Our Board

Chairwoman, Ms Elthies (Ella) Kris

Ms Kris was appointed Board Chair in May 2019.  She is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, with cultural connection to the land and sea from her father from the Mabuiag, Saibai and St Pauls and her mother from Mer and Erub. She carries and lives by her mother’s totem Serar (tern bird).  Ms Kris brings more than 20 years of experience within the health industry, including corporate, primary health care and public health and through volunteering with Torres Shire Council to lead, support and empower health changes within her community of Thursday Island.  Her current role with Torres Strait Island Regional Council includes developing, planning and implementing sustainable health related activities within council communities.  Ms Kris has a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion, a Masters of Public Health and is an Adjunct Associate Professor within James Cook University’s College of Public Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science.

Ms Kris is Chair of the Executive Committee and a member of the Finance and Performance Committee. She also is an observer on the Audit and Risk Committee and the Safety and Quality Committee.

Mrs Tracey Jia

Mrs Jia was appointed as a Board Member in December 2014 and previously served as a Board Member for Cape York HHS Board from 2012.  Mrs Jia has lived on Western Cape Peninsula since 1996 and is well regarded for her work in the disability and human services sectors. Mrs Jia currently works for a private company implementing the National Disability Insurance Scheme. She is passionate about her work in a multidisciplinary field, and she works with the objective of meeting people's needs.

Mrs Jia is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Safety and Quality Committee.

Mr Horace Baira

Mr Baira was appointed as a Board Member in January 2015.  Mr Baira is a member of the Torres Strait Regional Authority and was previously a member of the Torres Strait Island Regional Council as the Councillor for Badu. He is committed to delivering better services to his community and to preserving the environment. He will provide strong local input to the board.

Mr Baira is a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and the Safety and Quality Committee.

Mr Brian Woods

Mr Woods was appointed as a Board Member in January 2015.  He has a 35-year career in business and financial management, with 10+ years recent executive-level experience in enabling and applying high standards of corporate governance, statutory compliance, policy, strategy and business performance across the region.  Mr Woods is the director/owner of DFK Kidsons, a public accountancy practice based in Cairns and his head of DFK Kidsons Indigenous practice.  He is a Certified Practicing Accountant, Fellow of CPA Australia and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr Woods is a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee.

Ms Karen (Kaz) Price

Ms Price was appointed as a Board Member in December 2015.  Ms Price lives in Cooktown and has been involved with community organisations and regional-based projects and management for the past 16 years.  She is currently CEO of the Cooktown District Community Centre and operates a training and development project for young people and vulnerable job seekers through a social enterprise model.  Ms Price has previously served eight years as a Councillor for Cook Shire and was a former manager of the Cape York Hospital and Health Service Learning and Development Unit.

Ms Price is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee.

Dr Scott Davis

Dr Davis was appointed as a Board Member in May 2016.  Dr Davis has worked in regional rural and Indigenous health and development and is committed to addressing the social determinants of health for rural and remote Indigenous committees.  He has more than 25 years’ experience in senior leadership roles within the health, education and research sectors and more than 20 years of board experience.  He holds a doctorate in Indigenous Community Capacity Development (social and economic development) and a Masters in International Public Health.

Dr Davis is the Chair of the Safety and Quality Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee and the Finance and Performance Committee

Ms Shibasaki was appointed as a Board Member in May 2019.  Ms Shibasaki has worked extensively in the health sector throughout Queensland in urban, regional and remote communities since 2008.  She has undertaken various executive roles and is experienced in leading change management processes at board, corporate, clinical and service provision levels.  Ms Shibasaki is recognised for introducing management and system reforms in several community health organisations.  As the operator of two businesses in the surrounding areas of Thursday Island, Ms Shibasaki brings proven leadership and local knowledge.

Ms Shibasaki is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Finance and Performance Committee.

Mrs Karen Dini-Paul

Mrs Dini-Paul was appointed as a Board Member in May 2020.  Mrs Dini-Paul offers more than 20 years’ experience in business management, workforce development, strategic leadership and delivery of human services for government and non-government organisations in Far North Queensland, including UnitingCare Queensland, Wuchopperen Aboriginal Health Service, Act for Kids and the Department of Communities. She currently operates her own business, KDP Consultancy.  Mrs Dini-Paul is an Aboriginal woman, descendant of the Arrernte People of Alice Springs. She was born and resides in Cairns.

Mrs Dini-Paul is the Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee and a member of the Executive Committee and the Safety and Quality Committee.

Ms Sue Hadfield

Ms Sue Hadfield was appointed as a Board Member in September 2020.  Ms Hadfield is currently retired after more than 40 years working in clinical nursing, leadership, and management of clinical services roles throughout both rural, regional and metropolitan Queensland.  Ms Hadfield is committed to improving the experience of health service users and delivery of health services and outcomes for people in rural and remote communities.  An area of experience and advocacy Ms Hadfield offers is inclusion of service reforms which are sensitive to the Indigenous people and rural and remote communities.  This was particularly relevant when Ms Hadfield led the coordination of cancer service projects and service reforms to improve the patient experience, timeliness and access to services across Far North Queensland rural and remote communities.

Ms Hadfield is a member of the Safety and Quality Committee and the Board Executive Committee.