Board
The Australian Self-Care Alliance is a collaboration between healthcare consumers, health promotion charities, policy experts and industry partners.
Karen Booth, RN
President
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
Karen Booth, RN – Independent Chair
Karen Booth is a Registered Nurse with a keen interest in health policy, workforce development and advocating for the role of the nurse in primary care. Karen is currently the President of the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), a position which she has held for the past six years. She has worked as a manager in general practice and has set up systems to support a team approach to care, including nurse clinics for preventative health and supporting people with chronic health conditions. Karen is currently a member of the Primary Health Reform Steering Group advising the Commonwealth on the National Ten-Year Primary Health Plan and the primary care committees of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care. Karen is passionate about self-care because prevention is a key role for nurses.
Dr Andrew Cottrill - Director
Dr Andrew Cottrill is Chief Medical Officer for HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit private health insurer. He joined HCF in 2004 and during that time he has been responsible for chronic disease management programs, clinical governance, doctor networks and utilisation review (analytics). Andrew is a pioneer of self-care having initiated Australia’s largest chronic disease management program which has supported 51,000 people with chronic conditions to reduce complications leading to hospitalisation. He is a reviewer for the HCF Research Foundation, a fellow of the International Federation of Health Plans and is a member of their Expert Panel on Clinical Effectiveness and High-Cost Drugs. Since 2017 he has been a member of the Research Advisory Committee for the National Foundation of Medical Research and Innovation.
Chief Medical Officer
HCF
Giulia Jones
CEO – Painaustralia
Giulia Jones – Director
Ben Harris – Director
Ben Harris is the Director, Policy and Research, at Private Healthcare Australia. An economist by training, Ben has been working in health and community services policy for over thirty years. He has worked for governments, professional associations and consumer groups, as well as a stint with the Australian Health Policy Collaboration where he contributed to the development of ‘Self-Care for Health: A National Policy Blueprint’, which underpins the work of the Alliance. Ben has long promoted self-care, health equity and reducing the burden of treatment. His publications include Australia’s Mental and Physical Health Tracker, and Australia’s Health Tracker by Socio-economic Status.
Ben Harris
Director, Policy and Research
Private Healthcare Australia
Professor Sharon Lawn
College of Medicine and Public Health
Flinders University
Professor Sharon Lawn – Director
A/ Prof Steve Morris – Director
A/ Prof Steve Morris
CEO – Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
Randall Pearce
Managing Director
THINK: Insight & Advice Pty Ltd
Randall Pearce – Director & Company Secretary
Randall Pearce is one of Australia’s foremost experts in not-for-profit management. A former association CEO, management consultant, board chair and executive coach, Randall has worked to maximise the performance and governance of some of the nation’s top peak bodies, associations, NGOs and government agencies. He is managing director of THINK: Insight & Advice, a consultancy that works with leaders in the not-for-profit sector and government.
Randall brings a background in politics and policy from his native Canada where he advised a former Canadian Prime Minister and led several successful business and social justice campaigns. Randall made Sydney his permanent home in 2003 and started THINK: Insight & Advice in 2006. He has worked to support the development of the Australian Self-Care Alliance since 2015.
In addition to his Board role as Company Secretary, Randall also serves as the Public Officer of the Alliance.
Dr Deon Schoombie – Director
CEO
Consumer Healthcare Products Australia
Professor of Health Policy
Mitchell Institute of Health Victoria University