NSW Cancer Summit 2025 Speakers
The NSW Cancer Summit includes an exciting lineup of preeminent local, national and international speakers. Get ready to hear from leading experts in cancer control.
Host
Professor Tracey O’Brien AM
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO, Cancer Institute NSW
An internationally respected clinician-researcher, Tracey is a paediatric haematologist and oncologist with more than 20 years of experience spanning frontline care, research, and system reform.
Tracey is widely recognised for her ability to connect across disciplines, sectors, and silos—bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and communities to drive impactful, equitable cancer control. Her leadership is defined by bold vision, strategic collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to patient-centred care. (Show more)
Plenary
Mr Mike Lovas
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN, Canada
Mike is the Director of Design and Innovation at Cancer Digital Intelligence, the innovation program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network.
He is also an AMS-Fitzgerald Fellow in AI and Human-Centred Leadership at the University of Toronto. With over 15 years of experience, Mike combines expertise in service design, biomedical engineering, healthcare innovation consulting, and technology entrepreneurship.(Show more)
Mr Rami Rahal
Chief Executive of Te Aho o Te Kahu, New Zealand’s Cancer Control Agency
Rami was appointed Tumuaki (Chief Executive) in July 2023, bringing with him over thirty years of health system leadership experience and dedication to improving outcomes for people affected by cancer, particularly indigenous communities.
For the past 12 years, Rami has held several senior leadership roles at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (Canada’s national cancer agency). There, he led the implementation of major cancer research projects including Canada’s largest population cohort study. (Show more)
Mr Te Miri Rangi
Chief Advisor Māori, Tākai Aronui, Te Aho o Te Kahu
Te Miri (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa) provides strategic leadership to the agency so that Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the aspirations of whānau Māori are at the heart of cancer care in Aotearoa. His role involves collaborating with iwi, Māori health leaders, and clinical partners to drive health equity and improve outcomes for tangata whenua. His expertise and cultural insights are supporting the development of Māori capability across the agency and help shape approaches that will deliver real, meaningful change in cancer prevention and treatment for all people and whānau across the motu.
Before joining the agency, Te Miri held senior roles at ACC, Te Hiringa Hauora Health Promotion Agency, Skills Active Aotearoa, and Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa where he embedded kaupapa Māori approaches into quality programmes and projects that support Māori to realise their potential in health.
Professor Jeff Dunn AO
Chief of Mission and Head of Research at the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Chair of Cancer Survivorship and Professor of Social and Behavioural Science at the University of Southern Queensland
Professor Jeff Dunn AO is one of Australia’s longest serving cancer control researchers and a recognised world leader in the field. He is the University of Southern Queensland’s Professor of Social and Behavioural Science and Chair of Cancer Survivorship. He also holds the position as Chief of Mission and Head of Research at Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and President of the Union for International Cancer Control (2022-2024). (Show more)
Susan Pearce AM
Secretary, NSW Health
Susan Pearce AM is Secretary, NSW Health, appointed in March 2022. In this role, Susan is responsible for the management of the NSW health system - with over 142,000 FTE and a budget of over $30 billion - to ensure the provision of world-class, patient-centred care to the people of NSW.
Prior to her recent appointment, Susan was Deputy Secretary, Patient Experience and System Performance Division, a position she has held from November 2015. In that role, Susan had responsibility for the oversight of front-end service delivery and system performance and management across NSW Health, and improving patient experience.
(Show more)Geraldine Wilson-Matenga
Executive Director, Centre for Aboriginal Health at the NSW Ministry of Health
Geri joined NSW Health in the Primary Health Care Branch in 1989 and has worked in various roles including aged care and rehabilitation, health services implementation, service development, and population and public health.
Holding an Executive Masters in Public Administration from the University of Sydney, Geri commenced working in Aboriginal health in 1995 and has held the roles of Director and Executive Director of Aboriginal health since 2018.
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Professor Dorothy Keefe PSM
CEO, Cancer Australia
Professor Dorothy Keefe PSM is the CEO of Cancer Australia, Australia’s national cancer agency. She is a medical oncologist and supportive care expert, with an interest in reducing inequity in cancer outcomes. Her major work at Cancer Australia has been in development of the lung cancer screening program, which commences on 1 July, and the Australian Cancer Plan, which is now 18 months into implementation. Dorothy has represented Australia on the Governing Council of IARC since 2020, and as the Australian representative has been elected Chair.
Professor Jacinta Elston
Indigenous Advisor, Cancer Australia
Adjunct Professor Jacinta Elston is an Aboriginal woman from Townsville, North Queensland who lives in Naarm (Melbourne), Victoria on the lands of the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. She was Professor of Indigenous Health at James Cook University where she worked for over 25 years, before being appointed in 2018 as the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at Monash University. At Monash University she led the establishment of the William Cooper Institute and the Masters of Indigenous Business Leadership.
Jacinta is a well-regarded higher education and public health advocate with a remarkable record of leadership spanning over three decades in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advancement, education, and research, drawing on an extensive record of community engagement and board leadership.
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Dr Kerry Chant AO PSM
Chief Health Officer Deputy Secretary Population and Public Health, NSW Ministry of Health
Dr Kerry Chant, Chief Health Officer and Deputy Secretary for Population and Public Health is a public health physician.
Kerry has extensive public health experience, having held senior positions in NSW Health since 1991. Her previous appointments include Director of Health Protection NSW, Deputy Chief Health Officer, and Director of the South Western Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit.
She has a particular interest in blood-borne virus infections, health equity, communicable diseases prevention and control, and Aboriginal health. Throughout her career Kerry has provided leadership and advocacy on key public health issues including reducing obesity, aiming for the virtual elimination of HIV transmission in NSW, reducing tobacco and vaping harms, supporting hepatitis C treatment and control.
Dr Teresa Anderson AM
Chief Executive, NSW Health Single Digital Patient Record Implementation Authority
Dr Teresa Anderson is the Chief Executive of the NSW Health Single Digital Patient Record Implementation Authority who’s guiding the SDPR program and the dedicated group of talented professionals ensuring work undertaken considers the complexity of the NSW Health system through the benefit of her experience and knowledge.
Dr Anderson has more than 35 years of extensive experience as a senior health service manager, including being Chief Executive of Sydney Local Health District for over 13 years. She has a well-established reputation for implementing strategies focused on fostering partnerships, supporting the delivery of innovative, patient centred, best practice health care. (Show more)
Mrs Nyan Thit Tieu
Founder and Chair, Sisters’ Cancer Support Group Inc.
Mrs. Nyan Thit Tieu, Founder and Chair of Sisters’ Cancer Support Group Inc., has devoted her life to education, community service, and multicultural advocacy. A retired Operations Manager of the NSW Adult Migrant English Service, Department of Education and Training, Thit’s career spans over 30 years, beginning as a Science Teacher at Lake Illawarra High School and later as an Adult ESL trainer, policy writer, and leader in delivering state and federal Adult Migrant English Programs for newly arrived immigrants and refugees.
A Burmese Muslim who migrated to Australia in 1977, Thit’s lived experience as an immigrant and cancer survivor inspired her to establish Sisters’ Cancer Support Group Inc. (SCSG) in 2014.(Show more)
Nadia Levin
CEO and Managing Director, Research Australia
As CEO of Research Australia, Nadia leads national advocacy for health and medical research innovation, positioning the sector as a significant driver of a healthy population and healthy economy.
Nadia has successfully driven recognition and a change in strategies to support the translation of research discovery and innovation into collective opportunity. This includes the importance of investing in and maintaining sustainable landmark research and smart innovation infrastructure. (Show more)
Professor Paul Harnett AM
Director, The Crown Princess Mary Centre- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District
Clinical Professor Paul Harnett AM is the Director of Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre in Westmead and a Senior Staff Specialist in medical oncology, specialising in breast and gynaecological cancers. He previously founded the Translational Oncology Laboratory and Gynaecologic Oncology Laboratory. Clinical Professor Harnett has been in practice for more than 25 years and in 2024, was awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division, for significant service to oncology as a clinician and researcher.
Professor Bogda Koczwara AM
University of New South Wales
Professor Koczwara AM is an internationally recognised clinician researcher with expertise in cancer survivorship and supportive care. She established one of the first cancer survivorship program in Australia and the longest running cancer survivorship scientific meeting in the world. Her research has contributed to key advances in the field of survivorship epidemiology, symptom monitoring, self-management support, and the use of patient reported outcomes in cancer.
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Mr Anthony Carter
Director, Aboriginal Strategy Engagement Team (ASET), Cancer Institute NSW
As Director of the Aboriginal Strategy Engagement Team (ASET), Anthony has re-positioned how the Cancer Institute NSW works with Aboriginal people. This has included the development of the Aboriginal Governance Framework and Aboriginal Cultural Safety Principles to align the Institute with the NSW Ministry of Health Aboriginal Governance Shared-Decision Making and Accountability Framework, as part of the NSW Health Aboriginal Transformational Agenda.
(Show more)Mr Zarayn Knight
Aboriginal Health Outcomes Lead, Cancer Institute NSW
Zarayn is a proud Barkindji, Kamilaroi, and Murrawarri man dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. With a diverse background in healthcare, he is passionate about enhancing access to quality services for Mob. His extensive experience spans various hospital settings, including complex trauma, Emergency Department (ED), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), palliative care, and mental health.
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Big Data and AI transforming cancer care
Chair: Professor Claire Vajdic
Professor of Epidemiology, Kirby Institute
Professor Claire Vajdic’s research program uses large-scale linked health data to drive best practice health care and reduce the burden of cancer. Her vision is to use integrated health 'big data' to develop transformational interventions that prevent cancer and the avoidable consequences of cancer, and reduce unwarranted variation in health care for people with cancer.
Professor Vajdic has a strong focus on outcomes that impact public health policy and clinical practice, in particular for high-risk and under-served population groups. She applies population health science methods to inform precision medicine across the cancer control continuum of cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care, to reduce the burden of care on individuals and on the health system. She also promotes policy that supports good practice in the access to and use of real-world data for research.
Co-chair: Dr Lisa McCallum
Acting Chief Data Officer, Cancer Institute NSW
Dr. Lisa McCallum is a researcher and data governance expert with an academic background and over 20 years’ experience in the healthcare sector. Holding a PhD from Western Sydney University, her doctoral research focused on the epidemiology of Pertussis in New South Wales mothers and children, using linked administrative data to uncover significant insights into disease patterns and transmission dynamics. In her current role as the Acting Chief Data Officer at the Cancer Institute NSW, Lisa plays a pivotal role in safeguarding and optimising the use of health data. As the Data Custodian of the NSW Cancer Registry, she oversees the management of invaluable datasets, ensuring their integrity, accessibility, and compliance with regulatory standards.
(Show more)Mr Matthew Warner-Smith
Manager, Business Intelligence and Information Systems, Cancer Institute NSW
Matthew Warner-Smith is the Manager, Business Intelligence and Information Systems in the Screening and Prevention Division of the Cancer Institute NSW. Matthew oversees a large team of technical staff and is responsible for the provision of business-critical data and information for large screening programs such as BreastScreen NSW and Bowel Screening. In addition, Matthew leads a team responsible for research and evaluation for behavioural research related to prevention and screening using both quantitative and qualitive methods. Matthew has 30 years’ experience in public health in a diverse range of government and multilateral settings. Matthew recently led the development and implementation of Australia’s first BreastScreen Machine Reading technology in a population-based screening program.
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Professor Natasha Nassar
University of Sydney
Professor Natasha Nassar is a perinatal and paediatric epidemiologist, the Financial Markets Foundation for Children Chair in Translational Childhood Medicine and NHMRC Investigator Fellow at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW) Clinical School, University of Sydney. She is also the Data Lead of the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data; and the Charles Perkins Centre Interim Academic Director and Populations Domain Leader with a key role in facilitating population-based research investigating cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and other related conditions across a wide range of disciplines.
(Show more)Achieving equitable cancer outcomes
Chair: Nicole Turner
AHMRC
Wendy Hoey was appointed the Chief Executive of Justice Health NSW in September 2022. Prior to this, she was the Executive Director of Clinical Operations having taken up the role in 2019. Wendy is the Co-Chair of the International Corrections and Prisons Association Healthcare Network, as well as a board member of Health Through Walls Inc.
Her previous appointments include Executive Director for Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service and Nursing Director for the Central Queensland Mental Health Service. (Show more)
Co-chair: Dr Ru Kwedza
Cancer Institute NSW
Dr Ru Kwedza is the Associate Director of Strategy, Quality, and System Performance at the Cancer Institute NSW and an Honorary Research Fellow at Macquarie University. In her senior leadership role, she oversees teams responsible for statewide cancer control programs that drive equity, improve system performance, and translate strategy into impact across New South Wales. (Show more)
Mr Rami Rahal
Chief Executive of Te Aho o Te Kahu, New Zealand’s Cancer Control Agency
Rami was appointed Tumuaki (Chief Executive) in July 2023, bringing with him over thirty years of health system leadership experience and dedication to improving outcomes for people affected by cancer, particularly indigenous communities.
For the past 12 years, Rami has held several senior leadership roles at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (Canada’s national cancer agency). There, he led the implementation of major cancer research projects including Canada’s largest population cohort study. (Show more)
Mr Te Miri Rangi
Chief Advisor Māori, Tākai Aronui, Te Aho o Te Kahu
Te Miri (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa) provides strategic leadership to the agency so that Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the aspirations of whānau Māori are at the heart of cancer care in Aotearoa. His role involves collaborating with iwi, Māori health leaders, and clinical partners to drive health equity and improve outcomes for tangata whenua. His expertise and cultural insights are supporting the development of Māori capability across the agency and help shape approaches that will deliver real, meaningful change in cancer prevention and treatment for all people and whānau across the motu.
Before joining the agency, Te Miri held senior roles at ACC, Te Hiringa Hauora Health Promotion Agency, Skills Active Aotearoa, and Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa where he embedded kaupapa Māori approaches into quality programmes and projects that support Māori to realise their potential in health.
Ms Wendy Hoey PSM
Chief Executive of Justice Health NSW
Wendy Hoey was appointed the Chief Executive of Justice Health NSW in September 2022. Prior to this, she was the Executive Director of Clinical Operations having taken up the role in 2019. Wendy is the Co-Chair of the International Corrections and Prisons Association Healthcare Network, as well as a board member of Health Through Walls Inc.
Her previous appointments include Executive Director for Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service and Nursing Director for the Central Queensland Mental Health Service. (Show more)
Dr Bronwyn Newman
Macquarie University
Dr Bronwyn Newman has worked as a Social Worker in various organisations, completed a Masters in Policy and Social Research (Macquarie University) and a PhD (UNSW Sydney). Her PhD was about using easy read information about mental health for people with intellectual disability. Bronwyn is experienced in qualitative research and has a particular interest in inclusive, collaborative approaches to data collection and analysis.(Show more)
Precision medicine and the ‘omics
Chair: Professor Lisa Horvath
Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
Lisa Horvath is the inaugural Director of Research at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. Prior to heading up the research department, Lisa was the Director of Medical Oncology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for seven years before transitioning the service to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse where she remained at the helm for another seven years.
Lisa is the conjoint Professor of Medical Oncology (Genitourinary cancer) at the University of Sydney. She is also a member of Faculty at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Head of Advanced Prostate Cancer research group. (Show more)
Professor David Thomas
University of New South Wales and Omico
Prof David Thomas is the inaugural Director of the Centre for Molecular Oncology at the University of New South Wales and Chief Strategy and Science Officer at Omico. As a clinician-scientist, his focus is on the application of genomic technologies to the understanding and management of cancer, particularly sarcoma.
He established the not-for-profit Omico, to lead a national precision medicine program for patients with rare and early onset cancers. He has over 200 research publications, including lead or senior author papers in Science, Cancer Cell, Journal of Clinical Investigation and Lancet Oncology.
Professor Michelle Haber AM
Children’s Cancer Institute and UNSW
Professor Michelle Haber AM has dedicated her entire professional life to improving clinical outcomes for children with cancer. She is one of Australia’s leading translational researchers and has become the face of Australian childhood cancer research internationally.
Professor Haber was appointed the inaugural post-doctoral scientist at Children’s Cancer Institute in 1984. She became Director of the Institute in 2000 and and has been Executive Director since 2003. She holds a conjoint appointment as Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW Australia. (Show more)
Professor Susan Clark
NHMRC Investigator Fellow (L3) and Research Director, Epigenetics Laboratory, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Professor Susan Clark, PhD, FAA, FAHMS, is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in cancer epigenetics and epigenomics. She is currently a NHMRC Investigator Fellow (L3) and Research Director, Epigenetics Laboratory, at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia.
The techniques Susan developed in the early 1990s and 2000s, including bisulphite single molecule methylation sequencing and bisulphite-based PCR methods, helped to revolutionize the impact of epigenetic research in embryonic development and human disease and led to commercialization of methylation tests for cancer management. Using the growing suite of epigenomic sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analyses, her laboratory has made ground-breaking discoveries relating to alterations of epigenomic patterns in cancer genomes, including the concept of long-range epigenetic deregulation spanning large-scale 3D domains associated with changes in replication timing and co-ordinate gene silencing and activation.
Effective prevention strategies: Complexities of keeping people healthy and well
Chair: Ms Anita Dessaix
Director of Cancer Prevention and Advocacy at Cancer Council NSW and Chair of Cancer Council's Public Health Committee
Anita is the Director of Cancer Prevention and Advocacy at Cancer Council NSW and Chair of Cancer Council’s Public Health Committee. Prior to joining the Executive Leadership Team at Cancer Council NSW in 2019, Anita had gained more than 15 years' experience within the NSW public health sector, including 12 years' experience in cancer prevention specifically. Anita’s career includes senior management roles at the Cancer Institute NSW and the NSW Ministry of Health, where she specialised in tobacco control and skin cancer prevention.
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Co-chair: Professor Megan Varlow
Director Cancer Screening and Prevention, Cancer Institute NSW
Megan is a well-respected health professional, researcher and leader with extensive Executive level experience in cancer control nationally. Megan is passionate about reducing cancer's impact, particularly in at-risk communities.
Megan holds an Executive Masters Public Administration and Masters of Psychology. She is an Honorary Professor in the School of Health at Deakin University, is a member of a range of state and national health advisory groups and has co-authored a number of publications.
(Show more)Professor Becky Freeman
University of Sydney
Professor Becky Freeman is a public health academic within the School of Public Health, University of Sydney. With twenty-five years of experience working in the tobacco control field she is well versed in program and policy best practice. She is an established authority on the potential of the Internet to circumvent tobacco advertising bans and has pioneered research methods in tracking and analysing online social media content.
Her primary research interests include tobacco control and how online and social media influence public health. She is the Chief Investigator of the Generation Vape study. Prior to pursuing her research interests in Australia, Becky worked for both government and not-for-profit organisations in Canada and New Zealand.
A/Professor Michelle Kennedy
Research Fellow, University of Newcastle
Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy is a Wiradjuri woman based at the University of Newcastle, where she leads national research on tobacco control, health research ethics, and Indigenous methodologies, focusing on the development of Indigenous-led evidence building. With 20 years of experience in community development, social work, and health research, Michelle emphasises culturally responsive approaches that privilege Indigenous voices. Her research is contributing new evidence on smoking and vaping cessation that draws on community research priorities and culturally responsive approaches building on strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In addition to her academic role, she is the Strategic Research Advisor for Lowitja Institute.
Professor Luke Wolfenden
University of Newcastle
Prof Wolfenden is a behavioural and implementation scientist with the University of Newcastle funded through the NHMRC Investigator grant scheme, and is a member of the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Population Health Research Program.
He is Director of the ‘National Centre of Implementation Science’ and of the WHO Evidence Informed Policy Network at the University of Newcastle and co-Director of the Cochrane Thematic Group for ‘People, Health Systems and Public Health. He has a co-appointment at Hunter New England Local Health District where is responsible for the provision of chronic disease prevention services.
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In science we trust: Advances in cancer research
Chair: Professor Anna DeFazio AM
The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital
Prof Anna DeFazio AM is a renowned translational researcher who heads the Gynaecological Oncology Research Laboratory at the Centre for Cancer Research, the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. Professor DeFazio holds the position of Sydney-West Chair of Translational Cancer Research, at the University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, and has a long-standing commitment to translational research with an emphasis on improving treatment outcomes for women with ovarian cancer.(Show more)
Co-chair: Dr Dannel Yeo
Lab Head and Senior Research Officer, Centenary Institute
Dr Dannel Yeo is a translational cancer researcher and cancer cell biologist focused on understanding cancer drivers in individual patients using precision medicine approaches. His work encompasses preclinical mouse models, patient-derived organoid cultures, cellular immunotherapies, and liquid biopsy biomarkers, with particular focus on cancers of unmet need including pancreatic, appendiceal and lung cancers.
He is a Senior Research Officer at Centenary Institute and Garvan Institute and holds appointments as Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Sydney, Conjoint Senior Lecturer at University of New South Wales, and Honorary Hospital Research Scientist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He is also a Sydney Cancer Partners Translational Partners Fellow, chairs the Cancer Research Network Pancreatic Cancer Special Interest Group, and sits on the Translational Research Committee for the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group.
Professor Helen Rizos
Macquarie University
Professor Helen Rizos is a cancer cell and molecular biologist with a focus on the mechanisms and biomarkers of treatment response and resistance in melanoma, head and neck cancer, and glioblastoma. Her work encompasses genetic analyses, molecular and cell biology, and the development of models to study treatment response and resistance across cellular, tissue, and animal systems.
She is Director, Cancer Research in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Science, leads the Precision Cancer Therapy research team and is Principle Investigator of the Macquarie University Cancer Biobank. She is also a faculty member of the Melanoma Institute Australia, where she co-leads the Advanced Melanoma research theme.
Professor Benjamin Kile
Executive Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Professor Benjamin Kile is the Executive Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, one of Australia's largest and most prestigious medical research institutions, comprising approximately 800 scientists, students, and staff. An internationally recognised medical researcher, Benjamin has made significant contributions to the understanding of cancer, stem cells, and inflammatory disease. His team is best known for their work on programmed cell death, which informed the development of Venetoclax, the first-in-class BH3 mimetic drug that was approved by the FDA for Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2016.
(Show more)A/Professor Kara Vine-Perrow
University of Wollongong
Associate Professor Kara Vine-Perrow is a Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellow and leads the Targeted Cancer Therapeutics Research Laboratory at the University of Wollongong. She earned her PhD in cancer cell biology in 2007 and received international training in cancer biology and metastasis at the Finsen Laboratory in Denmark. Upon returning to Australia, she established her lab at the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute. (Show more)
Living well with and beyond cancer
Chair: A/Professor Judith Lacey
Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
A/Prof Judith Lacey is the Head of Supportive Care and Integrative Oncology at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, a MASCC-designated Centre of Excellence and leading comprehensive cancer hospital in Sydney, Australia. She is a national and international leader in supportive cancer care and integrative oncology, committed to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with and beyond cancer.
Judith holds adjunct academic positions at the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute. She is Australia’s ambassador to the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO), a member of its Board of Trustees, and immediate past chair of both the SIO Clinical Practice Committee and the Integrative Oncology Group for the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA). (Show more)
Co-chair: Emma Wong
NICM Western Sydney University and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
Emma Wong is a final-year PhD candidate at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University. Emma was the recipient of the Blackmores NICM HRI Integrative Medicine Scholarship and was later awarded the Society for Integrative Oncology's Dr Barrie Cassileth New Investigator Scholarship, recognising her early work in integrative oncology for prostate cancer.
Her research focuses on patient centred acupuncture approaches to prostate cancer care, conducted in collaboration with leading clinicians and researchers, Dr Suzanne Grant, Professor Henry Woo, Associate Professor Ruban Thanigasalam, Dr Sean Walsh, and Associate Professor Judith Lacey.
(Show more)Dr David Mizrahi
The Daffodil Centre
Dr Mizrahi is an exercise-oncology researcher specialising in the role of exercise during and after chemotherapy for paediatric and adult cancers.
Dr Mizrahi has a PhD in Paediatric exercise-oncology (2019) and MSc in Ovarian exercise-oncology (2014) and was selected for a Fulbright Future Fellowship at St Jude's Children's Hospital in 2021.
Always open to collaborations, fellowships and/or lecturer roles in the field of Exercise-Oncology, Dr Mizrahi advocates for national/international collaborations to grow the evidence base to improve health outcomes for cancer survivors.
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Associate Professor Carolyn Ee
Associate Professor Carolyn Ee, Associate Professor (Cancer Survivorship and Primary Care), Flinders University; Supportive Care and Integrative Oncology GP, Chris O’ Brien Lifehouse Cancer Centre; Principal Research Fellow, Western Sydney University.
A/Prof Ee is an academic GP and a nationally recognised emerging leader in cancer survivorship in primary care. Her research focusses on the role of primary care in cancer survivorship, reducing health inequity in culturally and linguistically diverse populations and increasing access to care through patient navigation, and on the intersection between cardiometabolic and women's reproductive health and cancer survivorship. Her expertise spans qualitative research, multi-centre clinical trials, evidence synthesis and clinical practice guideline development and translation. A/Prof Ee is Director of the Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials group (PC4), and Primary Care Advisory Group Member, CINSW.
Ms Glenda Hill-Baulch
Ovarian Cancer survivor
In 2017, Glenda was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer at 49 years old. She had experienced symptoms for twelve months including persistent lower back pain, unexpected changes in her menstrual cycle, and a sense of heaviness in her abdomen. A lump in her neck finally pushed her to seek a second opinion after her previous doctor dismissed her concerns.
Glenda took charge of her health, implementing lifestyle changes including, moving to a plant-based diet, practicing meditation, and regular exercise.
Through chemotherapy, surgery, and recovery, Glenda’s determination never wavered. Now, she is passionate about sharing her story and is an advocate for ovarian cancer in her role as an ambassador for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.
Insights into patients' experiences: Patient Reported Measures
Co-chair: Mr Anthony Arnold
Director of Radiation Therapy Services, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Anthony is the Director of Radiation Therapy Services for Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. Prior to this, he was the Director of Cancer Services for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District from 2011-2019, overseeing design, construction, and commencement of new and expanded services across the region.
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Co-chair: Dr Carolyn Mazariego
Deputy Director, Implementation to Impact team, UNSW
Dr Carolyn Mazariego is the Deputy Director of the Implementation to Impact team at UNSW and an implementation scientist focused on embedding patient-centred care and digital health innovations into routine oncology practice. She is a recipient of a Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Fellowship and is nationally recognised for her work in patient-reported outcomes, co-design, and policy-relevant research.
Mr Mike Lovas
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN, Canada
Mike is the Director of Design and Innovation at Cancer Digital Intelligence, the innovation program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network.
He is also an AMS-Fitzgerald Fellow in AI and Human-Centred Leadership at the University of Toronto. With over 15 years of experience, Mike combines expertise in service design, biomedical engineering, healthcare innovation consulting, and technology entrepreneurship.(Show more)
Ms Kimberly Williamson
Cancer Institute NSW
Kimberley Williamson has among other programs led the development and implementation of the Institutes electronic Patient Reported Measures system ensuring the program is adaptable to the changing needs of our cancer services. Kimberley is an experienced program and project management professional with nearly 10 years’ experience of leading cross-functional teams to deliver strategic initiatives across NSW public cancer services. Her expertise spans across leadership, quality improvement, change management and program management.
Kimberley has a strong interest in ensuring health care systems and service design focuses on improving the patient experience and supports clinicians to deliver supportive care.
Professor Bogda Koczwara AM
University of New South Wales
Professor Koczwara AM is an internationally recognised clinician researcher with expertise in cancer survivorship and supportive care. She established one of the first cancer survivorship program in Australia and the longest running cancer survivorship scientific meeting in the world. Her research has contributed to key advances in the field of survivorship epidemiology, symptom monitoring, self-management support, and the use of patient reported outcomes in cancer.
(Show more)Live from the clinic: Clinical innovations in cancer healthcare
Chair: A/Professor Abhijit Pal
Liverpool Hospital and Bankstown Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District
A/Professor Abhijit Pal is a Staff Specialist Medical Oncologist at Liverpool Hospital and Bankstown Hospital. He has a clinical focus on early phase cancer clinical trials and thoracic malignancies. His research focus is on improving diversity in cancer clinical trials, and equity in cancer care, with a particular focus on multicultural communities and populations with a non English language preference.
Co-chair: Ms Maria Mury
Director, Strategic Research and Innovation, Cancer Institute NSW
Maria brings over 20 years of clinical research experience to the Cancer Institute NSW, where she has been dedicated to advancing cancer research and innovation since 2016.
A Registered Nurse with a specialization in oncology, Maria began her career in Ireland and continued her passion for patient care after migrating to Australia. Her extensive experience spans both the government and not-for-profit sectors, where she has played a key role in:
- Clinical trial strategy and study design: Maria possesses a deep understanding of crafting effective clinical trials to drive meaningful research advancements.
- Strategic development and implementation of health and medical research: Her expertise lies in shaping and executing strategic research initiatives that propel progress in the fight against cancer.
- Research ethics and governance: Maria ensures the highest ethical standards and rigorous governance practices are upheld throughout the research process.
Digital health innovation: A Canadian perspective
Breakfast session facilitator : Mr John Sheedy
Chief Information Officer, Cancer Institute NSW
John is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Cancer Institute NSW leading the Information Management and Technology function. John is an experienced healthcare and digital technology leader and has worked within the NSW Health system driving and supporting state-wide digital transformation for ~7 years.
Prior to working in NSW Health, John worked in the UK for the National Health Service (NHS) for almost 15 years in a variety of senior roles at a local, regional, and national level supporting clinical research, national and regional strategy and policy, and leading transformation programs in London. John also has a master’s degree in healthcare leadership from the University of Birmingham.
Mr Mike Lovas
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, UHN, Canada
Mike is the Director of Design and Innovation at Cancer Digital Intelligence, the innovation program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network.
He is also an AMS-Fitzgerald Fellow in AI and Human-Centred Leadership at the University of Toronto. With over 15 years of experience, Mike combines expertise in service design, biomedical engineering, healthcare innovation consulting, and technology entrepreneurship.(Show more)
EMCRs - Engaging with consumers/patients/carers for impactful research outcomes
Breakfast session facilitator: Professor Nikola Bowden
University of Newcastle. Hunter Medical Research Institute
Professor Bowden is the Vanessa McGuigan HMRI Fellow in Ovarian Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute and Lead, NSW Regional Cancer Research Network. Her research has the overall aim of delivering improved treatments to patients with cancer, with a more focused interest in investigating DNA repair and drug repurposing for melanoma and ovarian cancer.
Breakfast session facilitator: Kathryn Leaney
Consumer Representative, Cancer Voices NSW
Ms Leaney is a dedicated cancer advocate with a profound commitment to improving the landscape of cancer research and patient experiences. Since 2013, following her own breast cancer diagnosis, she has actively engaged in cancer advocacy, fostering a crucial bridge between researchers and healthcare consumers. Kathryn's unique perspective, grounded in organizational learning and development, proves invaluable to researchers. In addition to being a consumer partner with several research groups. Kathryn holds several prominent positions across numerous cancer patient advocacy organisations such as Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP), Cancer Voices NSW and is a founding member of the National Breast Cancer Foundation Consumer Review Panel. Kathryn leverages her experiences to ensure that individuals diagnosed with cancer do not face similar challenges, emphasizing the transformative impact of researchers and the indispensable role consumers play in shaping the future of cancer outcomes.
Discovery to treatment: Accelerating the translation of research into clinical care
Chair: Professor Nikola Bowden
University of Newcastle. Hunter Medical Research Institute
Professor Bowden is the Vanessa McGuigan HMRI Fellow in Ovarian Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute and Lead, NSW Regional Cancer Research Network. Her research has the overall aim of delivering improved treatments to patients with cancer, with a more focused interest in investigating DNA repair and drug repurposing for melanoma and ovarian cancer.
Co-chair: Dr Nicola Meagher
Research Fellow, The Daffodil Centre
Dr Nicola Meagher (BMedSci, MPH, PhD) is a Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Fellow working at a national and international level to improve outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. Nicola’s work uses large datasets to answer questions relating to factors to improve prognosis in ovarian cancer and understanding optimal testing and treatment. This work is enabled through large epidemiological datasets through the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) and other large cohorts. Nicola has made substantial contributions to the diagnostic and clinical treatment guidelines for a rare histological subtype – mucinous ovarian cancer. In recognition of that work, she was awarded the 2024 Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group Michael Friedlander AM award for emerging researcher and the 2025 Penny Taylor Prize for Ovarian Cancer Research Excellence. Nicola has additional expertise working with linked, administrative health datasets as well as clinical cohorts for research.
A/Professor Christine Chaffer
Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program Director and Cancer Cell Plasticity Laboratory Head at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research
A/ Prof Chaffer has long-standing expertise in cell plasticity and cancer. She described that non-aggressive breast cancer cells can spontaneously convert into aggressive, metastatic, and therapy-resistant cell states. She has used this knowledge to develop strategies that co-opt these dynamic processes to ensure that cancer cells remain sensitive to therapy. Her findings have led to the first clinical trial targeting cancer cell plasticity to overcome chemotherapy-resistant disease. Moreover, her group concomitantly discovered a biomarker to identify patients best-suited to this novel therapeutic strategy. This therapeutic approach has a transformative clinical potential across multiple cancer types.(Show more)
Professor Aaron Sverdlov
University of Newcastle
Aaron Sverdlov is a heart failure cardiologist and a nationally and internationally recognised leader in cardio-oncology. He is a Professor, Director of Heart Failure and Clinical Lead for Heart Failure and Cardio-Oncology at the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health.
Aaron did his undergraduate and postgraduate medical training as well as PhD in Adelaide, post-doctoral Fellowship in Boston (2012-2015) and was recruited to NSW in 2017. He is a current Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow, and a past NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow and American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellow. He has co-authored over 120 manuscripts (h-index 33) and obtained over $18M in grant funding. (Show more)
Connecting across the system: Building integrated care models
Chair: Professor Reema Harrison
Macquarie University
Professor Reema Harrison is a Career Development Fellow of the Cancer Institute New South Wales (2022-2025) and experienced health services researcher. She leads a multidisciplinary team of >20 researchers, along with several large interdisciplinary project teams that form a program of translational research to reduce inequities in health care quality and outcomes. With a background in Psychology, Professor Harrison provides methodological expertise in survey development, administration and validation, including patient-reported measures. These skills are coupled with expertise in inclusive co-design, co-production and qualitative research methods. Using these methods, her research has co-produced >15 tools and resources that are being used by health service partners and consumers to address inequities in the provision of health care throughout Australia and beyond.(Show more)
Co-chair: Dr Ramya Walsan
Macquarie University
Dr Walsan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, with a research focus on linked data analysis and the evaluation of new care models on health outcomes and costs. Her work combines quantitative methods, data linkage and health-economic approaches, all underpinned by a commitment to equity in both outcomes and affordability. To date, she has secured over $1.8 million in competitive research funding and has led national projects involving more than 2 million patient records. She is passionate about translating data-driven insights into real-world improvements in patient care and system efficiency.
A/Professor Merran Findlay
University of New South Wales, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE)
A/Professor Merran Findlay is a Senior Research Fellow – Living Better With and After Cancer with the Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Cancer Clinical Academic Group, UNSW Sydney. An Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and clinician-researcher, she has specialised in nutrition care of people with cancer for more than 25 years. Her research focuses on the impact of cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia as well as data-driven and value-based models of care to support research translation. She also holds appointments at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. She currently serves as a Board Director for the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia and the Australia and New Zealand Head and Neck Cancer Society.
Dr Vivek Bhadri
Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
Dr Bhadri is a paediatric and adolescent medical oncologist who has worked within the Sarcoma unit at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse since 2013. He has extensive experience with the treatment and management of adolescent and young adult patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas, and actively participates in the development and implementation of sarcoma clinical trials.
Next-generation cancer screening: Shaping the future of early detection
Chair: A/Professor Marianne Weber
University of Sydney
A/Professor Marianne Weber is a cancer epidemiologist and Associate Professor at The Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney. She leads a research program on lung cancer, developing modelling infrastructure aimed at evaluating the impact of tobacco control, lung cancer screening, and new and emerging lung cancer therapies on long-term health outcomes. These models will ultimately inform policy, and help prioritise research funding and health investment for reducing the impact of lung cancer in Australia and globally. Her research on lung cancer screening has contributed to the realisation of the Australian National Lung Cancer Screening Program, including research on risk prediction tools and health economic evaluations.
Co-chair: Mary Mitchelhill
Manager, Strategic Program Engagement and Quality, Cancer Institute NSW
Mary is an experienced health advisor, strategist and manager with extensive experience working in the health care sector. Mary has expertise in health strategy development, Health Service Performance Improvement, operational performance, health care reform and funding models. She brings experience of health service reform, operations and funding, innovative and contemporary models of care, and health workforce models.
Mary has high level analytical skills and a proven ability to deliver quality outcomes within fast paced environments. She has experience in qualitative and quantitative research, a deep understanding of, and experience in business improvement methodologies, and change management in the Australian healthcare sector. (Show more)
Dr Lesley Andrews
Hereditary Cancer Clinician, Prince of Wales Hospital
Lesley completed a Masters of Medicine in Reproductive Health and Human Genetics in 2000 and since then has been a clinician at the Prince of Wales Hospital Hereditary Cancer Clinic, including providing in-person and telehealth consultations to affiliated outreach hospitals.
During that time, Lesley has established what was then innovative high risk breast screening clinics at both RPAH and POWH, and oversaw one of the earliest projects of breast MRI implementation in NSW, ahead of medicare reimbursement being available.
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Professor Deborah Bateson AM
Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney
Deborah Bateson AM is Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney with over 25 years of experience as a clinician, researcher and educator through her former roles as Medical Director of Family Planning Australia and Global Medical Director of Marie Stopes International. Deborah’s current role as a clinician researcher has a focus on the equitable elimination of cervical cancer in Australia, in the Indo-Pacific Region and globally.(Show more)
Professor Rachael Morton
Deputy Director, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre
Professor Rachael Morton is a senior health economist, Deputy Director of the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, at the University of Sydney, and faculty member of the Melanoma Institute Australia. She chairs the Data and Registries workstream for the National Roadmap for Targeted Skin Cancer Screening; and has led the development and piloting of the Melanoma Clinical Outcomes Registry (MelCOR). Her research interests include clinical trials, cost-effectiveness analysis, health equity, and patient-reported outcomes. In her spare time she enjoys bushwalking in the Blue Mountains.
Supporting better cancer care together
Co-chair: Shelley Rushton
Director of Cancer Services and Information, Cancer Institute NSW
Shelley is the current Director of Cancer Services and Information and brings into her leadership role at the Cancer Institute a background of clinical cancer nursing from across New Zealand, UK and Australia. Shelley joined the Cancer Institute in 2004 and throughout this time has been instrumental in establishing key statewide programs that interface with clinical services including eviQ, Patient Reported Measures program and the embedded Reporting for Better Cancer Outcomes (RBCO) program. She also provides leadership across complex cancer registries, and analytics programs and is passionate about making information from data available and accessible to the health system to support system change and improve patient experience and outcomes.
Co-chair: Alexis Gazzard
Program Manager, Patient Experience and System Redesign team, Cancer Institute NSW
Alexis Gazzard is the Program Manager for the Patient Experience and System Redesign team at the Cancer Institute NSW, where the flagship initiative is the Patient Reported Measures program.
With extensive experience in system redesign and quality improvement across both the Cancer Institute and Local Health Districts, Alexis brings a deep understanding of healthcare transformation. She is passionate about elevating patient experience and person-centred care, driving initiatives that ensure the voices of patients are central to service design and delivery.
Breakthroughs in oncology
Chair: Professor Georgina Long AO
Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), and Chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Translational Research at MIA and Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney
Professor Long leads an extensive clinical trials team and laboratory at MIA, with a focus on targeted therapies and immuno-oncology in melanoma. She is principal investigator on phase I, II and III clinical trials in adjuvant and metastatic melanoma, including trials in patients with active brain metastases.
She is the chief investigator on NHMRC funded research into the molecular biology of melanoma, with a particular interest in clinical and tissue biomarker correlates of systemic therapy sensitivity and resistance. (Show more)
Co-chair: A/Professor Jenny Lee
Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), and Chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Translational Research at MIA and Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney
Dr Jenny Lee is a medical oncologist at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and clinical lead within the precision cancer therapy laboratory at Macquarie University. She undertook a PhD in liquid biopsies in cancer and immunotherapy response and resistance, and has published widely in journals such as JAMA Oncology, Nature Communications and Lancet Oncology. Aligning with her clinical interest, she continues to be active in translational research within the discipline of skin (including melanoma), head and neck and thoracic oncology.
Professor Vincent Lam
Macquarie University
Professor Vincent Lam is the Course Director of Macquarie Doctor of Medicine Program and Professor of Surgery at Macquarie University. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Sydney in 1998 and completed his general surgical training in Sydney. He went on for two years of post-fellowship training in hepatobiliary, pancreatic and transplant surgery at Westmead Hospital, Sydney and Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. He was the first graduate of the Doctorate of Clinical Surgery at the University of Sydney with the thesis titled “Extending the frontiers of surgical resection of colorectal liver metastases”.
He is a consultant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic surgeon at Westmead Hospital and Macquarie University Hospital. He is the current councillor and treasurer of the ANZ Chapter of the American College of Surgeons; immediate past treasurer of the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Association (AANZHPBA); and past president of the Australian Chinese Medical Association (ACMA). (Show more)
Professor Nick Pavlakis
University of Sydney
Professor Nick Pavlakis is a medical oncologist at North Shore Private Hospital with clinical interests in lung cancer, mesothelioma, gastrointestinal cancers, and neuroendocrine tumours.
He was the former Head of the Department of Medical Oncology at Royal North Shore Hospital and Head of the Clinical Trials Unit. He also works in private oncology practice and is Clinical Services Director, Genesis Care North Shore Health Hub, and Chair, Department of Cancer Services, North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards. He is the current Board Chair of TOGA, former ALTG president and Scientific Committee Chair and past President of COSA, a current member of the AGITG Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Working Party, and committee and faculty member with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. (Show more)
Professor Lorraine Chantrill
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Professor Chantrill is a Senior Staff Specialist Medical Oncologist and Head of Service for Medical Oncology across the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), and Area Clinical Director of Clinical Trials.
She is a key opinion leader and expert in the field of pancreas cancer. Lorraine completed a PhD by research in the Pancreas Cancer Group at The Kinghorn Cancer Centre in pancreas cancer genomics. Lorraine continues to be an active clinician researcher trying to bridge the gap between the bench and the bedside. (Show more)
The data revolution: Leveraging real-world data for better cancer outcomes
Chair: Professor Geoff Delaney
Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE)
Professor Geoff Delaney is an academic radiation oncologist at Liverpool Hospital, Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of NSW, and clinical leader of the Cancer Clinical Advisory Group for Maridulu Budyari Gumal or SPHERE. He was previously the Director of Cancer Services for South-Western Sydney Local Health District, an area with almost 1 million population and over 3500 cancers per year. His main clinical interest is breast cancer.
His research interests include health services-based research, Patient Reported Outcome Measures, radiation incident-reporting, the implementation of multidisciplinary care, survivorship and health service delivery inequities in cancer. He has published over 270 research papers in the international literature, presented scientific papers and posters at national and international meetings. He was awarded an AM for services to oncology and tertiary education.
Co-chair: Mr Richard Walton
Cancer Epidemiology and Biostats, Cancer Institute NSW
Richard Walton is a biostatistician and manager of the Cancer Epidemiology and Biostats team at the Cancer Institute NSW. He has a background in drug development and clinical trials, pharmacovigilance and cancer epidemiology. His areas of interests include statistical computing, the application of information theory to cancer analytics, and finding the optimal tech stack for analytics in government.
Dr Georgina Kennedy
Cancer Clinical Academic Group Senior Research Fellow, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE)
Dr Kennedy is a multidisciplinary engineer and researcher whose career spans industry and academia, with a proven history of delivering large-scale technical research infrastructure projects. She is the Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Cancer Clinical Academic Group Senior Research Fellow for the theme Unwarranted Variation in Care. Her research focus is on making observational clinical data available to research and health system end-users in a way that is principled, repeatable and results in high-quality insights. This includes the modernisation of research data infrastructure to bring these systems in line with industry best-practices, innovation in machine-learning and natural language processing methods, as well as their effective delivery and implementation.
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Dr Candice Donnelly
Post Doctoral Research Fellow, The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health
Dr. Candice Donnelly is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, specialising in digital health and implementation science. With a PhD focused on utilising routinely collected data to improve multidisciplinary cancer care, she brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of research, policy, and practice in cancer services.
Dr. Donnelly currently leads research investigating the implementation of clinical analytics dashboards in Australian healthcare organisations, in partnership with 11 private health services and professional colleges. Her work focuses on translating complex health data from electronic medical records and large linked datasets into meaningful quality improvement initiatives within clinical teams.
(Show more)Equity unbound: Reimagining cancer care
Chair: Dr Fiona Abell
Dr Abell graduated from UNSW in 1986 and completed her specialist training in medical oncology in 1994 (FRACP). She also holds a graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology
Dr Abell was appointed in 2002 as a senior staff specialist in medical oncology at Calvary Mater Hospital where she worked until 2022. During her time a Calvary Mater Dr Abell was appointed as the Director of the Melanoma Unit (2015-2019) and in 2019 she was jointly appointed to her current role as Director of Cancer Services, Hunter New England Health.
(Show more)Co-chair: Ms Maria Mury
Director, Strategic Research and Innovation, Cancer Institute NSW
Maria brings over 20 years of clinical research experience to the Cancer Institute NSW, where she has been dedicated to advancing cancer research and innovation since 2016.
A Registered Nurse with a specialization in oncology, Maria began her career in Ireland and continued her passion for patient care after migrating to Australia. Her extensive experience spans both the government and not-for-profit sectors, where she has played a key role in:
- Clinical trial strategy and study design: Maria possesses a deep understanding of crafting effective clinical trials to drive meaningful research advancements.
- Strategic development and implementation of health and medical research: Her expertise lies in shaping and executing strategic research initiatives that propel progress in the fight against cancer.
- Research ethics and governance: Maria ensures the highest ethical standards and rigorous governance practices are upheld throughout the research process.
Ms Molly Sinclair
Cancer Systems and Innovation Manager, Southern NSW Local Health District
Molly commenced her career in NSW Health in 2016 as a graduate in SWSLHD. Since then, she has worked in Project Management and Clinical Governance, and in early 2025 joined the Cancer Services team as the A/Cancer Systems and Innovation Manager position in SNSWLHD. Molly really enjoys supporting teams to deliver patient centred care, and is keen to support quality improvement and innovation resulting in positive health experiences and outcomes for all.
The power of partnership: co-creation with community
Chair: Ms Elisabeth Kochman
Chair of Cancer Voices NSW
Elisabeth is Chair of Cancer Voices NSW and has over 25 years’ experience in health consumer advocacy. Previous experience includes as a volunteer with Cancer Council NSW (10 years) and the former Breast Cancer Action Group (10 years).
Elisabeth’s particular interests include ensuring that Cancer Voices has sound relationships and partnerships with decision makers at both a state and national level across the cancer and broader health continuum to ensure consumers are to the forefront in shaping our health system with access and equity in outcomes for everyone everywhere.
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Co-chair: Ms Sheetal Challam
Principal Strategic Advisor for the Multicultural Program, Cancer Institute NSW
Sheetal Challam is the Principal Strategic Advisor for the Multicultural Program at the Cancer Institute NSW, where she leads efforts to improve cancer outcomes for multicultural and refugee communities across New South Wales. With deep expertise in policy development, stakeholder engagement, and government relations, Sheetal brings a strong track record of designing and managing initiatives that address settlement challenges for newly arrived refugee populations, particularly in South Western Sydney.
(Show more)Mr Scott Walsberger
Cancer Programs Manager at ACON
Scott Walsberger (he/him) is Cancer Programs Manager at ACON. He leads programs to raise awareness of cancer risks and screening among LGBTQ+ communities and improve inclusivity among health services. Scott has nearly 20 years of experience in cancer control. He was the Tobacco Control Unit Manager and Lead Prevention Manager at Cancer Council NSW. Prior to that he managed the Skin Cancer Prevention portfolio at Cancer Institute NSW as well as worked on breast, cervical and bowel cancer screening campaigns.
Scott has partnered with several researchers on smoking cessation trials in alcohol and other drug and community managed mental health services, as well as tobacco control policy research projects. He has a Master of Public Health from UNSW in Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management and International Relations from Beloit College in the USA. He is a gay man and lives in Sydney with his husband, 13 year old daughter, and their Sheepadoodle named GracieO.
A/Professor Abhijit Pal
Liverpool Hospital and Bankstown Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District
A/Professor Abhijit Pal is a Staff Specialist Medical Oncologist at Liverpool Hospital and Bankstown Hospital. He has a clinical focus on early phase cancer clinical trials and thoracic malignancies. His research focus is on improving diversity in cancer clinical trials, and equity in cancer care, with a particular focus on multicultural communities and populations with a non English language preference.
Ms Dana Mouwad
Director, Statewide Health Literacy Hub, NSW Health
With a strong foundation in the public health system at both local and state levels, Dana brings a unique blend of clinical expertise, strategic leadership, and program development to drive transformative change. As a clinician turned change leader, she has successfully led high-impact initiatives in health literacy, digital equity, care integration and research translation - ensuring that evidence-based solutions translate into real-world improvements in health outcomes.(Show more)
