Our Board
Emma Grigson
Chair
Emma specialises in strategic planning, governance and risk and served as a Health Officer within the Australian Defence Force for just under 20 years. Upon transition out of the military, Emma worked as the Director of Emergency Management and Preparedness for SA Health. Her experience includes local, national, international and indigenous health planning and service delivery, with a strong focus on education and empowerment.
She holds several tertiary qualifications in leadership, management, health and is finalising her doctorate in law. In addition to WHEN, Emma serves on a number of Boards which focus on education and women’s participation in sport.
A mum and wife, Emma enjoys travelling, hiking, swimming and Pilates.
Kristy Thomas
Vice Chair
Kristy Thomas is an executive marketer and purpose-led leader with 20 years of ANZ experience and brings a focus to customer, member, and donor experiences. Helping organisations to deliver impact and sustainability, Kristy offers strategic leadership, marketing, communications, and digital know-how, drawing on her experience of launching brands and driving growth across the travel, automotive and membership categories.
Kristy is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a Bachelor of Business, with accreditations in Cybersecurity Risk and Strategy, and currently volunteers her time with ADHD Australia as their Chief Marketing Officer. As a member of the WHEN board, she is excited to help change the conversation in women's health across Australia.
Beth Cox
Director
Beth is a seasoned legal and policy specialist, boasting a rich background in corporate and community law, alongside a comprehensive track record in devising and refining legislation and policy for a range of Australian state and federal agencies. Her expertise spans a diverse array of subjects including public health, disability, and environmental protection, as well as land management.
A fervent advocate for enhancing women's health outcomes, Beth is dedicated to ensuring women have access to clear, transparent information and robust networks of support.
Her commitment to these causes is further underscored by her past board memberships, including prestigious positions with the YWCA Canberra and the Women's Legal Service in Tasmania.
Peter Boyles
Director
Peter is a prominent Chief Pharmacist for Tasmania with a profound focus on public health. His notable accomplishments include pioneering the development and rollout of Australia's first Real-Time Reporting System for prescription medications, a significant step towards improving healthcare.
In addition, Peter's dedication to public health was evident when he successfully led the 2018 Tasmanian Men ACWY mass vaccination program, as well as when he skilfully managed the transition of Tasmanian health practitioners and the health system following the rescheduling of combination codeine analgesics.
Peter's commitment to enhancing health outcomes is further highlighted by his development of a world-class clinical-regulatory service that has played a crucial role in reducing Tasmania's opioid-related death rate, showcasing his impactful approach to addressing addiction and dependence on prescription medications.
Moreover, Peter has been instrumental in the design and implementation of Tasmania’s Controlled Access Scheme for medical cannabis products. His exceptional leadership skills were on full display when he served as the Director of Tasmania’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he navigated through the complexities of the health crisis with determination and expertise.
Dr Catriona Melville
Director
Dr Catriona Melville is a Brisbane based gynaecologist and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) specialist who has been providing person-centred, evidence-based health care for over 25 years. Catriona is the Director of Clinical Excellence, at a national non-profit SRH organisation. She is passionate about advocacy, medical education and clinical research. She has authored a medical textbook (Sexual & Reproductive Health at a Glance, Wiley-Blackwell) and is widely published. Catriona is an Associate Editor for The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ANZJOG) and Deputy Chair of RANZCOG’s SRH Committee. Catriona sits on the Council of the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Health of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (UK) as the international representative.
Catriona is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has expertise in governance, community and stakeholder engagement and risk management.
When not at work Catriona is an enthusiastic trail and (sometimes!) ultramarathon runner and enjoys spending time with her family and dalmatian.
Nicola Cunningham
Director
Associate Professor Nicola Cunningham is widely recognised and respected as one of Australia’s leading clinicians, educators, and researchers in the fields of forensic medicine, emergency medicine, and patient safety. She holds dual specialist Fellowships in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Forensic Medicine, along with a Master of Forensic Medicine from Monash University and a Master of Health and Medical Law from the University of Melbourne, and has worked in Melbourne as both an Emergency Physician and a Forensic Physician for over 18 years.
Nicola holds several concurrent roles in state government and national organisations as a patient safety expert. Her work over the past two decades has allowed her to develop an extensive working knowledge of how healthcare sits within governance, regulatory, risk, quality, and legal frameworks, and she has practical and empathic understanding of the challenges of maintaining patient safety within complex and resource-stretched systems.
One of her most notable achievements is her work as co-founder and editor of The Communiqués – a not-for-profit group that produces and distributes the Clinical Communiqué, the Future Leaders Communiqué, and the Residential Aged Care Communiqué – three highly innovative, unique publications and podcasts that use medico-legal death investigations from the coroners’ courts to improve patient safety. The Communiqués have an estimated readership of more than 300,000 readers across the globe.
Nicola is a fierce advocate for advancing women in medical and leadership roles and supporting women to balance their professional and personal lives in a fulfilling and sustainable way. She is continually seeking ways to highlight and improve the inequities in healthcare and create equal opportunities and safe processes and work cultures that support people of all genders, backgrounds, and groups.
Rachel Robertson
Director
Rachel Robertson, has had over 30 years of experience working in communications across the globe with some of the world’s biggest brands (LEGO, Coca-Cola, Nike and more) both in-house and in agency. Her publicity and influencer agency, Rocket Comms, was set up when Rachel had her son and has continued to flourish into a successful and well-loved agency. Rachel has worked with women's health charities throughout her career with a passion driven by personal experience of the impact of women's health issues.
Colleen Johnstone
Director
Colleen has extensive experience as an executive and senior manager. She was CEO of a Tasmanian not-for-profit organisation in the health sector for 8 years until 2023, where she successfully restructured the organisation, secured millions of dollars of new funding, and led a significant sector workforce development project to address the long-term challenges of growing service demand and an ageing workforce.
Previously, Colleen worked was Manager, Regional Development in the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts, where she worked closely with businesses and other stakeholders to grow regional economic opportunities, and in Tasmania’s workplace safety regulator, where she was responsible for developing the nation’s leading compensation scheme for occupational asbestos-related diseases as well as various regulatory activities.
Colleen also led several business-focused programs for the Australian Government in the areas of biotechnology, foreign direct investment and industry development.
Marco van der Heide
Director
Marco is a highly experienced IT professional with a career spanning over 20 years in key industries such as telecommunications, logistics, and finance. His expertise in Information Technology and governance has been integral to his managerial roles across Europe and Australia. As the co-founder of WHEN, Marco has been instrumental in integrating advanced technology solutions into the health sector. His work is geared towards harnessing technology to enhance healthcare outcomes, with a particular emphasis on innovations that improve wellness and health education. In addition to his role at WHEN, Marco serves on several boards, bringing a unique blend of tech-savvy and strategic vision. Beyond his professional pursuits, he is a dedicated diver and an advocate for the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Donate today you can make a difference