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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Michelle Morton

Deputy Chair

Michelle Morton is the longest-serving Townsville Hospital and Health Board Member and is currently Deputy Board Chair, Chair of the Board Finance Committee, Deputy Chair of the Board Executive Committee and Member of the Board Audit and Risk Committee. Michelle has held the position of Chair of Queensland Health’s Finance and Audit Committee since 2018.

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Michelle has extensive experience in the administration of hospital services, financial management and organisation as well as risk management, regulatory compliance, corporate and public-sector governance. Michelle is a Managing Partner of a law firm and holds several Board positions including Member of the Racing Queensland Thoroughbred Advisory Committee. Michelle is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialist in Workplace Relations and Personal Injuries.

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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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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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Graham Pattel

Graham Pattel currently serves on the Board of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service Qld Ltd. He is a former youth worker at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre and Chairperson of both the Bundaberg Justice Corporation and Townsville Community Justice Group.

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He was a researcher for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, established by former Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1987 to investigate the causes of deaths of Aboriginal people held in state and territory jails.

Graham holds a Diploma in Community Management, Certificate IV in both Youth Justice and Train the Trainer, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Graham brings his skills and passion for youth, equity, community service, and justice to his new role on the Townsville Hospital and Health Board.

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Professor Kunwarjit Sangla

Professor Kunwarjit Sangla 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.

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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Dr Erin Waters

Dr Erin Waters is medical practitioner with over twenty years’ experience across the public and private healthcare sectors since graduating from the University of Queensland’s medical school in 2003.

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In addition to her role on the Townsville Hospital and Health Board, Erin is also a member of the Medical Board of Australia’s Queensland Board and Examiner for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Originally from Brisbane, Erin moved with her family to Townsville, the hometown of her husband, in 2023 to commence the role of Director of Medical Services at the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Services, where she leads a multidisciplinary team in providing accessible, integrated and culturally-safe primary care to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to live healthier, stronger and longer lives through personal and community empowerment.

Erin is a champion for patient safety and improving the quality, accessibility and integration of healthcare services, firmly believing that all people should be able to access safe and reliable care when needed.  With the privilege of caring for thousands of patients across the lifespan and from all walks of life through her work as a GP, Erin is a staunch patient advocate and proponent for whole-person healthcare, which integrates physical, emotional and social wellbeing and preventative healthy lifestyle measures to enable thriving individuals, families and communities.  Erin is a passionate medical educator who enjoys supporting the training of healthcare professionals and building capacity and capability of the North Queensland health workforce.

Outside of work Erin enjoys spending time at home with her three children, walking, swimming and exploring the beautiful north Queensland region.

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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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