WCHN Executive
The WCHN is led and managed by the Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Graham, who reports to the WCHN Governing Board. An experienced Executive Leadership team supports the ongoing operations of the Network.
WCHN's Executive structure includes both strategic and clinical leadership positions, and has been designed to ensure that the WCHN is able to successfully respond to the objectives of the Government's health agenda.
Chief Executive Officer
Rebecca Graham is Chief Executive Officer of the WCHN.
Rebecca Graham
Rebecca Graham was appointed Chief Executive Officer in February 2024, having acted in the role since September 2023. Rebecca has worked in healthcare for close to 40 years and during that time, has worked in every South Australian local health network, most recently as the Chief Executive Officer of Barossa Hills Fleurieu LHN since its inception in July 2019, following more than 16 years of executive experience.
Rebecca says it is an amazing privilege to be a CEO; she found that each position along her career journey contributed to the cultivation of her skillset, confidence and aspirations - including positions in intensive care nursing, nurse education, nursing informatics, nursing administration, project management and mental health leadership, before becoming Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Executive Office of the former Country Health SA.
When reflecting on her leadership journey, Rebecca credits immersing herself in culture and leadership programs over a long period of time for shaping her into the leader she is today. She says that learning to understand yourself better is the key to truly understanding and effectively leading others. She has found 360 evaluations a valuable tool to repeat and see how the results change over time. She considers engaging mentors and coaches has also been essential, and gains just as much as mentoring and coaching others.
Executive Leadership Team
Jane Jennings
The Chief Operating Officer is accountable for the leadership and performance of the Network's operational service delivery. The role oversees the Women's and Babies Division, Surgical Services, Paediatric Medicine Services, Allied Health, Complex and Sub Acute Care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Child Protection Service, Child and Family Health Service, Youth and Women's Safety and Wellbeing Division, Child Safety Strategy, and the Aboriginal Health Division.
Jane Jennings commenced her career at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) in 1987 after completing her nursing training at Port Pirie Hospital; she has then since obtained her Bachelor of Nursing at Flinders Medical Centre.
She has worked across many areas of the hospital and has significant senior leadership experience.
Jane’s work ethic, passion for health care and attention to detail is very much acknowledged within the WCH.
Yvonne Warncken
Yvonne Warncken joined the Women’s and Children’s Health Network in May 2020 as Chief Finance and Commercial Officer.
In this role she has executive oversight of Business Advisory Services, Procurement and Supply Management, Revenue Performance and Clinical Improvement and Advisory Services.
She also has local operational leadership of the statewide services of Medical Imaging, Pharmacy and SA Pathology based at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Yvonne has an intricate understanding of SA Health and the Local Health Network landscape.
Prior to joining WCHN, she held senior roles within both the private and public sectors, including at North Eastern Community Hospital, and as Chief Finance Officer at both Country Health SA Local Health Network and Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.
Rachael Yates
Rachael Yates was appointed Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery in September 2022. Rachael is the professional lead for nursing and midwifery across WCHN. She has had significant experience in change management and in collaborative design and development of health service delivery, including influencing future strategic and operational opportunity for the networks and the nursing and midwifery workforce. Rachael has held senior leadership and management experience in regional and metropolitan services and is a well-respected leader in the nursing and midwifery profession in South Australia. Rachael is committed to contemporary nursing and midwifery practice and evidence informed models of care.
Dr James Rice
Dr James Rice is Executive Director, Medical Services for the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.
James has Executive-level responsibility for suppporting Medical excellence across the Network in addition to being a professional lead for all Doctors employed at WCHN. As a Paediatrician and Head of the Paediatric Rehabilitation Department, James has significant clinical experience in working at WCHN in addition to children’s hospitals in Melbourne, Sydney and Canada. This has helped James develop a passion for improvement, innovation and value in healthcare, and to work to ensure that the medical workforce at WCHN is supported as the healthcare landscape continually evolves to meet the health needs of women, children and youth into the future.
Patrick Smith
As the Executive Director of People and Culture, Patrick has responsibility for corporate communications, education and training, human resources, and work health and safety and injury management.
Patrick is passionate about developing our leaders, teams and staff, in supporting them to provide quality care and services to our patients and consumers, and their families.
Patrick has extensive experience across the full range of people and culture functions, having worked in the health industry for more than 25 years in a variety of government and non-government roles.
Natalie Hood
The Executive Lead, Allied Health, Complex, Sub-Acute and Spiritual Care is responsible for strategic, clinical and operational performance of the directorate.
Natalie has held several senior management positions in the public health sector. A highly experienced clinician, Natalie has managed and directed allied health services across the disciplines of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, social work, clinical psychology, neuropsychology, dietetics and orthotics.
Natalie also holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Disability Studies and Bachelor of Applied Science, Speech Pathology.
Jackie Ah Kit
Jackie was born in Darwin and raised in the Northern Territory and is the proud descendant of a Warramunga woman and a Waanyi man.
For the past three decades, Jackie has worked in senior management roles leading high profile and innovative programs within the Government and non-Government sectors. From 2000 – 2006, she held the position of Chief Executive Officer with the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service. Since then, she has held executive positions with both SA Health and the Northern Territory Department of Health. In February 2012, Jackie took up the position of Director, Aboriginal Health with the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.
Jackie has a strong interest in developing systems that encourage and enable Aboriginal staff to project and protect their culture and heritage in the workplace and is committed to improving the cultural security of services across South Australia.