Building the Future Health Workforce Forum

Kim Sykes - Department of Human Services

Kim is currently Director of the Service and Workforce Planning Branch of the Department of Human Services, Victoria.

She has had a diverse career in healthcare having held clinical, operational management and strategic leadership roles before undertaking policy positions.

Dr Andrew Noblet - Deakin University Business School

Dr Andrew Noblet is an Associate Professor at Deakin University Business School and has undertaken extensive research on a range of people-management issues including occupational stress, employee engagement and retention, perceptions of organisational fairness and employee performance. One of the key strengths of Andrew’s research is that the findings have immediate relevance to industry. Andrew regularly undertakes consultancy work for private and public-sector organisations and specialises in undertaking employee needs assessments, organisational development and leadership training.

Jacquie O'Brien - Victorian Community Services and Health Industry Training Board

Jacquie O’Brien is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Community Services and Health Industry Training Board brings to the role a range of experiences gained from health, youth, employment and training and member service focussed organisations. She holds a Masters of Management, Bachelor of Education as well as having had over twenty years experience as a Midwife and General Nurse.

Tony Nippard - State Services Authority

Tony is currently the Executive Director Knowledge Management and Governance, Victorian State Services Authority. Prior to recently taking up this position Tony had 10 years experience as a senior executive in health funding and policy development with the Victorian Department of Human Services. Tony has also had extensive experience in program management and policy development in other areas of human services, such as homeless services, housing policy and finance. Tony has a BA, B Com and MA and is a member of the ACHSE, Australian Institute of Company Directors and Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Karen Dodd, is Professor and Associate Dean, in the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University. She has worked in academia for more than 20 years in various positions. Over the past 2 years she has led a project for the La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences looking at developing capacity and quality of nursing and allied health workforce, particularly with respect to entry-level professional education. These projects are specifically focused at addressing current and future health workforce shortages in the Northern Victorian region and developing a multidisciplinary regional network clinical school approach.