Our Leaders

A/Professor Alan Lilly is the Board Chair of Northern Health appointed on 1 July 2025.

Alan is a leading expert and independent consultant in health and aged care with a distinguished career across public, private and not-for-profit organisations. He brings a wealth of experience across health, aged care and social care sectors, currently as Principal of Acumenity and having held Chief Executive roles at major health and social care services including Eastern Health, BlueCross and Jewish Care Victoria.

Alan also brings a strong track record in governance, having served on the Boards of The Royal Women’s Hospital, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Mayflower Group, and contributed to state-wide initiatives as a Council Member of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity. As a Consultant, he co-conducted independent COVID-19 outbreak reviews for the Commonwealth Department of Health and contributed extensively to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. He previously served on the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Aged Care Advisory Group and he is an Adjunct Professor of Australian Catholic University.

With a clinical background as both a Registered Psychiatric Nurse and Registered General Nurse, and postgraduate qualifications in Health Services Management and Health Administration, Alan brings both frontline insight and strategic leadership expertise spanning operational excellence, clinical governance, care quality & safety and consumer experience. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow and Certified Health Executive of the Australasian College of Health Service Management.

A/Professor Cate Kelly is a Northern Health Board Director appointed on 1 July 2025.

She is an experienced medical healthcare executive with a background in leadership roles across Victorian health sector, most recently as Chief Medical Officer at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

She is currently working as a healthcare consultant in Australia and internationally, advising on health system strengthening, clinical governance and clinical leadership. She serves as Deputy Academic Lead, Transforming Health Domain at University of Melbourne. Cate brings experience as a Board Director at Berry Street Yooralla where she is also Chair of the Quality and safeguarding committee.

Appointed to the Northern Health Board in July 2025, Nirasha Parsotam is a strategic health leader with over 20 years’ experience spanning clinical, corporate, and research sectors She is currently serves as a independent Healthcare Strategy & Innovation Consultant with the Digital Health CRC, and brings deep expertise in healthcare strategy, systems thinking, quality and safety, digital transformation, innovation and commercialisation.

Beginning her career as a clinical pharmacist, Nirasha has since held senior leadership roles across both the public and private sectors, including health insurance at Bupa Australia, research innovation and commercialisation at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and various health, quality, and safety programs with the New Zealand Health Quality & Safety Commission, Ministry of Health, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
She holds postgraduate qualifications in pharmacy, public health and health administration from the University of NSW, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nirasha was a member of the inaugural Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board and is known for building inclusive cultures and driving measurable improvements in health outcomes, safety, and system integration.

Dr Michael Walsh is a Northern Health Board Director appointed on 1 July 2025.

He has served as Chief Executive of major healthcare organisations in Australia and internationally for over 20 years, including Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), Cabrini Health, and National Health Authority Qatar. In his role as Chief Executive of JHAH in 2020, he has been pivotal in driving significant organisational growth and transformation, focusing on a people-centric approach, clinical excellence, and strategic business insight.

His experience spans three countries managing health services for diverse populations, with prominent leadership roles including 11 years at Cabrini Australia where he led growth in teaching, research, and fundraising, and positions at South East London NHS Strategic Health Authority in the U.K. and The Alfred in Melbourne.

He has led major health system reforms, COVID pandemic responses, and organisational transformations across public and private sectors, while serving as Vice President of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators for eight years.

A medical doctor by training and specialist in Medical Administration and Health Service Management with advanced qualifications from Harvard University, his expertise encompasses strategic healthcare leadership, international health systems development, and large-scale organisational change management.

Andrea originally trained as an anaesthetist, working in hospitals in Australia and the United States. She transitioned to a career in safety & quality in healthcare and brings broad experience in successfully establishing clinical governance systems and processes, leading change, engaging clinicians and supporting clinical leadership development.

Alongside medical and anaesthesia qualifications, Andrea has completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science degree and a Master of Quality Improvement in Healthcare. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Managers (ACHSM) and an Affiliate of the Governance Institute of Australia (GIA).

Committed to delivering safer health care, Andrea has served in a range of safety and quality roles over the past 20 years. Most recently these roles have included Chair of the Victorian Consultative Council on Anaesthetic Mortality and Morbidity (2017-2019), Deputy Chair of the Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council (2019-2022), and member of the Victorian Audit of Surgical Mortality Management Committee (ongoing since 2012).  She presently teaches as a Lecturer in the Master of Public Health program for Monash University.

Andrea is also a keen Meals on Wheels volunteer in her local community.

Peter McDonald was appointed to the Northern Health Board in December 2016.

He is an executive with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood and previously worked as CFO at Austin Health and Alfred Health for 12 years. Prior to that he had a number of senior management roles in Victorian Government departments.

Peter is a Council Member, Chair of the Finance & Resources Committee and a member of the Corporate Governance & Audit Committee at La Trobe University, as well as a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Domenic Isola commenced his career in Local Government in 1996 following a career in institutional banking audit in a leading financial institution.  He has expertise in financial management, reporting and audit, extensive management skills and experience in governance and risk and strong leadership and public sector experience.

Domenic commenced with Hume City Council in June 1999 and held the positions of Finance Manager and Director, City Governance and Information before being appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer in August 2007, a position he held for 13 years.

He was previously a co-opted member of the former board of Dianella Community Health and Community Chef.  During that time, he was a member of the Finance and Audit committees and remains a member of DPV Health.

Domenic has led a number of local initiatives and dealt with a broad range of complex matters in the north and worked with a range of stakeholders including Government Ministers, community health organisations and Government agencies and maintains strong working relationships with community health organisations.

Domenic is a Board Director of Lower Murray Water and member of the Finance and Audit Committee.

John Watson was appointed to the Northern Health Board in August 2016.

John has had a long career in State and Local Government over more than four decades. He has held several leadership roles in Local Government including Chief Executive Officer of the former Shire of Bulla, Moonee Valley City Council and Hume City Council. John’s Victorian Government roles include periods as a Director, and then as Executive Director, of Local Government Victoria.

John has been Chair of the Victoria Grants Commission since 2012 and was Chair of the Panel of Administrators of the Brimbank City Council from 2012 to 2016. He Chairs or sits as an independent member on the Audit and Risk Committees for a number of Victorian local governments, the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Maryborough District Health Service. 

Associate Professor Jo-Anne Mazzeo was appointed to the Northern Heath Board of Directors in November 2023.
Joanne is an Australian Legal Practitioner who works across the health, education and disability sectors to conduct investigations, provide legal advice and deliver training and methods of alternative dispute resolution.
Joanne has previously worked as in-house Counsel for the Mental Health Review Board of Victoria and the Disability Services Commissioner of Victoria, has held various positions on State Government Boards and Tribunals, is currently a Legal Member of the Mental Health Tribunal of Victoria and is Deputy Chair of the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution (within the Department of Education).
Joanne is also the Convenor of the Medical Law Program within the Monash University Medical Degree, is a Senior Lecturer at both Monash and LaTrobe Universities, where she teaches health law related content at both undergraduate and post graduate levels, and is a Senior Legal Advisor for the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Joanne is admitted to practice in both the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Debra is a highly experienced executive leader with more than 30 years in the public health system. She began her career as a nurse, working across a variety of departments in metropolitan health services before transitioning to rural healthcare. Her leadership journey commenced as a Nurse Unit Manager, and she was later endorsed as one of Victoria’s first rural and remote Nurse Practitioners. Debra spent over eight years working in diverse rural and remote settings, including the mining industry, where she gained deep insights into delivering healthcare in complex and resource-limited environments. Her passion for patient-centred care and women’s health has been a consistent focus throughout her career, including her practice as a midwife.

In December 2024, Debra was appointed Chief Executive of Northern Health. Prior to this, she held several senior executive roles within the organisation, including Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer and Chief Operating Officer. She is deeply committed to cultural safety and to enhancing the experience of staff, patients, and visitors.

Debra holds a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) from La Trobe University and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Health Services Management (FACHSM). She is also a graduate of the prestigious Fairley Leadership Program and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Her authentic leadership style and unwavering commitment to excellence in healthcare delivery continue to drive transformational change across the sector. Debra is inspired by the opportunity to collaborate with local health providers and networks to improve access to high-quality, culturally safe care for Melbourne’s growing and diverse northern communities.

Linda began her healthcare journey at Northern Health in 2004 as a Graduate Nurse in our Graduate Program. Over the past two decades, she has developed into an accomplished healthcare leader with extensive operational and clinical expertise. Her career at Northern Health has been marked by progressive leadership roles, including Director roles in Emergency Services, Access and Patient Flow and Surgical Services.

Linda holds postgraduate qualifications in Education and Leadership and Management. Linda further enhances her leadership capabilities through her memberships with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian College of Health Service Management. Linda brings a wealth of frontline clinical expertise and strategic leadership to Northern Health’s executive team, helping to drive excellence in patient care and operational efficiency across our organisation.

Professor Prahlad Ho is a clinical and laboratory haematologist who went through most of his training at Northern Health, commencing as an intern in 2006.  Prahlad was the Director of Clinical Haematology at Northern Health and was instrumental in expanding the Thrombosis Service. In addition, he was appointed Divisional Director of Cancer Services and Specialist Clinics and led the development of the Cancer Clinical Trial Unit. He was also the inaugural Director of Northern Pathology Victoria and Divisional Director of Diagnostic Services, and led the introduction of in-house pathology and radiology services at Northern Health.

Prahlad is actively involved in clinical and laboratory research and has published in multiple international peer-reviewed journals. He heads the Northern Clinical diagnostics and Thrombovascular Research Centre (NECTAR) and is the Principal Investigator in numerous clinical trials. Furthermore, he chairs Research Executive Committee leading the research strategy for Northern Health. He is an adjunct Professor at the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University and also holds honorary positions at Melbourne and Monash Universities.

Lisa has served as Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at Northern Health since 2021, providing strategic leadership and oversight for more than 3,500 nurses and midwives across the organisation. With a nursing career spanning over 30 years, Lisa has held a range of operational and professional leadership roles within metropolitan Melbourne health services.

She is passionate about the nursing and midwifery professions, with a particular focus on workforce support, advancing professional development opportunities, and fostering high-quality, patient-centred care.

In addition to her executive role, Lisa also holds a dual operational appointment as Divisional Director of Nursing for Surgical Services. Lisa’s qualifications include Emergency Nursing, along with postgraduate degrees in Public Health and Business.

Michelle is an experienced Human Resources Practitioner, who has delivered progressive, responsive and relevant services to Northern Health to support staff, whilst they deliver healthcare needs to the community. She leads Northern Health, People & Culture directorate services, which include strategic employment, attraction and retention strategies, health/safety and wellbeing, learning and development, human resources and staff innovation system services.

Michelle has a Masters in Administration in Human Resource Management/Industrial Relations and has received Candidature for her Doctorate – Research Topic ‘Impact of nurse casualisation’.

Dr Bill Shearer is a consultant anaesthetist and fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthesia. Bill is the Executive Director of Quality Safety and Transformation at Northern Health He has over 30 years of clinical and managerial experience and has been both a director of large anaesthetic departments and medical director for critical care programs including anaesthesia, intensive care and emergency services.

Bill has pursued interests in education (with a master’s degree in educational studies) and in quality and safety in both critical care and the wider health services environment. Bill led Northern Health’s journey towards becoming a High Reliability Organisation and is executive sponsor of our  virtual health team including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.

Anthony joined Northern Health in 2018, bringing with him a strong foundation in health data and statistical analysis. His leadership in digital transformation led to his current role as Executive Director, Digital Health, where he oversees the integration of data-driven technologies to enhance clinical care, patient outcomes, and operational efficiency.

Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science (Pharmacology), a Graduate Diploma in Statistics, a Graduate Diploma in Project Management, and a Master of Science in Statistics. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Management (FACHSM), and his academic contributions have been recognised through his appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor.

Anthony is passionate about leveraging digital innovation and advanced analytics to drive continuous improvement across the health system.

Belinda is an experienced health service executive, who has delivered progressive, responsive and relevant leadership to improve mental health services and access to care across the Victorian public health system. She leads mental health service transformation initiatives, which include strategic service planning and implementation, quality and risk management, stakeholder engagement and partnership development, financial oversight, and capability building across both metropolitan and rural healthcare settings.

Belinda has extensive executive experience including Chief Executive and General Manager roles with Northern Health, where she has consistently demonstrated expertise in organisational transformation and community-focused healthcare delivery.

Belinda is a Registered Nurse who holds post graduate qualifications including a Masters of Nursing, Graduate Diploma of Health Service Management, Emergency Nursing and is a member of the Royal College of Nurses and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  Belinda also holds various Board Director positions.

Basil is a highly motivated and results driven CFO, with a proven track record of success in large, complex private and public organisations.  Basil has strong capability in strategic and budget planning, corporate and financial governance, treasury as well as IPO and acquisitions, tax and risk management.

He is committed to providing transparency to stakeholders, demonstrating that decisions are made equitably and in a collaborative manner. Prior to his time at Northern Health, Basil was the CFO at Monash Health and held senior finance roles in the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Jason is a physiotherapist by background, who has worked across acute, private and community health throughout his career. In the 90’s Jason worked as a Physical Therapist in America, before returning to Australia to commence his career in health leadership. Since joining Northern Health in 2014, Jason has worked across People and Culture, Support Services and Quality – and now enjoys leading the Allied Health division which includes 11 Allied Health disciplines, Aboriginal Health and TALS.  

Jason has a strong interest in social justice, Aboriginal health and workplace culture. Jason  also has interests in healthcare quality, safety and compliance, which underpins his work as an NSQHS accreditation assessor. He has a Masters in Health Management and his experiences include service and workforce planning, leadership and capacity building, quality and safety, emergency management, education, human resources and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Pina is an experienced executive leader with a strong background in business, public affairs, marketing, strategic communications, and fundraising. As Executive Director at Northern Health, she leads initiatives that strengthen community engagement, elevate brand presence, and drive philanthropic growth to support patient care.

Born and raised in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Pina has worked locally for over 30 years and maintains a deep connection to the local community. Pina holds a Bachelor of Economics and Commerce from the University of Melbourne, an MBA from Melbourne Business School, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). She is also a published author and active not-for-profit board member, known for her passion for storytelling, philanthropy, and purpose-driven leadership.

Carolyn joined Northern Health in 2023 and leads the Legal, FOI and Strategy & Planning teams. Carolyn is an accomplished executive specialising in regulated and semi-regulated industries. Prior to joining Northern Health, Carolyn’s senior leadership roles included General Manager Corporate & Customer Operations at EastLink, and General Counsel & Company Secretary at the Port of Melbourne.

Carolyn holds Bachelor degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne, and has completed post graduate study at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Governance Institute of Australia and Australian Institute of Company Directors.