Meet Western Sydney Local Health District’s new Board members

Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) has welcomed five brand-new members to its already esteemed Board.

The members of the WSLHD Board are appointed by the NSW Minister for Health for a term of up to four years.

WSLHD’S Board Chair, Richard Alcock AO, and CE, Graeme Loy, received the new members at the first board meeting for 2023 at Westmead Hospital.

WSLHD also extended a huge thank you to the two board members whose term has ended: Narelle Bell and Debra Thoms.

Their time on the board was acknowledged and both were thanked for their expertise, guidance and dedication during their tenure and for bringing a wealth of experience and local knowledge to the management of WSLHD health services.

WSLHD new Board members:

Chandrika Subramaniyan

Chandrika Subramaniyan is a well-known solicitor who has been focusing on community services for over two decades. She currently chairs Sydwest Multicultural Services and is a Microsoft certified professional who teaches law, leadership, IT, and community management at the tertiary level. She also serves on several Australian and overseas organisations and committees, is a fellow of many reputed institutes, and founded Tamil Valarchi Manram which focuses on serving the Tamil community with language and culture. Chandrika is also a speaker with knowledge in religion, philosophy, media, law, and leadership and is a regular speaker for overseas universities and academic institutions. She has written more than 53 books in English and Tamil on law, women, media, computers and culture and has received many prestigious awards from India and Australia.

Sue Coleman

Sue has lived in western Sydney since childhood and holds a Bachelor of Social Studies (USYD), Master of Management (UTS) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Sue has extensive senior management, governance and leadership experience gained over thirty years in local government including 12 years as an executive at City of Parramatta and earlier with the not-for-profit sector. She had also held several Board positions in the health, community services, sports and arts sectors and is currently a Director of the Parramatta Leagues Club.

Melissa Monteiro

Melissa Monteiro is CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre in Parramatta. She has a degree in Social Work and over 27 years of experience in the community sector. She manages a medium-sized not-for-profit organization in Western Sydney, with a portfolio that includes child protection, settlement services, women, families, domestic violence, youth, and business services. She focuses on the intersectionality of resettlement stressors by investing in multiple service delivery strategies, ensuring that prevention and early intervention programs are responsive to the unique needs of diverse communities. Melissa is a Pro Bono Australia, IMPACT Australia 21 winner, Salvation Army Multicultural Ambassador, Executive Board Member on various Local and National Advisory Boards/Committees, Chair of the Settlement Council of Australia and a member of the NSW Police Multicultural Advisory Council and Board Director of the Anti –Discrimination Board NSW.

Karin Lines

Karin has extensive experience working in Local Health Districts in NSW in various roles, including nursing, policy development, service development and planning, academic teaching, and leadership positions. She held leadership positions such as Director of Mental Health Services and Executive Director of Forensic Mental Health and Mental Health Branch, NSW Ministry of Health from 2015-2019. During this time, she contributed to national and state mental health committees and has influenced mental health reform in the state and national level. Karin is also on the board of Support Act, a charity for musicians and others in the music industry and has assisted in the development of a prevention program and mental health helpline for people in the music industry. In 2018, she was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to mental health care in NSW.

Stewart Thompson

Stewart is a highly experienced Chartered Accountant with over 30 years in the industry. He specialises in providing audit and assurance services for mid-market companies, including private, foreign multinational, ASX-listed, and not-for-profit and public sector organizations. He has a wide range of experience across industries such as transport, logistics, manufacturing, import and distribution, agribusiness, property and the public sector. Stewart also has served on many board positions in private, not-for-profit and government entities. He is known for his hands-on approach and ability to understand the big picture from the client’s perspective.

Find out more about each of WSLHD’s Board members here.