Executive team

Ms Lisa Blackler was appointed Health Service Chief Executive in April 2024.

Before joining us, Lisa was Group Director of Operations at Te Whatu Ora in New Zealand. Lisa has over 20 years of executive and senior leadership experience in the health sector, including tenure at Gladstone Hospital in Women and Children’s health and Perioperative and Outpatient care.

Her leadership approach is influenced by her clinical experience as a nurse and midwife. She has a reputation as a dynamic, respected and results driven leader, with expertise in leading health service delivery in regional, rural and remote settings.

Lisa is deeply committed to building a high performing team and providing better access to care for Central Queenslanders.

Mr Jamie Spencer brings extensive experience across both private and public health sectors. Jamie joined CQ Health in January 2023 as General Manager Gladstone and Banana before being appointed interim Chief Operating Officer in February 2024.

Having acted in the COO role previously, Jamie brings proven capability driving operational excellence and value for our health service.

Jamie has previously held roles as General Manager – Business Development for Telstra Health, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services and Executive Director of Toowoomba Hospital, and Director of Nursing at both The Prince Charles Hospital, and Queensland Elizabeth Jubilee Hospital.

Mr Srinath Kondapally has more than 25 years’ experience working across hospitals and healthcare networks and private corporations in Australia and India.

Most recently, he held the role of Finance Business Manager with West Moreton Hospital and Health Service where he was recognised for his ability to link commercial and operational drivers to achieve improved organisational outcomes.

Srinath’s responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the financial management of clinical services and oversight of the annual health budget for our region.

He’s passionate about providing close-to-home patient-centred care using innovative technology and service redesign to improve services and maintain financial sustainability.

Professor Pooshan Navathe is the professional lead for all medical staff in CQ Health. His role focuses on safety, quality, and system integrity.

His special interests include:

• safety and governance
• educating and mentoring health professionals
• implementing change
• enabling colleagues to attain professional excellence in their practice.

Before joining us, Pooshan specialised in occupational and aviation medicine, leading teams in New Zealand and Australia.

Pooshan has been a teacher for the past 30 years and holds academic positions in universities and professional medical colleges. He continues to research and has many publications to his credit.

Adjunct Professor Sue Foyle’s experience as a nurse and midwife spans more than 30 years.

She has extensive experience in midwifery, including management and leadership in maternity services and clinical governance. She also has expertise in intensive care and emergency nursing.

Sue is passionate about ensuring there are systems in place to maintain and improve the reliability, safety and quality of our healthcare services.

She is well respected as both a national and international speaker on safety and quality in health care.

Sue is a previous recipient of our Clinical Excellence Award.

She also received the Outstanding Achievement in Nursing Award from the Association of Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Leaders in 2019.

Sue is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ms Donna Cruickshank started with CQ Health in June 2022 as our first Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing.

Donna's responsible for delivering on the health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Central Queensland. She actively works with our families, communities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health partners.

Before joining us, Donna held leadership and executive positions in NSW Health. She gained broad knowledge in Aboriginal health and workforce.

Her work in Aboriginal employment and cultural education has won NSW Public Sector Awards.

Donna holds a double masters in Health Service Management and Planning.

Ms Shareen McMillan leads a team of 48 who work on key workforce projects, functions and activities including:

• strategic planning for workforce, cultural and organisational change, and organisational development including embedding values and staff recognition programs
• occupational health, safety and wellbeing
• recruitment and attraction
• business assurance and establishment management
• employee and industrial relations
• capability and leadership development programs.

Shareen has also worked in various government agencies, gaining extensive experience in:

• organisational and cultural change and development
• corporate services management and reporting
• training and development
• workplace health and safety
• employee and stakeholder engagement.

She has a degree in Communications, Japanese Language and Tourism, receiving high distinctions and a Japanese language award. She also has a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and Management.

Ms Kerrie-Anne Frakes has more than 20 years’ experience in developing, implementing and evaluating innovative models of care and workforce redesign. These have delivered transformational service changes and improved health outcomes.

She has held an executive leadership role in CQ Health for the past 10 years.

Kerrie-Anne was the first public podiatrist in the Central Queensland region, having arrived in 1999 on a Queensland Health Rural Scholarship Graduate for Podiatry.

She has since held strategic leadership roles as well as operational leadership roles including:

• Executive Director for the Rockhampton Business Unit - including Rockhampton Hospital, Mental Health, Offender Health, Capricorn Coast Hospital and Mt Morgan
• Director of Clinical Support services
• Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Allied Health.

She has won state and national awards for innovative models of care and has an extensive publication history in chronic disease management and service delivery evaluation. She holds Masters qualifications in Health Administration.

She's passionate about regional and rural community capacity with a focus on workforce sustainability and care for patients closer to home.