WCHN Governing Board

Associate Professor Christine Dennis was appointed as the Chair of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network Governing Board in February 2023.

Christine is well regarded in South Australia and nationally for her commitment to the hospital and health care industry, her contribution to the growth and development of our emerging health leaders and her extensive experience in clinical governance.

Christine is a strong business development professional with a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) focused on International Business and Strategic Planning from University of South Australia.

Prior to commencing with WCHN, Christine held the position of Deputy Dean, Rural and Remote SA, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University. She continues to lecture in Strategic Leadership and Management (Health Service Management) with the College of Business, Governance and Law, Flinders University.

Christine has extensive experience in the health care sector, having held executive positions as the Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council on Healthcare Standards and ACHS International, Chief Operating Officer, Top End Health Service Northern Territory and A/Chief Executive, Northern Territory, Department of Health. Further, she has worked across SA Health and the Department for Health and Wellbeing.

John Bastian is an experienced Board Director in both the public and private sector. John now concentrates on management consulting, Board and advisory roles and is a grape grower in the Clare Valley and former BRW Magazine Business Leader of the Year. John is currently Chair Techgrow International, Chair, Spencer Gulf Ecosystem and Development Initiative, and Chairs a syndicate for the CEO Institute. He has just been appointed to SA Water as a Director and was formerly Deputy Chair of the SA Economic Development Board. John has devoted a significant amount of time to volunteer work including as Chair of the Parkinson’s Syndrome Society of SA, Member of the Council of Governors, Walford Anglican School for Girls, Chair of the Foundation / Capital Fund Raising Campaign, Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital and as a Trustee of Charles Hawker Trust. He holds a Bachelor of Business and is a Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors. John brings skills in corporate governance, commercial management and finance to the Governing Board.

Dr Stephen Christley was formerly the Chief Public Health Officer at SA Health. Since retiring from this position he has worked in a number of short-term roles, including as Interim Commissioner, SA Mental Health Commission and Member and Independent Inquiry Panel for Review of Plastics to Fuel proposal for the ACT Minister for Planning and Environment. Stephen has previously held senior executive roles in NSW including 12 years as an Area Health Service Chief Executive, and Director, Services Development and Medical Officer of Health for a rural health region. Stephen’s experience and background in medicine and public health has seen him undertake numerous board roles, including President, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association and member of the National Blood Authority Board. He is a current board member of Flinders Reproductive Medicine (Flinders Fertility) and ECH, and Deputy Presiding Member of the Environment Protection Authority South Australia. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In his now distant clinical career he held graduate diplomas in obstetrics and paediatrics. Stephen brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge around public health issues and the management of public health services to the Governing Board.

Susy Daw trained as a Registered Nurse in 1985, the last hospital based training group from the ‘The Adelaide Children’s Hospital’. She worked as a Registered Nurse in clinical and management roles for twelve years before starting her business in Risk and Strategy Consulting in 1996.

Since then, Susy has worked in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors across a large range of industries. She works on high-level boardroom discussions regarding risk appetite or is equally at home with all levels of staff, working on operational, financial or strategic risk analysis.

Other governance expertise includes fifteen years as a facilitator for the Australian Institute of Company Directors in the Foundations of Directorship, Company Directors Course, Applied Risk Governance and Governing to Protect Vulnerable People courses.

Susy's current board roles include: St Andrew’s Hospital Board and Chair, St Andrew’s Hospital Risk Committee; Anglicare Housing Board; Chair, University of Adelaide Risk Management Reference Committee; ECH Inc SA Clinical Quality sub-committee.

Susy brings skills in clinical governance, risk and audit to the Governing Board.

Karen is a Mein:tnk woman from South East South Australia and also from the Wotjobaluk nation in NW Victoria. Karen Glover is currently Aboriginal Senior Research Fellow (Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children Theme) at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). This is a joint position between SAHMRI and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). Previous to this role Karen was CREATE Program Manager with the Aboriginal Health Theme, Wardliparingga. During this time she worked with the CREATE team and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations, to contribute to research priority projects identified by Aboriginal communities, which focussed on the sustainability of the sector. Since joining SAHMRI, Karen has been an active member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collective, whose work is to assist all SAHMRI staff in working effectively with communities. One of her strengths is community engagement. Karen was previously CEO at Pangula Mannamurna, the Aboriginal community controlled service located at Mount Gambier. Karen’s experience includes policy, continuous quality improvement and change management in relation to health and Aboriginal people. Karen has previously worked in senior policy and management roles in both state and federal public service in the areas of policy, service development and health. Her work included Aboriginal health and wellbeing, maternal and child health, housing and homelessness and family and lateral violence, community development, youth and women’s health both generally and for specific population groups such as women, youth and Dads.

Ross Haslam is a Consultant specialising in strategic and risk management. He is a Director of the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). He is a member of numerous Risk and Audit Committees including City of Adelaide, SAHMRI and Scotch College. Ross has previously held Chair positions of Flinders Medical Centre, Scotch College and Mitchell Holding Pty Ltd. Ross has previously been a Partner with Ernst and Young and Ferrier Hodgson. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) University of Adelaide and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Ross brings specific skills in the areas of corporate strategy, risk management and governance to the Governing Board.

Sandy Miller is a Wirangu woman from the Ceduna area. She has provided strong leadership and excellence in policy development and service design across Aboriginal health, ageing and welfare portfolios. A trail blazer in the public sector at a time when Aboriginal women were not represented, she assisted in breaking down the barriers for Aboriginal women aspiring to leadership roles. Maintaining her strong advocacy skills since leaving the public sector, Sandy has represented South Australian women’s voices at a national level through her commitment to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance and internationally at the United Nations. She is also an advocate for the rights of Aboriginal Elders. Sandy has held senior leadership roles in Aboriginal health, legal rights and law, Native Title Services and social work and child protection. She is currently an Executive Member of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, Indigenous Peoples Organisation, Human Rights Commission, a member of the Management Assessment Panel, Exceptional Needs Unit and on the Community Leadership Reference Committee on Child Protection. Sandy brings significant Aboriginal health experience to the Governing Board.