WCHM Board Members

Margo Mitchell - Chair

Margo worked in the community sector for about 25 years, as a community development worker, most recently as CEO of Belconnen Community Service for over 10 years. Margo has a passion for social justice, particularly in making a difference for women’s health and wellbeing.

Judith Manning – Deputy Chair

Judith’s professional career has always been in the health care arena starting out as a Registered Nurse in the specialist field of cardiothoracic medicine. She worked in that field internationally, nationally and locally before transferring her interest to risk management, continuous improvement and evaluation and consumer participation within the health care sector, again at national and local levels. She has a long standing interest and commitment to clinical and corporate governance in both the public and private sectors of health care service delivery and has participated in a number of national forums on quality and safety most notably the 1996 Taskforce on Quality in Australian Health Care.

Carol Benda -Treasurer

Carol has worked in the community sector for the past 13 years and believes the sector plays a major role in delivering assistance and help for people in Canberra.  She commenced working at Community Aid Abroad in 1995, and then worked at the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) for 7 years, where she completed a Degree in Business Administration. Carol then worked with the Domestic Violence Crisis Service as an Admin/finance officer for 2 years and then returned to the WLC as the coordinator. She is currently studying a law degree at the University of Canberra.

Jane Dahlstrom - Member

Jane Dahlstrom is a Pathologist at ACT Pathology, Canberra Hospital and Professor of Anatomical Pathology at the Australian National University (ANU) Medical School. She is a past president of the Medical Women's Society of ACT and Region, and has been the chair of the Breast Cancer Treatment Group of ACT and South East NSW. She is a keen educator  to health professionals and the community, and is involved in a number of health related research projects.

Eve Burnes - Member

Eve completed a Bachelor of Professional Communication at the University of Canberra in 2003. She has worked in the community sector, government and private enterprise, in community development and communications based roles.

Alison Osmond - Member

Alison Osmand obtained degrees in Arts and Laws from the Australian National University in Canberra. She was admitted to practice in October 1991 and has practised exclusively in the area of family law since that time. Alison commenced her career in law at the Legal Aid Office (ACT), and then went into private practice in 1998. Throughout her career Alison has been involved in a number of committees including the ACT Continuing Legal Education Committee. She has also been involved as a board member for a number of community organisations. Alison has extensive experience in complex family law disputes as well as in the representation of children in the Family Court. She has a special interest in relocation cases. In which she was awarded Children’s Lawyer of the Year.

Sarah Vann-Sander - Member

Sarah is currently completing her Honours in Science at the Australian National University. Sarah has always been interested in social justice issues, and focuses her study efforts towards development and sustainability issues. She has a passion for women’s rights and ensuring access to adequate health systems and education, and co-founded an all-female society and support network at the ANU, and has been president since it started.

Susan Dalby - Member

Kathleen O'Sullivan - Member

Kathleen has been working for Government Departments for 13 years, and is currently the Director of the National Building and Infrastructure Investment program in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. She is studying a Master of Management at the Australian National University, and was admitted as a Fellow CPA in 2006 and holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) qualification. She possesses a broad range of business and management skills and experience, and has extensive experience in establishing and maintaining corporate governance frameworks and the application of accounting and auditing standards in complex and sensitive environments. 

 

Susan Stratigos - Member

Susan worked in history, political science and development studies in Jamaica, Australia and Papua New Guinea after she graduated from the University of Sydney. In 1988 she joined the United Nations Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs in Vienna, and was seconded to WHO in Geneva and Mauritius as a regional advisor on maternal health service. She worked as a consultant for a number of UN bodies including UNIDO and the ILO.  In 1992 she worked for Queensland Health as Women’s Health Adviser from 1996. From 1998 – 2000 Susan taught Health Policy and Planning in the School of Public Health at the Queensland University of technology.  Susan was appointed national Policy Advisor to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) in their national secretariat when that position was established in 2001 - her work there had a particular focus on rural maternity services, procedural medicine, rural specialists, program review and evaluation and issues for female doctors. Since retiring from the RDAA in December 2008, Susan now works as a consultant on various aspects of rural health.