Executive Team

Sean Birgan

Health Service Chief Executive

Sean brings over 38 years of nursing experience, including 20 years in senior leadership and management roles. Recently Sean worked as the Health Department COVID-19 System Response Lead coordinating the state's COVID-19 operational response.

Sean holds post graduate qualifications in Critical Care Nursing and Masters in Health Management and is currently an executive member of the Queensland Clinical Senate.

Sean has a keen interest in the development of staff into leadership roles and the promotion of new models of care. He also has a keen interest in disaster management and preparedness. Sean provides ongoing support to Indonesian nurses and health executives working in Bali as part of the Bali Memorial Package. This role incorporates assisting in the improvement of health services in Bali and developing the leadership and management skills of Balinese healthcare workers. 

Sean is enjoying the challenges and opportunities of working in a remote environment at North West HHS.

Dr Theodore Chamberlain

Chief Operating Officer (Acting)

Michelle Garner

Executive Director Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Governance

Michelle has held the position of Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery since 2008, and with the 2017 executive tier restructure, her title was changed to Executive Director Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Governance. The Executive Director Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Governance is the professional lead for nursing and midwifery services and is accountable for the nursing and midwifery workforce and governance and education within the North West HHS.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Nursing, Graduate Diploma in Advanced Critical Care Nursing, and a Masters of Nurse Practitioner. Michelle is an Adjunct Associate Professor with James Cook University and the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health. She is a member of the Queensland Executive Directors of Nursing and Midwifery Forum, Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Executive Council, Nursing and Midwifery Implementation Group and the Queensland Clinical Senate.

Michelle is also the state lead for current Queensland Government Election Commitment for 3,000 Nurses.

Christine Mann

Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Christine was awarded the role of Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in July 2019 and was previously the Director of Cultural Capability and Engagement.

The Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health is a new Executive Management position created to help transform services to improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Christine is a Woppaburra woman who has spent most of her life living in Mount Isa and holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management. Her social work background led to working in several positions in Queensland, interstate and overseas in the area of child protection, the private sector and health. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor, clinical and professional, with the Centre for Rural and Remote Health.

Sylvie Brdjanovic

Executive Director People, Culture and Planning (Acting)

Dr Anthea Woodcock

Executive Director Medical and Clinical Services (Acting)

Dr Anthea Woodcock has a wealth of experience in rural and remote and retrieval and acute medicine. She has held various roles across Australia in metro, regional and remote locations. Anthea has a special interest in the medicolegal arena and holds a Bachelor Degree in Law and a Masters of Health and Medical Law. She is also qualified in Forensic Medicine.

Anthea has recently commenced training toward a Fellowship with the Australasian College of Medical Administration.

Andrew Quabba

Executive Director Allied Health and Pharmacy

Andrew has experience working in clinical, operational and leadership roles across rural and remote health services throughout Queensland. Andrew has worked with North West HHS since 2019. During this time, he has worked in various roles including the Senior Outreach Pharmacist, the Director of Pharmacy and more recently the Director of Allied Health.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a postgraduate qualification in healthcare management. He was the inaugural chair of the North West HHS Clinical Council, tasked with establishing and supporting a strong clinician voice in the health service.

He has a passion for rural and remote healthcare, lifelong learning and leadership. As the Allied Health professional lead for North West HHS, Andrew is committed to ongoing service improvement, partnering with our community providers and consumers, and empowering Allied Health clinicians to strive for high-level health service delivery. He is looking forward to continuing to lead and support the delivery of exceptional healthcare to our people in the North West.

Tanya Mason

Chief Finance Officer

Tanya joined the North West Hospital and Health Service in May 2023 as the Chief Finance Officer. Tanya brings breadth of experience and a passion for people and health in regional and remote communities.                                                                                               

She has more than 25 years’ experience as a finance professional in senior and executive positions across various sectors and industries, including private and public government owned corporations, mining and resources, transportation, and logistics organisations. 

Most recently, Tanya held senior commercial and financial roles in remote areas of North Queensland with MacKellar Group and Adani Australia. Her previous roles include CFO Intermining, Corporate Services with Thrive House, General Manager Queensland Rail and corporate roles with BHP Billiton, Woodside and Toll Group. 

Tanya has led teams in finance and performance, strategy, compliance and risk management, operational excellence and transformation, and her skills are a strong fit for Queensland Health at this important time.

Helen Murray

Chief Information Officer, Rural and Remote

Helen has been passionate for all things health and IT for over 25 years. With a solid track record in delivery from her first project role implementing HBCIS through to delivering innovative technologies in rural and remote Queensland.

Helen led the highly successful, ‘The Viewer’ program which has won awards such as the 2015 Excellence in eGovernment Award for the Gov2.0 category, 2013 and 2014 Australia Day Award, and 2012 Queensland iAwards State Merit Recipient.

As one of the founding members of the National E-Health Transition Authority (now Australian Digital Health Agency), Helen was instrumental in establishing many of the key building blocks necessary for My Health Record and has held senior roles in private industry delivering some of Australia and New Zealand’s first nurse-led triage call centres after spending several years with NHS Scotland.

In recognition of her commitment to better healthcare through innovative technology she was the recipient of the 2011 Women in Technology Professional Award and in 2014 Women in Technology Outstanding ICT Achievement award and named as the Women in Technology ICT Ambassador for 2014.

Originally from the Western Downs, Helen is a practising Registered Nurse of over 30 years with both hospital-based and tertiary qualifications, including a Bachelor of Nursing and a Graduate Certificate of Information Technology. Helen brings extensive experience as a Company Director serving on several not-for-profit Boards and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.