Board of Directors
Hon. Lisa Neville
In July 2023, the Hon. Lisa Neville was appointed director of the Barwon Health Board.
Ms Neville previously served as a director on the Board and briefly held the Board Chair position before her election as State Member for Bellarine in 2002.
Up until her retirement from Parliament in 2022, Ms Neville held ministerial roles in Mental Health, Aged Care, Emergency Services, Environment and Climate Change, and Police and Water.
Libby Mears
Libby Mears was appointed non-executive director of the Barwon Health Board in July 2023. Libby is an experienced chief executive and board chair who has held positions across a number of reputable organisations.
Libby is an authentic leader, committed to a values-driven, strengths-based organisational culture and enabling an engaged workforce.
In 2020, Libby was a Victorian State Finalist in the ‘For Purpose’ category in the Telstra Business Women of the Year 2020 awards. She holds a Master’s degree in Health Sciences (MHSC) in Public Health/Health Promotion.
Her years of experience include stints at TAC, St Joseph’s College Geelong, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust, G21 Geelong Region Alliance and more.
Virginia Todd
Virginia has 17 years’ experience working across five departments in the Victorian Public Service. She has worked both centrally and in regions in strategic land use planning, the community services sector, youth programs and on community strengthening programs. Virginia also has an extensive history in service redevelopment of human services programs including foster care, residential based care and family support services.
Virginia has experience in local government having been both an elected representative and senior manager. She was the former Geelong West Council in 1985 and served as Mayor from 1991 to 1993 up until regional Councils were amalgamated. She was Manager of Human Services at Moorabool Shire Council for five years.
In 2008 and 2013 Virginia undertook overseas assignments through Australian Business Volunteers to advise Non Government Organisations in Cambodia with strategic planning and policy development.
Currently, Virginia is a Senior Project Manager in Regional Development Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs Transport and Resources. In this role, Virginia has brokered and managed 53 projects with total project value of around $113 million in the City of Greater Geelong.
Virginia holds an Executive Masters in Public Administration (EMPA), Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) Monash University.
Professor Brendan Crotty
Brendan was appointed Foundation Head of the Deakin School of Medicine in 2006. In this role he was responsible for the development and delivery of the Deakin medical course, which is designed to equip graduates with the skills needed to practise in rural and regional Australia.
From 2011 to 2019, he was Executive Dean of Deakin University’s Faculty of Health, overseeing a significant expansion in teaching and research.
He trained in general medicine and gastroenterology and has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.
Stephen Elder OAM
Stephen Elder was appointed to the Barwon Health Board in December 2019 after a distinguished career in politics, local government and educational administration. He was a member of the Victorian Parliament from 1988 to 1999, serving as Parliamentary Secretary for Education from 1993 to 1999. Stephen went on to serve as the Executive Director of Catholic Education Melbourne and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria until 2019.
Stephen has also served in a wide variety of governance roles, including the Senate of the Australian Catholic University, the Deakin University Council, the Board of Mercy Health Foundation, the Board of the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, Director/Company Secretary of Catholic Capital Grants, the Board of Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership and Member of the Ministerial Deregulation Advisory Council. He also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor at The Australian Catholic University
In 2016, Stephen was awarded an Order of Australia for services to the Victorian community. He and his family live at Barwon Heads.
Clare Amies
Clare Amies was appointed to the Barwon Health Board in July 2021. Clare Amies was appointed Chief Executive Officer of genU in June 2020. Previously, she was Chief Executive of WorkSafe Victoria, Executive Director of Insurance at WorkSafe and held a joint executive position with the Transport Accident Commission and WorkSafe in Health Strategy. From 2002 until 2009, she was the CEO of Western Region Health Centre.
In 2013, Clare studied at Harvard Business School, where she completed the Advanced Management Program. She completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work at Monash. Clare also has a Master of Social Work and a graduate certificate in Public Policy and Management from Monash.
She worked as a social worker for more than 15 years across juvenile justice, homelessness, mental health, and primary health sectors. Clare has sat on numerous boards and government advisory committees advocating for some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
Clare is a Graduate of the Australia Institute of Company Directors, sits on a number of Boards including Leadership Victoria, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust and the Institute of Public Administration Association Victoria.
Susan Sdrinis
Susan is a medical practitioner and specialist medical administrator.
She has held roles as Executive Director Medical Services and Director Medical Services in Victorian public hospitals, and as a Senior Medical Advisor in the Victorian Department of Health.
Her interests are in the areas of clinical governance, medical governance and professional issues, and mentoring clinician managers and medical administrators in training.
Susan is also currently a member of the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner Advisory Council.
Ian Broadway
Ian was appointed to the Board of Barwon Health in July 2022 and is a highly experienced finance executive.
Ian is currently Chief Financial Officer of St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, a role he commenced in February 2017. Prior to this, he was Chief Financial Officer at Austin Health from 2005 - 2017.
Before joining Austin Health, Ian was Chief Financial Officer at the Victorian Workcover Authority and Chief of Finance at Melbourne Health, North Western Health and Western Healthcare Network.
Ian’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce and post-graduate qualifications in accounting and he is a Fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants.
Shane Solomon
Shane Solomon is an experienced health executive, having led three major health systems, as Group Chief Executive of Mercy Health and Aged Care, Undersecretary for Health in the Victorian Department of Human Services, and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority.
On his return to Australia in 2010, he worked as national health care lead for KPMG and founded Telstra’s eHealth business (Telstra Health). From 2011 to 2022, Shane was the founding Chair of the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA).
He now has a portfolio career consisting of Board positions with Silver Chain Group, the Australasian College of Surgeons, Barwon Health, and the SA Health EMR Program Board. His consulting work is in the public and private health sector, with particular specialisations in digital health strategy, health financing, and governance.
Last Modified: Thursday, 11 January 2024