Board

Cheryl Vardon AO

Board Chair, Executive Committee Chair

Cheryl Vardon AO led the creation of a contemporary Children’s Commission as the inaugural Chief Executive and Principal Commissioner of the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC). She left the role in December 2021 after more than six years.

Cheryl has a distinguished career in education, community and children’s services developing complex public policy, with a sound track record of leadership and expertise in policy implementation. In 2018 Griffith University awarded Cheryl an Honorary Doctorate of the University for her community work. Cheryl is also lead ambassador for Children’s Rights Queensland.

She is an experienced reviewer of systems and services using case studies and stories to influence and change system and policy directions.

She has held Chief Executive, Director-General and senior leadership positions in a variety of private, public and not-for-profit organisations across several states.

Currently Cheryl is Chair of the Queensland Child Death Review Board which reviews the deaths of Queensland’s vulnerable children.

Cheryl has held board and university council positions and statutory roles on tribunals and commissions including the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the Commonwealth Safety and Rehabilitation Compensation Commission.

She has been a member of an expert advisory group for the Australian Institute of Family Studies and a member of the Teachers’ Disciplinary Appeals Board for the Victorian Education and Early Childhood Development Department.

Cheryl is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Australian College of Education. She also is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Her work in Indigenous education and services for Indigenous children and young people has received a Prime Minister’s Reconciliation Award.

In 2017 Cheryl participated in an executive education course at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, studying case teaching and case writing for public policy. She has degree level qualifications in Arts and Education.

Professor Eleanor Milligan

Board Deputy Chair, Safety and Quality Committee Chair, Executive Committee Member

Professor Eleanor Milligan is an experienced, solution focused leader with recognised local, state, and national outcomes in health practitioner regulation/education, organisational governance/culture, healthcare and research ethics, health program and facility accreditation. Her multidisciplinary background in Humanities (Ethics - PhD, BA-Hons 1st), Education (Grad Dip Ed) and Biomedical Science (BSc-Micro/Biochemistry), coupled with Fellowship of the Australian College of Health Service Managers ( FCHSM CHE) and GAICD qualifications bring diverse and comprehensive skills in strategic leadership and  stakeholder engagement across the education, health and government sectors. 

A collaborative and innovative thinker with a strong commitment to accountability, she brings broad experience to NWHHB through her multiple statutory appointments including the Medical Board of Australia, the Australian Medical Council,  NHMRC Australian Health Ethics and Audit Committees and most recently Metro South Hospital and Health Board. 

Bill Armagnacq

Board Member, Finance and Performance Committee Chair, Audit and Risk Committee Member, Executive Committee Member

Bill is an experienced non-executive director, senior executive and chartered accountant. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

His current roles include:

• Director Railways Credit Union Limited trading as MOVE Bank
• Director CEnet Limited
• Director EmpireTheatres Pty Ltd
• Chair Heritage Charitable Foundation Limited
• Independent Chair Inner Darling Downs Community Consultative Committee for Inland Rail.

The board roles have included membership of and chair of board committees including finance, audit, risk, compliance and remuneration and succession.

Other board roles have included a private P to 12 girls school, a small Lenders’ Mortgage Insurer and committees of various not-for-profit entities.

His executive roles have included Company Secretary/Assistant CEO of Heritage Bank (16 years), Company Secretary of the Ergon Energy group (5 years). Prior to the executive roles he was with KPMG for over 18 including 7.5 years as a partner in the Tax Consulting division. These roles have had a broad remit and have included governance, risk management, compliance, internal audit, lending, facilities, taxation and corporate regulation.

Dr Marco Giuseppin

Board Member, Audit and Risk Committee Chair, Safety and Quality Committee Member, Executive Committee Member

Dr Marco Giuseppin is a Rural Generalist with a passion for Rural Health. Originally trained at the University of Queensland, Marco’s career has taken him throughout Rural and Regional Queensland in roles encompassing General Practice, Emergency Medicine, Retrieval Medicine and Anaesthesia. As Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and an advocate for primary health care on the national stage, Marco’s interests now lie in primary care strategy and governance.

Fiona Hill

Board Member, Stakeholder Engagement Committee Member

Fiona Hill is a proud First Nations woman of the Waluwarra, Alyawarra, Yirendali and Ngawun peoples of Australia. 

Fiona has worked over 30 years in Government and the social and community services sector. Managing and delivering social programs and services with the community-controlled sector, the not-for-profit sector and government both in Mount Isa and Gulf communities of Doomadgee, Mornington Island and Normanton. 

Fiona is currently living on Kalkadoon Country and is a recognised elder and well-respected person who is heavily involved in the local community. Her focus is largely on the social and community services sector, this has involved managing programs aimed at improving the lives of the social disadvantaged, their families, extended families and community. 

Fiona continues to advocate for those experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence and youth justice concerns in addition to the areas of Human Rights, Native Title, disability services, early years and health.

Dr Mellissa Naidoo

Board Member, Safety and Quality Committee Member, Audit and Risk Committee Member

Dr Mellissa Naidoo is a specialist medical administrator with more than 20 years’ experience working in clinical, health leadership and medical executive roles across both the public and private sector. Mellissa holds a Masters in Health Management, dual fellowships with the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators and Australasian College of Health Service Management and certification in health informatics.

Having experienced healthcare from the perspectives of doctor, patient and carer, Mellissa is passionate about person partnered care and health innovation to support improved access and outcomes for all communities. An advocate for equity and inclusion, she is actively mentoring and training the next generation of diverse medical leaders through her college and university roles.

Anne Pleash

Board Member, Stakeholder Engagement Committee Chair, Finance and Performance Committee Member, Executive Committee Member

Anne is an experienced executive and non-executive director with wide-ranging experience in stakeholder relations, government relations, media, health, and advocacy in the private and government sectors.

Anne is passionate about the North West health district - the communities, and its people. She grew up in Normanton and the Mid-West and moved back to Normanton to live and work for four years after university. Anne’s mother was a remote area nurse who worked at the Normanton hospital in the 1980s. Anne is a proud life member of the mighty Normanton Stingers Rugby League Football Club, and her heart still calls the Gulf home.

Anne holds board positions with:

• Cancer Council Australia, Deputy Chair and consumer director
• Director with Australian Chocolate, trading as Charley’s Chocolate
• Founding director of Cacao and Chocolate of Australian Origin (CACAO) Ltd.

She currently has her own consulting business and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business. Having learnt to swim in the Gulf and Mid-West, she is only the 207th Australian to swim the English Channel solo.

Steven Renouf

Board Member, Safety and Quality Committee Member, Stakeholder Engagement Committee Member

A Gunggari and Gubbi Gubbi man, Steven Renouf claimed numerous accolades during an international sporting career that spanned more than a decade. Awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to this country’s global standing in rugby league, he is a member of Australia’s Indigenous Team of the Century, a Brisbane Broncos Hall of Fame recipient and was named in the club’s 10 and 20-year teams, plus their 25-year Grand Final team.

Upon retiring from professional football, he embarked upon guiding and driving the State government's Get Active Program. A state-wide health, well-being, and sports program that was a legacy project of the 2000 Olympics where he travelled extensively across the State utilising his sporting profile to inspire young people to get involved in sports activities.

Steven has been an Ambassador for the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health for the last 12 years, where he led the highly effective and successful rollout of the Deadly Choices preventative health strategy. The strategy has had great success in promoting healthy lifestyle choices and empowering Indigenous people to be proactive about their health. Through this role, he has made many connections with mobs and elders across the State and Australia.

Steven is a Type 1 diabetic, which was diagnosed during his professional sporting career. He is the father of 5 children who are Type 1 diabetics. Steven is a strong public advocate for better understanding and health care for all diabetics and is an Ambassador for the Australian Diabetes Educators Association.

Tonya Murray

Board Member, Stakeholder Engagement Committee Member

Tonya Murray, a Gangalidda woman from Burketown and Mount Isa, offers extensive experience and dedication to promoting efficient, effective, and sustainable health service delivery in the North West. With over two decades of community leadership and engagement, Tonya has served sixteen years as an elected member of the Burke Shire Council, including four years as Deputy Mayor.

Her background spans significant roles in business management, local education administration, and team supervision, where she has honed her skills in strategic planning, budget management, and effective communication.

Tonya has a deep understanding of the Gulf and North West’s unique challenges and insights into the complex health needs of remote and Indigenous communities. Her extensive network of personal and professional relationships with Aboriginal health workers and Indigenous health service providers further enhances her contributions.

Tanya Arnold

Board Member, Finance and Performance Committee Member

Tanya Arnold brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to advancing healthcare delivery across the North West. With over thirty years of experience living and working in remote Queensland and the Northern Territory, Tanya possesses firsthand knowledge of the unique challenges and opportunities in these regions. She currently manages a significant pastoral property outside Normanton, which involves navigating rural healthcare systems to ensure optimal care for her staff, highlighting her practical understanding of healthcare access issues in remote areas.

Tanya's professional career showcases her exceptional skills in human resource management, strategic planning, and both verbal and written communication. As a strong advocate for collaborative problem-solving, Tanya excels in building positive relationships with stakeholders. Her focus on understanding consumer priorities and integrating digital tools into healthcare strategies aligns seamlessly with the board’s mission to enhance health service delivery and address the evolving needs of the community.