The members of the Executive Leadership Team, individually and as a committee, support the chief executive to lead, direct, coordinate and control the operations and performance of WSLHD.
Their role as strategic leaders is to formulate and execute business strategies to produce desired results critical to the organisation.
The WSLHD Executive Leadership Team is headed by the chief executive and comprises 11 individuals.
Chief Executive
Danny O’Connor
BSOCSTD (Hons) MSW (Social Policy)
Danny was appointed chief executive of the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) in January 2011. He believes the primary purpose of healthcare is to improve people’s lives. Central to success is a strong partnership with consumers in continually improving the services we provide. Likewise, strong partnership is required between science and practice to ensure the continuous evolution of best practice in clinical care and population health programs.
Danny currently serves on the Boards of the Western Sydney Local Health District Board (ex-officio), Westmead Millennium Institute, NSW HealthShare, Westmead Medical Research Foundation, WentWest Primary Health Network.
Executive Director Finance
Natalie McDonald
BCom MBA CPA
Appointed in March 2015, Natalie is responsible for the leadership and management of financial services and performance reporting. She is accountable for ensuring policies and controls are in place to safeguard WSLHD assets and finances. Natalie is an ex-officio member of the WSLHD Board.
She began her career with BHP in 1995 and worked across the organisation in Australia and overseas in commercial and finance roles. In 2012 Natalie joined Alfred Health in Melbourne as the financial controller.
Executive Director Nursing & Midwifery, and Clinical Governance
Joanne Edwards
RN MN Grad Cert (Perioperative)
Appointed in January 2017, Joanne is accountable for the development, monitoring and reporting of all aspects of professional activities to optimise health outcomes provided by nurses and midwives in WSLHD. Additionally, she is responsible for clinical governance, and the WSLHD Research & Education Network. Joanne is the Health Services Functional Area Coordinator (HSFAC) of emergency management for the Local Health District.
Joining WSLHD in August 2013, she has been acting in the executive director role since September 2015. Joanne brings extensive clinical and operational experience to the position and has a strong focus on supporting systems that promote patient safety and practice improvement.
Joanne is an ex-officio member of the WSLHD Board.
General Manager Westmead Hospital and Auburn Hospital
Andrew Newton
RGN, MHM, GDPA, BHlthSc (Nurs), DipAcc, GradCert (CritCare), GradCert (NursEd)
Andrew is the senior operational manager accountable for the management and performance of Westmead and Auburn hospitals and responsible for clinical operations across WSLHD.
He has significant experience in health service delivery, strategic and operational leadership and capital development and implementation.
He is co-leading a major multimillion dollar capital works program to rebuild Westmead Hospital working closely with staff, precinct partners and the community to ensure the redevelopment transforms the delivery of healthcare in western Sydney.
Andrew is an ex-officio member of the WSLHD Board.
General Manager Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals
Sue-Anne Redmond
RN, GradCert (Oncology), GradCert (Pall Care), BHlthSc (Nurs), Grad Dip HSM, GAICD (Australian Institute of Company Directors)
Sue-Anne is responsible for the operational service delivery and performance of Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals; Population Health; Aboriginal Health; and Multicultural Health.
Her entire career has been devoted to healthcare, working in the public and private sectors with Mayne Health, the Allity group, WSLHD, and in far west NSW in a variety of senior roles including chief executive and director of clinical governance.
Executive Director Mental Health Services
Associate Professor Beth Kotze
MBBS, FRANZCP, FRACMA, Cert Child Psych, MMed (psychotherapy), MHA (UNSW)
Appointed in April 2016, Beth is accountable for the management and performance of mental health services spanning child, adolescent to adults across a diverse range of settings from the community to inpatient.
Beth is a psychiatrist and medical administrator who has worked in a variety of public and private settings spanning 25 years including senior leadership and management positions. She is passionately committed to the delivery of quality and modern mental healthcare.
Executive Director Corporate Governance
Belle Mangan
BN, MHSM
Belle is responsible for medico-legal support, policy and legislative compliance systems, corporate records, privacy, enterprise risk, workers compensation, work health safety, procurement, medical asset management and fleet services.
Belle has been with WSLHD for five years building the Corporate Governance functions and support. She brings extensive metropolitan and rural experience to the LHD underpinned by her origins in NSW public health as a specialist coronary care nurse.
Chief Information Officer
Sabrina Walsh
BPsych, MAppPsych, Executive MPA, Grad Cert Health Economics
Sabrina is responsible for information communications technology strategy, planning, IT service delivery and working in partnership with clinical and business areas to deliver new information systems. She is passionate about the role of information in enabling better healthcare.
Sabrina’s background includes executive and consulting roles in the public sector covering governance, performance improvement and bridging the business-IT divide. Executive positions include chief information officer for Queensland Health and chief executive in several of its health services.
Executive Director Integrated and Community Health
Victoria Nesire
DipArts RCAE, GradDip Ed
Victoria was appointed as director for Integrated Care to oversee the implementation of the Western Sydney Integrated Care Demonstrator, one of three demonstrators in the State under the NSW Integrated Care Strategy.
In May 2015 she became executive director Integrated and Community Health.
She has more than 25 years’ experience working in the NSW public health system and has held senior management and executive positions with NSW Health and at three Local Health Districts.
Director Strategic Business Development & Commercial Services
Leena Singh
Leena is accountable for overseeing the capital redevelopment projects for WSLHD including the Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals Stage 2 works and Westmead Stage 1.
She represents WSLHD on all strategic capital projects with government departments and private organisations.
Acting Executive Director People and Culture
Helen Emmerson
BCom, BHlthSci
Helen leads people and culture transformation to improve the organisation’s performance and its ability to change and develop.
She is responsible for human resources business partners; shared services including recruitment, payroll and child care; workforce planning incorporating Aboriginal, disability and refugee employee support; generic training and development; senior medical and dental workforce services; and WSLHD’s consumer and community network.
Helen began her career in hospital dietetics before moving into quality improvement in manufacturing.
A skilled facilitator, she has 21 years of consulting experience in generic human resources, manager and leadership development, and organisational transformation.
Helen is committed to making a positive difference to the workforce experience.
Director Corporate Communications
Mat Nott
Diploma in Law (Dip Law LPAB)
Responsible for internal and external communications, branding and marketing and media relations, Mat was appointed in June 2015.
He worked as a journalist prior to entering the public health system in Queensland at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service as director Media & Communications.
He has a specific interest in the growth and application of social media within government.