The Board

Board Directors

• Michelle McDade

  Chair

  About Michelle
  Michelle McDade

  Michelle McDade is an experienced health service executive having held operational roles in both the public and private health care sector. Michelle’s career is highlighted by her approach to quality and innovation.

  Improving each patient's experience in the health service, engaging staff in this important work, and searching for innovative solutions to the challenges in health care is of utmost importance to Michelle.

  Michelle travelled internationally in 2010/11 studying excellence in patient experience. Michelle has previously worked as a Physiotherapist, holds a Masters of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

• Kelly Lees

  Vice Chair

  About Kelly
  Kelly Lees

  Kelly Lees is the General Manager of Meadow Funeral Group. She is an experienced business manager with a proven track record in implementing strategic plans, improving business performance and building strong unified teams. She brings an in-depth knowledge of general, operational, financial and human resource management with a consistent focus on improving all aspects of the business through sound leadership. Kelly holds a Master’s in Business Administration completed through La Trobe University.

• Robyn Fry

  Board Director

  About Robyn
  Robyn Fry

  Robyn Fry has worked as a lawyer for more than 30 years with over 20 years’ experience in private and public sector general counsel and company secretary roles in the healthcare and hospitals sector as well as in funds management and a government business enterprise. Over this time Robyn has gained extensive experience in the establishment, direction, and oversight of a broad range of public and private sector governance frameworks, regulatory compliance functions, insurance portfolios, and risk management and business continuity programs. With board and company secretariat experience in health information services, services for children and their families, public health service and health research and epidemiology, Robyn is committed to the ongoing challenges of improving healthcare including in the critical areas of staff safety and welfare and patient outcomes.

  Based in Melbourne, Robyn has strong family connections in north east regional Victoria and looks to making a genuine contribution to the Health Service and more broadly to the community it serves.

• Angus Beath

  Board Director

  About Angus
  Angus Beath

  Angus is a new Board Director local to the area, who commenced in July 2022. As an IT Professional and with broad experience across a large number of different industries, he brings both an information security and technology driven approach to business.

  Growing up on the Border, he lives in Tallangatta with his wife and children. Angus divides his time between community engagement, sport and pipe band commitments.

  As a new Board Director, he is looking forward very much to learning more about Tallangatta Health Service, and delivering value to it and the Board.

• Susan Petzke

  Board Director

  About Susan
  Susan Petzke

  To be supplied

• Melissa Buultjens

  Board Director

  About Melissa
  Melissa Buultjens

  Dr Melissa Buultjens (PhD) was appointed to the Tallangatta Health Service Board in July 2022.

  Melissa has diverse experience, ranging from tertiary educator to clinical midwife, and dynamic healthcare executive. Her previous role as Director of Clinical Services in a public health setting, is demonstration of her commitment towards working collaboratively to create and deliver innovative health services that support equity of access, treatments, and outcomes. She currently holds a position as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe University. Her teaching spans across the undergraduate Health Sciences through to Master and Doctoral level, e.g., Master of Health Administration, with subject matter including communication in healthcare, clinical governance, and health services quality and performance.

  Melissa has also successfully completed the Foundations of Directorship (AICD).

  Melissa looks forward to the opportunity to use her experience to contribute to the Tallangatta community through her participation on the Board of Tallangatta Health service.

• Steven Hams

  Board Director

  About Steven
  Steven Hams

  Steven has a background in both accounting and financial counselling and has been working predominantly in the adult education field for the past 15 years. He is currently the Chair of Lifeline Albury Wodonga and has a strong interest in teen and male mental health, financial wellbeing and education as well as wholistic health practices.

  Steven has lived in the local area for close to 20 years and before that had lived in many locations from Cairns in the North to Phillip Islands in the South. As such, he has a range of experiences with large and small businesses in large and small communities.

  Steven has owned a successful business in Wodonga, provided work to over 20 locals and held other community-based roles with schools and small business organisations. At home, he has three boys who are in their final years of high school and is married to Jennifer who is a teacher of children who are on the Autism spectrum.

• Bess Nolan-Cook

  Board Director

  About Bess
  Bess Nolan-Cook

  Bess is an experienced executive leader with a background in marketing, communications and major events. As the current CEO of Tourism North East, the Regional Tourism Board for Victoria’s High Country and member of The Ovens Murray Regional Partnership, Bess has a deep understanding of both the challenges and opportunities of regional development, and is passionate about driving meaningful outcomes for local communities.

  Bess holds a Bachelor of Dramatic Art in Technical Production from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Certificate in Business Administration from University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.