Our board
Denise Heinjus OAM - Board Chair
AAICD, M Health SCI, Grad Cert Management, RN
Denise’s nursing career spans 55 years. She started as a Registered Nurse in 1972 then completed her midwifery training in 1973. She has achieved a Graduate Certificate in Management and Masters of Health Science (Honours). Throughout her career, she has held professional appointments with University of Melbourne, Australian Catholic University, Deakin University and University of Wollongong.
Denise’s employment experience includes working in large regional and metropolitan public health services across NSW and Victoria.
Denise has always been committed to shaping a ‘just’ workplace culture where nurses and midwives thrive as individuals and multidisciplinary team members. Denise is committed to closing the health gap for First Nations people and encouraged to see the increasing numbers of health workers identifying as First Nations people.
She values the importance of shared leadership and teamwork, genuine community consultation and engagement and is an experienced leader in driving positive cultural and clinical change for the mutual benefit of staff and consumers.
Denise has a deep appreciation of the demanding roles of nurses and midwives as professionals and caregivers and is honoured to be appointed as the inaugural chair of the National Nurses and Midwives Health Program Australia.
Heather Keighley
FACN FCRANAplus MACM MAICD Grad Dip HM MIHM
Heather currently works as an academic with Flinders University in the NT focussing on quality nursing student placements.
She has an extensive work history in the NT in a range of nursing and leadership roles including Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Senior Nursing Advisor and Director of Nursing for remote primary health care.
Her passion is in the development and wellbeing of our rural and remote nursing workforce and has been an advocate for this nationally in recent years.
An active Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), Heather is the previous Faculty Chair for Rural and Remote Nurses and Midwives, is a current Board Director for both ACN and the National Rural Health Alliance where she holds the office of Deputy Chair.
Pip Carew
GAIST
Pip joined our board as a nominee of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.
Pip is a passionate advocate for nurses and midwives. She has had a long career in the health care industry, initially working as a clinical nurse in Victorian public and private hospitals, community, and aged care facilities.
She then had a 20-year career working in industrial relations for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch). Pip held the role of Assistant State Secretary for 10 years before retiring from that position in 2021.
Pip was a trustee director for super fund HESTA for 4 years and since 2018 has held the role of trustee director for Aware super fund.
Professor Rhonda Wilson
RN, CMHN, PhD, FACMHN
Professor Rhonda Wilson is an internationally recognised mental health nursing scientist with a research focus on digital health interventions. She is Professor of Mental Health Nursing at RMIT University where she leads an innovative digital mental health nursing laboratory.
As a Wiradjuri (First Nation) descendent, and member of CATSINaM (Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives) she is a vigorous advocate and activist for the promotion of cultural safety and decolonisation in our education and health institutions.
She has published extensively in international journals, books and conferences. She has a track record of leading national and international mental health mixed methods research programs, including using methods suited to priority populations, and First Nations peoples.
Professor Wilson has worked in a wide range of rural and regional clinical registered nursing roles throughout Northern Queensland, NW Victoria, SW Queensland and the New England region of NSW. She has held academic roles in Australia, Denmark and New Zealand.
During lockdown restrictions at the height of a Covid-19 outbreak in Walgett, NSW 2021, she partnered with Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service and her university colleagues to go to Walgett to undertake an early humanitarian vaccination campaign to provide urgent protection for the local community.
Professor Wilson continues with a wide international and national network and program of research based flexibly on the traditional Darkinjung Country, Central Coast NSW, Australia.
She is the current President of the peak body, Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
Katherine Neil
RN, RM, PG Dip Midwifery, MPH, FCRANAplus, MACN, MAICD
Katherine is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with a career spanning over 30 years. She is an experienced executive leader who has focused her career on improving the lives of all Australians, particularly those living in regional, rural and remote areas.
She is passionate about the delivery of quality health care and the development of equitable and sustainable models, with a specific focus on vulnerable and at-risk populations. Katherine champions the role that nurses and midwives play in achieving positive health outcomes.
Katherine is currently the CEO of Access Community Housing Company, was the former CEO of CRANAplus and has held senior roles at the Royal Flying Doctors Service (Qld Section) and Uniting Care. Katherine has post graduate qualifications in midwifery, leadership and management, and holds a Master of Public Health.
Katherine is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served on a number of not-for-profit Boards. She currently sits on the Queensland Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Amelia Druhan
RM, BSc (Hons), Dip Ed, B Mid, MACM, MAICD
Amelia is a Registered Midwife and educator and currently holds the position of Executive Director Education with the peak rural and remote nursing and midwifery body, CRANAplus. Amelia combines executive and board director experience with a deep passion for Midwives and their work.
Amelia’s professional and volunteer experience demonstrates a commitment to health and education equity for all, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and refugee and migrant women, parents and families.
She understands that to provide the safe, trusted, quality care for which midwives and nurses are recognised for providing, they themselves must be cared for. Amelia is an advocate for innovative employment models and services that support the development and wellbeing of midwives and nurses.
Amelia is an active member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and completed the flagship Company Directors Course in 2023.
Brenda Happell
RN, RPN, BA (Hons), Dip Ed, B Ed, M Ed, PhD.
Brenda is internationally recognised as a leader in mental health nursing education and research. She is Professor of Mental Health, Southern Cross University, Honorary Professor of Nursing at University of Newcastle and Director of Happell Consulting. Brenda is passionate about mental health nursing and particularly how it can be enriched through genuine partnerships with Experts by Experience.
Brenda’s most recent book: Bullying in Nursing and Other Health Professions, addresses the real-life impact of bullying on mental and physical health.
Brenda has worked in Victoria, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. She has published approximately 500 journal articles, four books and three book chapters. She has attracted $15million in competitive funding. Brenda has held senior university positions including inaugural Director of the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Melbourne, Director of the Institute for Health and Social Science Research at Central Queensland University and Professor of Nursing and Executive Director of SYNERGY, Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre at University of Canberra and ACT Health.
Brenda is a Board Director, Fellow and Life Member of Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN), and an Equally Well Ambassador, actively promoting the importance of physical health for people diagnosed with mental illness. She is a former Director of the Mansfield District Hospital Board.
Brenda lives between Taungurung country and Djiru county.
