Professor Helen Evans AO
Helen Evans AO joined the ACPCC Board in October 2023 as a representative with expertise in Global Health. Helen is an expert in public health and development, and social policy with a particular focus on infectious diseases. She served as Deputy CEO at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance based in Geneva from 2009 until her retirement in late 2014. While working at Gavi she was instrumental in achieving the Gavi Board’s support for the HPV vaccines. Prior to joining Gavi, she served as Deputy Executive Director at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, also based in Geneva, between 2005 and 2009.
Now living in Melbourne Helen has an honorary appointment as Professor at The Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne. She serves as Co-Deputy Chair of the Board of The Fred Hollows Foundation, as a Director on the Board of the Burnet Institute, and as a Board member of the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer. She is also a member of the Technical Reference Group for the Australian Government’s Partnerships for a Healthy Region, a member of the Evaluation Advisory Committee of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccines Alliance, a member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Global Health Alliance, and a fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
Mr David Wrede
Mr David Wrede was appointed to the Board in May 2010 as the Director with gynaecological expertise and was appointed Chairman in 2023. Mr Wrede studied medicine at Cambridge University and St. Thomas’ Hospital London. His post-graduate training was in General Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology and included two years research into Cervical Cancer and HPV at the St. Mary’s branch of the Ludwig Institute. Previous appointments in the UK’s National Health Service include Consultant posts with interests in Gynaecological Cancer, Minimal Access Surgery and Colposcopy in Scotland and England. Since moving to Australia, his main clinical focus has been in gynaecological cancer prevention at The Royal Women’s Hospital. He is the clinical lead for the Dysplasia (Colposcopy) services at the Womens’ and Box Hill Hospitals. His research profile includes being an investigator on a number of cervical cancer screening projects including COMPASS (led by Prof Marion Saville and Prof Karen Canfell), iPAP (led by A/Prof Dorota Gertig) & EXCISE (co-led with A/Prof Paul Cohen) and he is also an Associate Investigator with the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence for Cervical Cancer Control. He a member of both the Quality and Safety Management Commitee and the Clinical Guidelines Working Group for the renewed National Cervical Cancer Screening Program and past Secretary of the Management Committee of the Australian Society for Colposcopy & Cervical Pathology. Mr Wrede is an Honorary Consultant to the Familial Centre Clinic on the Parkville Precinct and Honorary Senior Lecturer to the Department of O&G at the University of Melbourne.
Mr Tony Abbenante
Mr Tony Abbenante was appointed to the board in October 2018 as a director with wide expertise in Information Technology and Communications, he has specialist knowledge and experience in enterprise-wide digital health. Mr Abbenante holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Studies from the University of South Australia and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Digital Health. He has broad experience in governing national and state-wide programs; this provides a wealth of experience and knowledge to the VCS. His career spans more than 27 years in senior digital health roles and he has extensive experience with government. Tony has deep knowledge and experience in sector delivery, governance and digital health outcomes that deliver value-based clinical and business outcomes to the health sector.
Dr Jane Collins
Dr Jane Collins was Chairman in 2019/20, a position she also held from 2009-2013. Dr Collins was appointed to the Board in February 2008 to fill the role of a Director with expertise in General Practice. Dr Collins is an experienced General Practitioner, business owner and freelance medical writer. She has a special interest in women’s health as well as the provision and organisation of health care in the wider community. Dr Collins is a co-owner and the Clinical Director of the Clifton Hill Medical Group, an inner urban general practice comprising 10 GPs.
Ms Fiona Kelly
Ms Fiona Kelly was appointed to the Board in March 2017 as a Director with expertise in Finance, Commerce and Corporate Management and was appointed Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee at the 2020 AGM. She holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Melbourne. Ms Kelly has broad experience in financial management, operations and governance as a Chartered Accountant, management consultant and through executive roles in the not-for-profit and social enterprises sectors. Ms Kelly is passionate about improving health outcomes for women and values ACPCC’s commitment to cancer prevention in Australia and globally. She is currently Chief Financial Officer at FVREE, a specialist family violence service and is also a Board member of Carey Baptist Grammar School.
Ms Stephanie Reeves
Ms Stephanie Reeves joined the Board in February 2014 as a Director with expertise in Law. She served as Chairman from 2017 to 2019 and was a member of the Audit and Finance Subcommittee of the Board from 2015 – 2020. Ms Reeves has worked as an in-house legal counsel for both small and large ASX Listed companies for many years. She is now Co-Principal of a consultancy business assisting families navigate the ageing process. She is also a Non-Executive Director of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) Limited, serving on its Governance & Risk Management subcommittee, and its Club & Membership subcommittee. Stephanie has previously been on the Council of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, a member of the Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust, on the Advisory Board of a start-up law firm, Lexvoco, and a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Crime Stoppers Victoria. Stephanie has a particular interest in corporate governance in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.
Ms Ange Steele
Ange Steele joined the ACPCC Board of Directors in January 2022 as the nurse representative with relevant expertise in preventative health. Ange is a Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and a Master of Public Health. Ange has been a cervical screening nurse for 23 years which includes experience in rural and remote Australia. She is currently the Associate Nurse Unit Manager at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Gynae Oncology Dysplasia Unit, and is the first trained Nurse Colposcopist in Victoria. Ange is also a nurse educator and course coordinator in cervical screening courses for nurses at Family Planning Victoria, and is involved in research participation in cervical cancer prevention at The Royal Women’s Hospital.
Genevieve Webb
Ms Genevieve Webb joined the Board in 2019, as a Director with a consumer perspective. Genevieve is a senior executive with extensive experience in health and human services. Her most recent position was Director Quality at BreastScreen Victoria, where she led the client centric care and consumer engagement program. Her previous roles include CEO of Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, GM Corporate Services at Mind, Executive Director of Relationships Australia (Vic) and Associate Director at KPMG. Genevieve has extensive experience in organisational governance, as Chair of the Audit Committee at the State Revenue Office (Vic) and as a board member of a community health service, a TAFE college and other community organisations. She has qualifications in Psychology and IT and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kirstie Fotheringham
Kirstie Fotheringham was appointed to the ACPCC Board of Directors in April 2024 with expertise finance management, public health governance and accounting. Kirstie holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Monash University and is CPA qualified. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching – Accounting and Economics, from Monash University. She is currently Director of Finance and Corporate Service and Chief Financial Officer at Mansfield District Hospital. Kirstie has previously been a Non-executive Board Director at Yea and District Memorial Hospital and a member of the Oesophageal Atresia Research Association.
Kirstie has specific interest in finance communication and strategic planning in the area of sustainable public sector healthcare.
