Our structure
Organisational structure
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is a State Government statutory authority under the Health Services Act 2016. The legislation, which came into effect on 1 July 2016, replaced the Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 and involved the establishment of boards that are legally responsible and accountable for delivering safe, high-quality, efficient and economical health services to their local communities.
From 1 July 2016, the WACHS Board commenced as the governing body for WACHS. It comprises highly capable and committed professionals with a diverse range of experience across the fields of medicine and health care, finance, law and community and consumer engagement. The board works closely with the Chief Executive, who manages the day-to-day organisational operations to deliver safe, high-quality and efficient health services to local communities.
Board Chair
Dr Neale Fong
Dr Neale Fong is a registered medical practitioner with over 35 years’ experience in a wide range of leadership roles in the private and public hospital systems.
He is currently Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Bethesda Health Care, a Director of several health companies, President of the Australasian College of Health Service Management, and Chair of the International Hospital Federation Global Healthcare Management Special Interest Group. Dr Fong has been the Director General of the WA Department of Health, CEO of St John of God Hospital Subiaco and Director of the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute at Curtin University. He was Project Lead to the Australian Health Ministers Council in developing Australia’s first Health Leadership Development Capability Framework.
Dr Fong was the Chairman and Commissioner of the WA Football Commission for 12 years and was Chaplain to the West Coast Eagles Football Club for 22 years.
He has Bachelor degree in Medicine and Surgery, a Masters of Theological Studies and a Masters of Business Administration.
Dr Fong was awarded the Gold Medal of Australasian College of Health Service Management in 2019, named a finalist in the 2010 WA Citizen of the Year Awards and awarded a Centenary Medal in 2011 for services to healthcare by the Australian Government.
Deputy Board Chair
Ms Wendy Newman
Wendy Newman has extensive experience in individual, organisational and regional development. In addition to her role as Deputy Chair of the WA Country Health Service Board, Wendy is Deputy Chair of Regional Early Education and Development (REED) Inc. and on the Board of Regional Development Australia – Wheatbelt.
Wendy has extensive experience as an executive and non-executive director working at all levels of government and across industry sectors to develop strategy, drive reform and deliver initiatives that result in improved economic and social outcomes for regional communities.
Such initiatives include driving collaboration across local government boundaries and key government agencies on priority development issues, assisting in the development and delivery of sustainable childcare services and developing and delivering innovative models for aged care in regional settings.
Wendy has a Masters of Commerce (Management), a Bachelor of Education and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Board members
Mr Alan Ferris
Alan Ferris is Director Corporate and Community at the Town of Claremont. Prior to this Alan was the Director of Corporate Services at the City of Melville, had his own consulting business and led the consulting team at BDO, a large accounting firm.He has significant experience in government and not-for-profit sectors. He has worked in the Senior Executive Service of the State Government in positions including General Manager of the Perth Theatre Trust and Director General of the Department of Culture and the Arts. He also held the position of Chief Financial Officer in Culture and the Arts for seven years.
Alan is the Chair of the Palmerston Association Incorporated, a not-for-profit provider of drug and alcohol counselling services. Besides working at the City of Melville, Alan’s previous experience in Local Government was as Mayor of the Town of East Fremantle for six years and a Councillor for eight years.
Alan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Information Systems), is a Certified Practising Accountant and a Fellow of Leadership WA.
Outside of the finance industry, Alan enjoys all sports, especially soccer and golf, and spending time with his wife and two daughters.
Alan chairs the WA Country Health Service Board Finance Committee.
Mr Paul Fitzpatrick
Paul Fitzpatrick was a partner of Clayton Utz between 1 July 1985 and 30 September 2019 and practised in the areas of commercial litigation, competition law, national competition policy, international and domestic arbitration and sports law.
Paul is a former Partner in Charge of the Perth Office of Clayton Utz, and has conducted a wide range of complex litigation, including contractual disputes and cases relating to the Competition and Consumer Act, the corporations law, professional negligence, and intellectual property.
Paul was named Competition Lawyer of the Year, Perth in 2013 by Best Lawyers Australia, and has been named by Best Lawyers as one of Australia's best lawyers in litigation, competition and alternative dispute resolution.
Paul was a legal advisor to the Western Australian Football Commission and the West Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), is a former Director of WAIS, current Director of the Wally Foreman Foundation Inc. and is the Chairman of the West Coast Eagles Football Club.
Paul chairs the WA Country Health Service Board Audit and Risk Committee.
Dr Diane Mohen
Dr Diane Mohen was the former Medical Director of the state-wide Obstetric Support Unit and former WA Country Health Service clinical lead in obstetrics and gynaecology.
She has had a career spanning more than 40-years, initially in general practice and then as a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist and has worked tirelessly to improve the health of rural women and babies in Western Australia.
Diane was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2016 and was joint winner of the Western Australian Minister for Health’s Award in 2017.
In addition to her role on the WA Country Health Service Board, Diane continues to work as a part time clinician and as a member of a number of committees supporting rural workforce initiatives.
Supporting and developing a sustainable rural health care workforce and quality health services for rural communities have been a career long interest.
Diane chairs the WA Country Health Service Board Safety and Quality Committee.
Mr Colin Holt
Colin has expertise and knowledge of regional communities, gained particularly from his long experience as a regional Parliamentarian. He was a Member for the South West Region in the Legislative Council, Parliament of Western Australia from 2009 to 2021 including Minister for Housing; Racing and Gaming and various Parliamentary Secretary roles.
Prior to entering Parliament, he was a foundation partner of a community development organisation ARID, and has held various professional and technical roles in the Department of Agriculture WA.
Colin is a board member of Racing and Wagering Western Australia and Deputy Chair of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board of WA. He is also the Western Australian representative for Racing Australia.
He holds a Bachelor of Science and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mrs Shaneane Weldon
Mrs Weldon is a local Aboriginal woman (Wangkatja/Ngaantjarra) who resides in Kalgoorlie.
For nearly 20 years Mrs Weldon was the Coordinator of the Aboriginal Movement for Outback Survival Aboriginal Corporation, which provided her with a firm grounding in the management of a remote Aboriginal community and experience in working with community members with housing, social, economic and employment issues. Mrs Weldon has extensive board and volunteer experience within her community. She is a long-standing Councillor of the Laverton Shire Council and a Traditional Owner with the Yilka Talintji Determination area.
Mrs Weldon holds a Diploma of Education Rural and Remote, Curtin University, 2018; Certificate III and IV – Social Housing, Curtin University, 2007-2009; and a Bachelor of Applied Science, Aboriginal Community Management and Development, Curtin University, 1996. She has been a Justice of the Peace since 1997. Her interests include Wangkatja Language preservation, family heritage and reading.
Mr Peter Campbell
Mr Peter Campbell is recently retired as a self-employed orthopaedic surgeon. He held the position of Head of the Orthopaedic Department at St John of God Hospital, Subiaco from 2007 to 2022 and has held member and Chair roles on the Medical Advisory Committee and Scope of Practice Committee at the St John of God Health Care Group from 2003 to 2022. Mr Campbell is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association.
Mr Peter Campbell holds a Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, Hons. 1st Class), University of Queensland.
Visiting Professor Catherine Stoddart
Catherine commenced as the Chief Executive Officer of Brightwater Care Group in April 2022.
Prior to this Catherine has been Deputy Director General, Department of Communities in WA and Chief Executive Officer, Northern Territory Health 2017-2021. Catherine was the Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust. Within Western Australia she has been the Chief Nurse for WA. She has held and several executive and Board Director Roles such as OUH Foundation Trust and Menzies Health Research Centre.
Catherine was awarded the 2011 Telstra Western Australia Businesswoman of the Year and in 2013 received the Australian Public Service Medal for her contribution to healthcare. She is a Nuffield and Churchill Fellow, of the Australasian College of Health Service Managers.
Mrs Jodi Johnston
Mrs Jodi Johnston resides in Manjimup and has extensive knowledge of the community serviced by WACHS. She runs a small mixed-enterprise farm with her husband and sons along with an Electrical Contracting business. She holds several roles in sporting clubs in her local community. Mrs Johnston was a physiotherapist in the public health system from 1998-2001, self-employed physiotherapist from 2001 to 2016 working in private practice and aged care, and is a registered health professional, not currently practising.
Mrs Johnston is currently the Chair of District Health Advisory Council in the Warren Health Service along with holding consumer representative roles in the regional public health systems. She is passionate about continual improvement of rural health services and facilities and sustaining a workforce to optimise health outcomes of consumers in regional areas.
She was awarded Community Citizen of the Year for the Shire of Manjimup in the 2023 Australia Day Awards.
Mrs Jodi Johnston holds a Bachelor of Science (Physiotherapy), Curtin University of Technology.
Board communiques
View the highlights, key discussions and considerations from our Board meetings.