chairman
Gail Milner
B.App Science, Post Grad. Dip of Public Health, GAICD
Gail is a career health professional, specialising in clinical care, health policy and change management, with substantial experience in system wide planning and policy formulation, program planning, project management, leadership and performance evaluation in WA.
Gail has been providing expert advice and support to Department of Health in respect to COVID-19 in the area of Aged Care.
Gail’s previous position was as Assistant Director General System Policy & Planning with the WA Department of Health, where she set the strategic direction for the WA health system and applied expertise, research, analysis and innovation to the establishment of system-wide plans, policies and programs.
Gail was the recipient of the Public Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours 2015 for outstanding service to the community and aged care reform, particularly through the establishment and implementation of innovative clinical programs.
Gail joined the Board of Brightwater in September 2017.
Special responsibilities:
Care Committee Member
Governance Committee Member
grant convenor
Associate Professor Kylie Russell
Associate Professor Kylie Russell is the Head of Program Development, Quality and Assessment in the School of Medicine at The University of Notre Dame, Australia, having worked previously in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in the roles of Postgraduate Coordinator, Associate Dean and Clinical Placement Coordinator.
Kylie has a PhD, a Masters in Health Science (Education), Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management a Bachelor of Nursing, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kylie is a member of numerous nursing and research affiliated organisations and committees in Australia and overseas, a member of the RAAFA Divisional Council (Board), has presented at national and international conferences, attracted over $500,000 in education and research grants, and provides supervision to higher degree by research students.
Kylie is passionate about health professional education and research, to support patient care and workforce development.
treasurer
Annie Thompson
Annie Thompson is a UK trained registered nurse who has worked in Australian Health Care Settings for 25 years.
Over the past 25 years Annie has worked in a wide range of clinical and leadership roles within both Public and Not for Profit Healthcare settings. Annie is currently working at St John of God Subiaco Hospital within the redevelopment team as the Deputy Director of Clinical Operations and Redevelopment. In her role Annie is the senior clinical lead for the redevelopment of St John of God Subiaco Hospital.
Previously Annie has also worked as a Project Director for the clinical commissioning of Perth Childrens Hospital and as the Commissioning, Transition and Reconfiguration for Lead Fremantle Hospital and Health Service in which she planned and delivered upon the transition of clinical services, staff and patients to commission Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Annie has held executive nursing roles as both the FHHS Executive Director of Nursing Midwifery and Patient Support Services and as the Area Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Quality & Safety South Metropolitan Health Service.
She is a published wound care author and has a Masters in Nursing.
Sunita McGowan
Sunita McGowan held the positions of Director of Nursing Research and Evaluation at Fremantle Hospital and Health Service and Adjunct Associate Professor of Nursing at Curtin University prior to retirement.
She was a member of Fremantle Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee, Hollywood Private Hospital Scientific Review Committee and The Western Australian Council for Safety and Quality.
Sunita has extensive experience in the design, implementation, management and monitoring of nursing research, evaluation, quality improvement and clinical pathway projects.
She has been the recipient of a number of research grants including a National Health and Medical Research Council grant for a study into the prevention of pressure ulcers.
Sunita has published in the national and international literature.
Ann Callaghan
Ann Callaghan recently retired after a long career as a registered nurse and midwife. She remains, however, keenly interested in the future of the nursing profession.
Ann’s extensive clinical experience includes paediatric, adult, midwifery, geriatric and palliative care. Following post-graduate studies her interests continued in child and family based health research.
In addition to this Trustee role, Ann has had other community interests, serving in several not for profit organisations as a Board member and also as a Board chair.
Secretary
Violet Platt
Violet Platt is the CEO of Palliative Care Victoria and Adjunct Associate Professor at The University of Notre Dame and Edith Cowan University.
Violet has a Masters of Nursing by Research, an Executive Masters of Business Administration and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Violet was the 2016 recipient of the Lifetime Honour Award at the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards.
Meredith Walker
Meredith Walker is employed as a Deputy Nurse Co Director at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Meredith’s experience as a registered nurse for more than 25 years is in vascular and gastro biliary surgical specialty, later expanding into abdominal transplantation.
Meredith has significant involvement in the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards as part of her SCGH portfolio.
Meredith has a Bachelor of Science (Nursing), Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing) and is currently completing a Masters of Health Care Management.
Lisa Vilé
Lisa Vilé has extensive experience in critical care nursing and has worked in a number of senior nursing positions in specialty units within Australia and the United Kingdom.
Having completed a Bachelor of Nursing in Melbourne, Lisa went on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing through Curtin University, Perth. She has undertaken further studies in project and corporate management.
Over the years Lisa has developed an interest in nursing-led safety, quality and policy development. This has led her toward roles incorporating project management and policy development to inform clinical practice and reform.
She is currently a Senior Nursing Officer for the WA Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office and has a passion for driving and promoting safe and high quality nursing care.