012). He chaired a review of the Prevocational Training and Education Network in NSW and undertook the national review of internships. He is a member of the joint Board of the NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation and the Clinical Excellence Commission.

Ms Alison Barnes

Membership category: Individual who identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Ms Alison Barnes is a proud Wiradjuri woman and a Registered Nurse with 30 years professional experience.

She is a member of the NSW Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Ms Barnes is an Associate Lecturer and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Liaison in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University, where she is helping to embed contemporary Aboriginal culture across the curriculum. She has worked in clinical education and facilitation with both nursing and medical students.

Ms Barnes has a lifelong commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Dr Heather Buchan

Membership category: Nominee of the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare

Dr Buchan is a Senior Medical Advisor for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

She is a public health physician who has worked in health policy and medical management roles in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Dr Buchan has a longstanding interest in ways to increase the effectiveness and appropriateness of health care, including methods to improve communication between patients and clinicians, and in the implementation of change in health care settings.

In her current role she undertakes work across a number of Commission programs, primarily in areas related to exploring variation in use of different types of health care, encouraging use of variation data to improve clinical care, and increasing the focus on safety and quality in health practitioner education and continuing professional development. She is also a Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle.

Associate Professor Carmen Parter

Membership category: Individual who identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Associate Professor Carmen Parter is a member of the Ahpra Board and was appointed a member of the Accreditation Committee in April 2023. She is a former Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife with extensive experience in the health industry working as a woman’s health practitioner, educator, health services researcher, policy maker, manager of project teams and senior executive leader. She is a researcher and author presently working at the Djurali Centre, Macquarie University (part-time). She was awarded an international award in recognition of her scholarship working with community, a founding member of the Congress of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Nurses & Midwives (CATSIN&M), including a Fellow of CATSINaM and the Public Health Association of Australia. Carmen was the inaugural Co-chair of the Indigenous Working Group of the World Federation of Public Health Association, a member of the Lowitja Institute member community and an ambassador for the MK Study. She is setting up a foundation to invest in community initiatives to help solve ‘wicked’ issues that apply system change inquiry methods.

Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM

Membership category: National Boards' representative

Adjunct Professor Casey has held diverse roles over her 40 years as a Registered Nurse and Midwife covering clinical leadership roles, quality management and change management, organisational culture improvement and Nursing Excellence positions. She worked in Nursing and Midwifery Executive roles at The Prince Charles Hospital District, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital prior to her appointment as Executive Director, Nursing Services Princess Alexandra Hospital and Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery Services, Metro South Health. During her time at PAH, she was been instrumental in helping the hospital achieve re-designation under the Magnet® credentialing program, and the introduction of the Nurse Sensitive Indicator performance monitoring system.

Adjunct Professor Casey’s experience and expertise in the nursing profession extends to national and international platforms, holding membership on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) from 2014, she was appointed Chair of the NMBA in 2020. She served as one of three inaugural International Magnet Commissioners for the American Nurses Credentialing Centre (ANCC) from 2010 to December 2017 and is appointed to the Australian Quality and Safety Commission from 2019.

She has been recognised for her contribution to the nursing and midwifery profession by being awarded the American Nursing Credentialing Center HRH Princess Muna Al-Hussein Award for international contribution to nursing (2011); the Queensland University of Technology Outstanding Alumni Award, Faculty of Health (2018); appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (General Division) in 2019; and Association of Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Outstanding Achievement in Nursing/Midwifery Award in 2020.

Dr Terry Crisp

Membership category: Nominee of the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum

Dr Crisp is the Chair of the Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia, Chair of the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum, and president of the Councils on Chiropractic Education International.

He has been involved in chiropractic accreditation for twenty years, holding numerous roles over this period including site evaluation team member, accreditation committee member and board director. He also has significant experience in delivering chiropractic treatment in rural locations, previously practicing in Mildura (VIC) and Loxton (SA).

Outside of his passion for accreditation, Dr Crisp enjoys snow skiing and is Captain of the Mount Hotham Dinner Plain Fire Brigade.

Mr Anton Barnett-Harris

Membership category: Nominee of the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum

As CEO of the Australian Physiotherapy Council, Anton Barnett-Harris is a transformational leader passionately committed to the excellence of the Australian physiotherapy profession.

He has strengthened and deepened the Council’s working relationships with its key partners including Ahpra, The Physiotherapy Board of Australia, the profession, educators and international stakeholders. Anton is the Deputy-Chair of the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum (HPACF).

Anton holds a Bachelor of Arts, Public International Law, Post Graduate Diploma in Organisational Management and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

With an international professional career spanning numerous countries, Anton has been in senior leadership and executive roles in the insurance, education and training development and accreditation and regulation sectors.

Professor Trish (Patricia) Davidson AM

Membership category: Ahpra Board member

Professor Davidson was appointed as a member with expertise in health, education and training in November 2023. Professor Davidson is an Honorary Professor of Surgery with the University of Newcastle and a registered medical practitioner (specialist in paediatric surgery). She was previously a member of the Council of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, serving as the Censor-in-Chief with responsibility for education and assessment in all nine specialties across Australia and NZ. Professor Davidson also served on the Australian Medical Council Accreditation Committee for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and was later elected as President of Children's Healthcare Australasia.

Mr Takudzwa Gandanhamo

Takudzwa Gandanhamo is the Senior Manager, Policy and Research of the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA).

His previous roles include, Senior Project Officer in the Population Health Branch of Services Australia and an Evaluator and Project Officer at the Therapeutic Goods Administration, providing technical support on projects relating to the supply and quality of pharmaceutical goods sold in Australia.

Having worked fulltime as a pharmacist for several years, he has extensive experience in healthcare delivery. He continues to practise pharmacy alongside his main responsibilities in health policy.

Mr. Gandanhamo holds a Master of Business of Administration from the University of Edinburgh and has an interest in the economic dynamics that influence access to hospital treatment in both the public and private sectors.

Professor Esther May

Membership category: Nominee of Universities Australia

Professor Esther May is a member of Universities Australia's Health Professions Education Standing Group.

Professor May is the Pro Vice Chancellor of Teaching and Learning at the University of South Australia and covers the Dean of Clinical Education role. She is on the Executive of the Council of Deans of Health Sciences and is Chair of the Board of UniSA Health Pty Ltd.

Professor May’s background is in occupational therapy, particularly hand therapy, before moving to academic roles and university management as Head of the School of Health Sciences, Dean Academic, Dean of Clinical Education, and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Teaching and Learning. She has published in the area of hand tendon injuries, health workforce, rural health, learning principles for patient education amongst other health topics and advised on clinical education and training.

Professor May oversees the University of South Australia health clinics and the Department of Rural Health and is committed to access and participation for students from equity groups. She received a Churchill Fellowship and is a life member and founding Australian Hand Therapy Association member. She is a registered occupational therapist.

Esther has a PhD in Medical Sciences from Gothenburg University, Sweden.

Mr Jeffrey Moffet

Membership category: Ahpra Board member

Jeffrey Moffet is the Chief Executive of the WA Country Health Service and has worked in rural and remote healthcare management over many years. Jeff began his healthcare career as a physiotherapist working in the State’s Kimberley region at Kununurra Hospital. His country upbringing and early work in a rural setting inspired him to follow a career dedicated to rural and remote healthcare and provided him with a unique appreciation of the challenges and opportunities faced by those delivering healthcare services in the country.

As Chief Executive of the WA Country Health Service, Jeff leads an Executive managing the largest country health service in Australia delivering hospital and community health services to over half a million people, in over 200 sites including hospitals, health centres, nursing posts and remote clinics spanning an area of 2.5 million square kilometres, one of the largest health service by area, in the world.

Prior to joining WACHS as Chief Executive, Jeff was the Chief Executive of the Northern Territory Department of Health. In this capacity, he provided leadership across the NT Health system and with national policy development through his membership of key national bodies including the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council, the National E-health Transition Authority, Health Workforce Australia, the Mental Health Advisory Committee and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Advisory Committee. He led reform of governance arrangements and implementation of integrated service and clinical governance systems within NT Health.

While now based in Perth, Jeff often returns to WA’s remote north and other areas of country WA for fishing and recreation with family and friends.

Professor Maree O'Keefe

Membership category: An external accreditation/education expert (‘external’ means an individual who is not an office bearer, employee or agent of any national board, accreditation authority or Ahpra)

Professor O’Keefe is a paediatric medical specialist with a PhD in medical education. Currently a Clinical Professor at the University of Adelaide, she is also an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow, a Principal Fellow with the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

With over 30 years’ experience in health profession teaching and higher education curriculum innovation, she has a particular interest in interdisciplinary collaboration, academic standards and accreditation. Supported by the Office of Learning and Teaching and its predecessors, she has provided national leadership in interprofessional learning. As an independent consultant she has given expert advice on health profession accreditation standards development and review. She has held appointments to national committees and councils and is currently a member of the Royal Australian College of Physicians Governance Committee.

Professor O’Keefe has won institutional and national grants and awards for her teaching and health education research.

Ms Valerie Ramsperger

Membership category: Jurisdictional representative

Ms Valerie Ramsperger is Director of the Medical Workforce Policy and Strategy leading the implementation of the National Medical Workforce Strategy 2021-2031 and the Commonwealth response to emerging medical workforce priorities. Key aspects of her portfolio include supporting the work of the Medical Workforce Reform Advisory Committee and Health Workforce Taskforce, as well as stakeholder engagement with governments, specialist medical colleges, universities, professional associations, peak bodies and other sector stakeholders to address medical workforce priorities.

Ms Ramsperger has an extensive background in education, training, quality assurance and accreditation. Ms Ramsperger led the delivery of the Australian Government ‘How Accreditation Practices Impact Building a Rural Specialist Medical Workforce’ report released in March 2023. Ms Ramsperger previously led quality assurance and child safety for all Victorian schools as the Manager of Quality Assurance Schools and Senior Secondary at the Victorian Registrations and Qualifications Authority, was Manager of Training Operations overseeing accreditation of specialist training and training distribution initiatives aligned with government priorities at the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators, and led a team designing and delivering workplace based assessments and undertaking quality assurance and compliance in the Vocational Education and Training sector.

Ms Ramsperger is also a member of the Australian Government World Health Organisation Working Group on the International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response and International Health Regulation reform.

Dr Mary Russell

Membership category: Nominee of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)

Dr Russell is the Acting CEO at the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), and previously held the role of Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at TEQSA leading teams managing higher education provider registration, course accreditation, compliance and regulatory risk assessments.

She has held senior regulatory leadership roles in organisations including the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman where she held the role of Assistant Ombudsman, and at Ahpra where she worked for six years in several different roles including State Manager for Victoria, National Manager of Notifications and National Manager of Regulatory Risk Strategy.

Dr Russell has extensive experience in university teaching, curriculum development and delivery, and has completed her PhD in Health Sciences.

Mr Brett Simmonds

Membership category: National Boards' representative

Mr Brett Simmonds is Chair of the Pharmacy Board of Australia, practitioner member for Queensland and Co-Convenor for the Forum of NRAS (National Registration and Accreditation Scheme) Chairs.

He has had over 10 years’ experience in the regulation of the pharmacy profession, including as Chair of the Pharmacy Board’s National Notifications Committee and as a member of the Board’s Policy, Codes and Guidelines Committee and the Finance, Governance and Risk Committee.

Brett is Program Director: Regulation in Pharmacy Education and Practice at the School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland. He has been involved with health practitioner education at a tertiary level across several year levels for over five years.

Brett is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served 8 years on the Mater Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee in Queensland. Brett is currently completing a Master in Health Policy at the University of Sydney.

Dr Hamza Vayani

Membership category: Consumer/community member (nominee of Community Reference Group)

Mr Hamza Vayani is a member of the Ahpra Community Advisory Council. Mr Vayani has an MBA Business (Health Management) and the AICD Governance Foundations for Not Profit Directors course.

Mr Vayani holds several roles in both the government and not for profit sectors. He is currently on the board of World Wellness Group which is a primary health care service that delivers accessible care to people of multicultural backgrounds. This has included establishing the Multicultural Connect Line as a telehealth service in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. He has also facilitated co-designed development of the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Consumer, Carer and Peer Worker Lived Experience CAPTURE Framework in his state-wide role as Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Consumer Co-ordinator with Children’s Health Queensland Hospital & Health Service. Before these roles Mr Vayani has managed and provided advice on re-design and reform of aged care, disability, and mental health services and served on several health consumer, advisory and board level roles.

Mr Vayani is not afraid of asking the difficult questions and passionately believes in evidence based public policy that is inclusive of the lived experience of the communities we serve.