Our Board of Directors

Owen Donald - Chair 
Owen Donald was appointed Chair of the Barwon Health Board of Directors in July 2009.

Owen has over thirty years experience in policy development, service delivery and financial management at Commonwealth and State levels and in the private sector. He started his career in health services research and planning before moving into policy advising and senior management roles. He has a strong background in managing public assets, including as Director of Housing in Victoria until July 2007 and as a Board member of Southern Health until June this year.

John Frame – Deputy Chair

John was former member of the Victoria Police and was appointed Deputy Commissioner (Operations) in 1988. In 1993 he was appointed the inaugural Director of Security and Loss Prevention for Coles-Myer Ltd and is currently a member of the Metropolitan Ambulance Service Board and Deputy Chairperson of the Police Appeals Board. John has a BA (Criminal Justice Administration) and a Diploma in Criminology and has been awarded the Australia Police Medal, Centenary Medal and the National Medal and Clasp. John was appointed Deputy Chair in November 2006.

Christopher Burrell

Chris is the Director & Principal Counsel of Prosperity Legal, a law firm in Geelong, which provides commercial, corporate and workplace relations advice to businesses in Geelong and its surrounding areas. Chris has a Bachelor of Laws, Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies and Certificates in Micro Mediation and OHS. Chris is a practising solicitor in Victoria and is admitted to the Supreme Courts of NSW, Victoria, SA and the High Court of Australia. Before opening Prosperity Legal, Chris previously worked for the University of New England, the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Master Builders Association of SA, and IPA Personnel.

Damian Gorman

Damian is currently employed as a Strategic Planning Consultant, providing services to Local Councils throughout Australia in relation to their planning and management of leisure facilities. Damian has formal qualifications (BA) in Recreation Management. He has extensive experience in Health Promotion and was involved in establishing the Health and Well Being Unit at Deakin University. Damian has also spent several years working for local disability support agencies including Gateways, Bethany and Barwon Independent Living.

Dr David Mackay

David is currently a Director of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and a recent past president, a Board member of the Geelong Business Network, a Director of the Smart Geelong Network, Chair of Business Connections and a member of the Local Learning and Employment Network Employer Reference Group. David has retired as an Associate Professor in the School of Information Systems, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University.  He is now an Honorary Fellow of the University, and a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. David has served as a member of Deakin University's Academic Board and Council.

Dr Sarah Leach

Sarah has been an active participant in healthcare, community and welfare services either in a professional capacity or as a volunteer for over 25 years. She has expertise and qualifications in senior nursing, academic, health management positions and more recently as a health and business consultant. From her professional nursing and academic work, she has well developed leadership and management skills. These roles have also given her grounding in corporate governance practice, strategic planning, service and program development, work force planning, leadership development, risk management and clinical governance in healthcare.

In addition through these roles, Sarah has developed extensive networks in government departments, health agencies and tertiary institutions across Victoria and particularly in the Barwon South-Western region. She is currently the Chair of Bethany Community Support Inc, a not-for-profit welfare agency in Geelong, a Director of the Geelong College Council and a member of the Royal College of Nursing and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Marcus Dripps

Marcus has 15 years experience in the private healthcare sector in Australia and the USA. A physiotherapist by training, he is involved in clinical practice, and has advisory roles to compensable bodies such as the Transport Accident Commission and Worksafe Victoria. He additionally is an advisor to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, and is a non-executive director of the Australian Physiotherapy Association. He is a director of Quality in Practice Physiotherapy, and is actively involved in the accreditation of health services.