Primary Health Tasmania is governed by a skills-based Board of up to nine directors, six of which are elected by our members and three of which are appointed by the Board to address any skills gaps or strategic skill requirements.
The Primary Health Tasmania Board provides leadership and corporate governance oversight for the organisation.
The Board delegates to and seeks advice from an advisory structure including:
LLB (Hons), BCom, FCPA, GradDip Leg St, FAICD, PIA (Hon Fellow)
Director since 2012, appointed third term to 2025
Graeme has a background in business with professional legal, accountancy, company director and commerce experience as well as interest in Tasmania’s economic development and tourism. He is the chair of the Premier’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council, Chair of The Hobart Clinic, Member of the National Board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, President of the Tasmanian Governing Council of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and serves as a member of a number of health-related networks and expert advisory groups. He is committed to influencing social and health policy that promotes healthy lifestyles, addresses the social determinants of health, and minimises chronic disease risk factors such as smoking, lack of physical activity and overweight and obesity.
BCom, FCPA, MBA, EMPA, GAICD
Director since 2021, elected first term to 2024
Scott has over 20 years of management experience in a range of corporate services including finance, human resources, risk management, ICT, project delivery and asset management. This includes senior roles with Aurora Energy, the Tasmanian Health Service and TasTAFE. Scott brings extensive skills in managing relationships with both state and federal governments, as both a recipient of funding and a service provider, as well as a broad range of community stakeholders. As a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Scott’s governance roles include Chairman, Treasurer and Director across seven not-for-profit organisations in diverse areas including child care, micro-credit schemes, regulation and cancer support services. With an interest in improving the patient experience of health, Scott held a non-executive director role with the newly formed Health Consumers Tasmania in order to continue to contribute to positive health outcomes. As part of his work he travels the state extensively and is aware of the different challenges facing our regions, particularly regarding access to services. He is a passionate believer in patient-centred care and ensuring all areas of our health system, both primary and acute sectors, are working collaboratively to benefit the community.
MBBS FRACMA FRACGP MHM
Director since 2019, elected first term to 2025
Ruth graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1997 and has worked in a broad range of roles in health since that time. Starting in clinical practice as a GP and moving into roles involving health service design and delivery, health workforce planning, specialist medical leadership and clinical governance, Ruth brings a diverse experience to the board. Throughout Ruth’s career she has had a passion for primary health, recognising its importance in improving health outcomes and health experiences for the community. Through her various roles in the health system she has retained a passion for promoting primary care as a cornerstone for developing strong and sustainable health care systems. Ruth is currently working for the Tasmanian Department of Health as the Director for Health Workforce Planning. Previous roles include working as a project director in the Tasmanian Health Service, as a specialist advisor for Health Workforce Australia, an advisor to federal and state health ministers, and as a GP in Tasmania and rural Western Australia.
MBBS FRACGP DCH
Director since 2018, elected second term to 2024
David is a practising Hobart-based GP and medical educator who, having grown up in Tasmania’s north west, is passionate about the vital role primary healthcare plays in communities across the state. David has extensive experience in corporate governance within the health sector, having held Board roles at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), General Practice Training Tasmania, General Practice Education and Training and RACGP’s Oxygen Pty Ltd. His expertise was also sought out by the Tasmanian Government in 2015 when he was asked to join the inaugural Tasmanian Health Council as a medical representative in 2015. David champions collaboration between general practice and the wider primary healthcare system, and strongly believes in evidence-based decision making to secure the best possible outcomes for all.
MBBS FRACGP
Director since 2022, appointed first term to 2024
Ginita is a GP and practice partner in north west Tasmania. In what initially started as a short term ‘sea-change’ for a junior doctor, she has now cemented a career dedicated to rural and remote general practice. Ginita is also involved in supporting and training junior doctors and GPs and those who are new to general practice – she has held roles with the Post Graduate Medical Council of Tasmania and General Practice Training Tasmania. She has experience representing general practice on advisory committees for state projects and professional association committees such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Tasmania’s New Fellows Committee to 2020. She is passionate about delivering the best health and wellbeing outcomes for her community and that investing in primary care is an imperative for a healthier Tasmania.
BPharm(Hons), PhD, MBA, FSHP, FACP, FPS, GAICD, AACPA, ARPharmS
Director since 2018, elected second term to 2024
Greg has worked in the primary healthcare sector for over 30 years, and continues to split his time between the University of Tasmania, where he is distinguished professor of pharmacy, and a suburban pharmacy he co-owns. He brings to the Board extensive management, governance, health systems improvement and entrepreneurial expertise. Over many years, he has taught within medical, nursing, paramedicine and pharmacy courses, along with clinical redesign and health service improvement. Greg has 650 papers published in refereed international and national journals, plus research funding of over $47M as Chief Investigator. Greg is Chair of the Cancer Council Tasmania and Director of Cancer Council Australia and the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council. He is a member of the Australian Government committee responsible for deciding which medicines should be listed on the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
BPharm, MMedSci(ClinEpid), GAICD
Director since 2021, elected first term to 2024
Melissa is a highly motivated and experienced director with a strong person-centred approach to governance. Melissa is active in the community sector, locally in the north and statewide, and has excellent skills in stakeholder engagement, from patient to political. Melissa’s broad primary healthcare experience in pharmacy, medical writing and editing, epidemiology and biostatistics, clinical trial design, systematic literature review, health service design and delivery, and health economics underpins her skills as a director in health care. Her current professional role at TasCOSS as Smoking Cessation Coordinator reflects Melissa’s passion for efficient and effective integrated services in the primary health sector to improve the health and wellbeing of the community. Melissa is President of Triathlon Tasmania and inaugural Chair of the Tasmanian Olympic Advisory Committee, and immediate past Chair of Karinya Young Women’s Service. Melissa’s best practice corporate governance is based on proven leadership, strategic thinking and communications, critical analysis, and agility with integrity. Helping people to achieve health and wellbeing is the tenet of her professional and director careers.
BSc GradDipEnvStudies (Hons), PhD (Health Sociology), GAICD FLGP
Director since 2022, elected first term to 2025
Katrena has more than 15 years of management experience including as CEO of the Local Government Association of Tasmania and Director for Environment, Development and Community at Kingborough Council. Before entering local government, she held operational, policy and evaluation roles in a number of Tasmanian Government departments and also in the United Kingdom. Katrena’s skills have been applied in addressing key social determinants of health consistently across her career, including in youth health; as the architect of Tasmania’s first affordable housing strategy; in managing social projects within the Department of Premier and Cabinet; and in promoting and supporting local government’s role in health and wellbeing. Katrena is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and addition to her role on the Primary Health Tasmania Board, she is a member of the AICD Tasmanian Divisional Council. She is also a member of the Premier’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council and a non-executive director on the Southern Tasmanian Regional Waste Authority. Other recent Board experience includes Deputy President Local Government Professionals, member of the MAV Insurances Board, and Vice President of the Kingston Neighbourhood House. Katrena won the 2019 Tasmanian Telstra Businesswomen of the Year – Public Sector and Academia category and represented Tasmania in the national finals.