Keynote speakers
In order of appearance
Anita Hobson-Powell
Anita Hobson-Powell is the Australian Government’s Chief Allied Health Officer. Anita is trained as an exercise physiologist. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Movement, Master of Science and Master of Business.
Anita’s career has been dedicated to excellence across health, sport, and wellness domains. She spent almost 18 years working in associations, advocating for recognition and access to allied health professions and establishing the quality assurances of self-regulation health professions.
Her role as the Chief Allied Health Officer includes supporting the Australian Government’s:
- Raise awareness of the role and value of allied health care in Australia.
Build and strengthen engagement with the allied health sector.
Promote inclusion of allied health in relevant policies, programs, and reforms across the health portfolio, and where appropriate, across Government.
Support the development and implementation of allied health policy within the primary care sector and health system more broadly.
Provide timely and accurate advice to Ministers and Senior Executives on matters relating to allied health.
Complement the work of the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, and the National Rural Health Commissioner.
Assoc Prof Amani Bell
Amani Bell, Associate Professor at The University of Sydney School of Health Sciences, focuses her research on increasing accessibility and success for university students from diverse backgrounds. Co-editor of the books ‘Using Social Theory in Higher Education’ and ‘Understanding Experiences of First Generation University Students,’ Amani has practical and research expertise spanning equity in higher education, professional learning for educators, and student-staff partnership initiatives. In 2024 she is undertaking an Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success Fellowship ‘Addressing placement inequities through participatory action research’. The project aims to find solutions to combat placement poverty and ensure an equitable experience for all students undertaking placements.
Donna Murray
Ms Donna Murray is a proud Wiradyuri and Wonnarua nation citizen with strong kinship ties to South West NSW on the Murrumbidgee river and the Hunter Valley, NSW. Donna is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and was a recipient of the National 2021 Pro Bono Impact Awards in recognition of her contributions to social change.
Donna has formal qualifications in community development, management and Indigenous governance and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors bringing over 30 years’ experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs across various sectors. Donna is actively involved in the education sector as an Adjunct Professor with Charles Darwin University and Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. She is the Chairperson of Thirrili Ltd a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide postvention service and the Independant Chair of an Indigenous corporate business.
Donna works closely with key stakeholders and community participating on several national and state committees focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and education, aged care, disability, workforce development, cultural safety, health policy and system reform. She has a genuine commitment to community development and Indigenous nation building working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples supporting cultural priorities, practices and aspirations of families, communities and nation groups.
Panellists
Dr Sue Fitzpatrick
Dr Sue Fitzpatrick is a speech pathologist who has worked in allied health leadership for most of her career. Sue worked as executive director of allied health in regional NSW for 9 years and has recently been appointed to the Australian Capital Territory – Chief Allied Health Officer. She completed a Doctor of Health Science in 2016 with a focus on allied health clinical supervision. Sue has successfully led across workforce and leadership development in allied health and has presented her work nationally and internationally and is driven by a passion for developing great leaders and achieving solid outcomes. Currently her portfolio includes allied health as well as oversight of ACT Health Workforce Strategy.
Dr Ingrid Lensink
Dr Ingrid Lensink is the Chief Allied and Scientific Health Officer within the Department for Health
and Wellbeing in South Australia. She has over 20 years’ clinical and research experience in the
public health and university sectors. Dr Lensink has experience in national workforce reform and
policy development, particularly around the workforce pipeline, and previously led the SA Health
Better Placed portfolio. In her current role she has led the development of a statewide Allied Health
Advanced Clinical Practice Framework. A passionate advocate for inclusivity and equity, she is also
currently a board director for a non-for-profit disability organisation.
Adj. Prof Liza-Jane McBride
Liza-Jane McBride is the Chief Allied Health Officer for Queensland. An experienced physiotherapist with over 25 years of practice experience in the public and private sectors in Queensland and overseas. She has postgraduate qualifications in health management and is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Queensland and an Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health at the Queensland University of Technology. Liza-Jane has a strong track record in delivering strategic policy results at a state and national level. She has demonstrated ability to initiate, drive and successfully deliver transformation within healthcare environments including in the areas of clinical governance, professional standards and practice, policy, clinical education and training, change management and workforce information and management systems.
Jenny Campbell
Jenny Campbell is currently employed as the Chief Allied Health Officer, Department of Health WA. Jenny provides leadership and strategic direction for Western Australia’s allied health and health science workforce to ensure organisational capability to meet the current and future needs of Western Australian consumers. She has a clinical background in Occupational Therapy and has extensive experience as an Allied Health practitioner and leader. Jenny is a skilled and motivated strategic Leader in the public health space with proven success in embedding sustainable change. She has held several executive roles including Executive Director Clinical Excellence, Department of Health WA and, NMHS Allied Health Director, North Metropolitan Health Service and managed projects in clinical commissioning and digital health. Jenny is a champion for the positive influence Allied Health and Health Science professions can have on system reform and opportunities for advanced practice. Jenny is passionate about improving the capability and capacity of Allied Health researchers and chaired the 2021 & 2023 Australian National Allied Health Conferences.