Our Board

Tony Mooney AM

Chair

Tony Mooney chairs the Townsville Hospital and Health Board and has held this position since May 2016. Tony is a member of the Board Executive Committee and is also a member of the Board Audit and Risk Committee, Board Finance Committee, Board Safety and Quality Committee and Board Stakeholder Engagement Committee.

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He was the chair of the Queensland Government’s Resources Community Infrastructure Fund Advisory Committee until 2022 and holds director positions at Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre, Townsville Hospital Foundation, North Queensland Bulk Ports and NQ Spark.

Previously, Tony was a councillor and deputy mayor of the Townsville City Council and was elected mayor in 1989. He held the position of Mayor of Townsville until 2008. In 2008, Tony was made a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2011, Tony was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to local government and the community. He is a life member of Townsville Enterprise.

Tony previously served on the boards of numerous government and community entities, including Ergon Energy, LG Super and the Townsville Entertainment Centre Board of Management (Chair). In 2011, Tony was appointed by the Federal Government to the Board of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park authority, where he served until 2016.

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Gerard Wyvill

Deputy Chair

Gerard Wyvill is the Deputy Chair of the Townsville Hospital and Health Board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He is an experienced non‑executive director with more than 30 years’ senior executive and governance experience across complex healthcare organisations in both the public and private sectors.

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He brings deep expertise in corporate governance, financial stewardship, risk management and strategic planning. 

Gerard has held executive leadership roles including Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director within major hospital organisations and has served on numerous health‑related boards and committees. He is currently a non‑executive director and chairs audit and risk committees within the health sector, and has extensive experience overseeing clinical governance, accreditation, performance improvement and large‑scale organisational change.

 A Certified Practising Accountant and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Gerard brings strong financial and governance capability to the Board, with a particular focus on sustainability, quality and safety, and regional workforce development.

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Kari Arbouin

Kari Arbouin is a senior health and public‑sector leader with extensive experience across nursing, executive management, emergency services, higher education, and regional development.

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She currently holds a senior leadership role within Queensland Ambulance Service having operational oversight of the Northern part of Queensland with particular portfolio responsibilities for rural and remote communities across the State.

Kari has previously held executive roles within Queensland Health and has served as a member and chair of hospital and health service boards and subcommittees, with a strong focus on workforce, quality and safety, and system improvement.

She has also contributed to regional economic development and innovation initiatives, including governance roles supporting health and social innovation.

With qualifications spanning nursing, business administration, public health and governance, Kari brings a strong understanding of rural and remote health systems, workforce sustainability, and effective governance to support high‑quality health services for regional communities.

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Debra Burden

Debra Burden, a degree-qualified accountant, is the Chief Executive Officer of selectability and selectability Training.

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Debra has previously held CEO and executive management positions with Queensland Country Credit Union and Health Fund, ASX-listed dental services company 1300SMILES and Canegrowers Burdekin. Debra has previously been recognised by Queensland Business Review and Queensland Telstra Businesswomen’s Industry Awards.

Debra, a Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and the Institute of Leaders and Managers, has extensive board-level experience having successfully completed the AICD course twice and held board positions in numerous companies as Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and Company Secretary. Recent previous Board positions include Deputy Chair of North and West Remote Health, North Queensland Primary Health Network and Tooth Booth Ltd.

Debra is the current Chair of the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee and a member of the Board Executive Committee and Board Finance Committee.

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Dr Craig Costello

Dr Craig Costello is a Consultant Neurologist with extensive experience across public and private health services in Townsville and north Queensland.

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He has practised as a neurologist for more than a decade and is actively involved in clinical leadership, medical education, and workforce development.

 Dr Costello has served as Co-Director of Physician Training at Townsville University Hospital, where he led the development of the Physician Training Unit, a Queensland first model that has delivered strong training and examination outcomes and informed practice across other health services.

He has held leadership roles within regional and national medical committees and is a strong advocate for expanding high quality specialist services in regional settings.

 Dr Costello brings to the Board a clinician’s perspective, a commitment to education and innovation, and a strong focus on delivering safe, high-quality care close to home for north Queensland communities.

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Luke Guazzo

Luke Guazzo was appointed to the Board in April 2022, bringing with him broad business and governance experience accrued in his over 20-year career in North Queensland.

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No stranger to the Townsville Hospital and Health Service, Luke served on the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee from 2018 to 2021 and had a strong relationship with the organisation through his former role as Chief Executive Officer for Northern Australian Primary Health Limited.  

Luke holds numerous committee-level positions on various not-for-profit and commercial sector boards across northern Australia across the research, industry and economic development sectors.  He is a business coach and the managing director of his newly established coffee roasting business, Coffee Presto.  Luke is a strong advocate for achieving health equity across our region. He was born in Ingham and is raising a young family in Townsville.

Luke graduated from James Cook University (B.Com Accounting), completed his CPA through Deakin University and is a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors. His professional authority in the fields of business strategy and leadership has been acknowledged through a number of industry awards.

Luke is a member of the Board Finance Committee, Board Safety and Quality Committee and Board Stakeholder Engagement Committee.

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Nicole Hayes

Nicole Hayes is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Northern Queensland Legacy. Her previous health-related roles include managing the Department of Education and Training’s Hospital School, based in the Townsville Hospital Paediatric Unit.

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Nicole also ran the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ education program in Northern Queensland.

Nicole has successfully project managed initiatives to support at-risk and disadvantaged youth, with a focus on Indigenous engagement including a major youth suicide prevention pilot project for Queensland Health and Education Queensland.

Nicole previously led the Federal Government-funded Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program for James Cook University, boosting university participation for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and was the Marketing and Business Development leader for AECOM across Northern Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Nicole is a Graduate of the Australian Company Directors. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Education, Master of Administration (MBA), and has completed the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Certificate of Engagement.

Nicole joined the Townsville Hospital and Health Board in 2019 and is the Deputy Chair of the Board’s Stakeholder Engagement Committee.

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Dallas Leon

A Kalkadoon and Waanyi man, Dallas Leon is an experienced health executive and non‑executive director with more than 25 years’ experience working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health arena.

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He currently serves as Director, Commercial Operations at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, where he leads national program delivery for the Deadly Choices program.

 Dallas has held senior executive roles within Queensland Health and the Community Controlled Health sector, including Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at Townsville Hospital and Health Service, and Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Isa Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Service.

He has extensive board experience, including as Chair of the Western Queensland Primary Health Network, Director of the Lowitja Institute, and former Director of the North West Hospital and Health Service.

With formal qualifications in Primary Health Care (Indigenous Health), Applied Epidemiology and Governance, Dallas brings strong expertise in Indigenous health, strategic leadership and healthy system knowledge to the Board.

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Professor Kunwarjit Sangla AM

Professor Kunwarjit Sangla AM is a medical doctor and pre-eminent staff specialist at Townsville University Hospital. He specialises in general medicine, endocrinology, and obstetric medicine.

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Professor Sangla has held various roles in the health service over the years including Clinical Director of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine. He has been Medical Director for Rural Health, Surgery and Medicine. He has also served as the Deputy Director for Medical Workforce and Clinical Governance. Professor Sangla is a member of several state and national committees related to safety, quality, and medication. He is the former chair of the health service’s Human Research Ethics Committee and Medication Management Committee.

Professor Sangla is a senior examiner for the College of Physicians and continues to have a wide clinical footprint delivering specialist services in Townsville, Burketown, Dajarra, Camooweal, Bowen, Emerald, as well as at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Mackay, Gidgee Healing Mount Isa, and Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service.

Professor Sangla has a research portfolio with Townsville University Hospital and James Cook University including clinical and industry-sponsored trials. He is a peer reviewer for national and international journals and has received several research grants. He has been invited as a guest speaker at national and international conferences. In 2025, Professor Sangla was named the Townsville Institute of Health Research and Innovation's Researcher of the Year.

Professor Sangla received the Royal Australian College of Physicians Rural Services Medal in 2015 and a Townsville Hospital and Health Service NAIDOC Week Award in 2019.

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Georgina Whelan

Georgina Whelan is Site Manager at Townsville’s Icon Cancer Centre. Georgina is a registered nurse with over 27 years’ experience in the health industry across both public and private health sectors.

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Georgina has experience across a range of medical and surgical specialties, however, has a reputable passion and commitment to the specialty of oncology where she has dedicated the last two decades of her career.

Georgina has a demonstrated passion and drive for regional cancer care by ensuring patients have equitable access and exceptional standards of care.  She has successfully commissioned and established cancer day hospitals in both Townsville and Mackay.

Georgina completed a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of South Australia in 1995 and started her nursing career at The Royal Adelaide Hospital.  Georgina relocated to Townsville in 2002, working as a Registered Nurse at the Townsville University Hospital oncology unit and was later appointed as a clinical nurse in the oncology day unit.

Georgina moved into the role of Site Manager at Icon Cancer Centre in 2013, where she has developed exceptional leadership and business management attributes.  Georgina has since completed her Master of Business Administration through the Australian Institute of Business and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Georgina also holds an advisoryboard position for an international organisation developing an integrated oncology software solution.

Georgina joined the Townsville Hospital and Health Board in 2020. Georgina is the Deputy Chair of Board Finance Committee, a member of both the Board Audit and Risk and Board Stakeholder and Engagement Committees.

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