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Hospital

The Royal Children's Hospital

A/Prof Tom Connell is the Chief of Medicine at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). Originally from Dublin Ireland, he graduated from University College Dublin in 1996, received Membership of the [Royal College of Physicians of Ireland](/org/royal-college-of-physicians-of-ireland) (Paediatrics and Child Health) in 1999 and came to the RCH Melbourne in 2003.  He subsequently completed a fellowship in Infectious Diseases, prior to moving to Cape Town to complete field work for his PhD that he obtained in 2011 from The University of Melbourne.

Tom received a Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) career development award from 2013 - 2016 and is co-lead of the clinical paediatrics research group that sits within the Infection Immunity theme within the MCRI. Tom is also an honorary Principal Fellow within The University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics. He has published in excess of 80 peer reviewed manuscripts and has mentored and taught many trainees who now have successful careers at the RCH and other major national and international hospitals.

In 2014, Tom was appointed Director of General Medicine at the RCH, where he provided leadership to almost 120 staff and gained awards for quality improvement in General Medicine and Specialist Clinics. Tom commenced as Chief of Medicine in October 2018.

Tom was the 2016 recipient of the RCH Chairman’s Medal, recognising his contribution to improving patient flow, care for complex patients, medical education, clinical research and workplace culture in his department.

Tom Connell

Michael is the current Chief of Surgery, appointed to the position in November 2022.

Michael was born and raised in Birmingham in England. Having attended medical school at the University of Bristol UK, he trained at leading congenital cardiac centers in the world including RCH, Great Ormond St (London), Royal Brompton Hospital (London), and the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto). He returned to Melbourne in 2005 as a Consultant Cardiologist, and in 2011 he was appointed Director of Cardiology at RCH and Leader of the Heart Research Group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. He is a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne. He has published 9 book chapters and >200 manuscripts. His MBA study was through Melbourne Business School.

His subspecialty clinical interest is Cardiac Imaging including echocardiography and MRI. He has served on The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation board and is the current Chair of the Paediatric Executive of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Michael Cheung

Bernadette McDonald was appointed to the role of CEO of The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in September 2021.

Bernadette was previously the CEO of Canberra Health Services at a time of great change in the ACT’s health service system. Prior that appointment, she was the Deputy CEO and then Interim CEO of Austin Health, having previously been the CEO of the Orbost Regional Health Service.

Bernadette is a highly experienced leader with a track record of delivery in the Australian health sector. Known for her strategic vision, strong relationships, inspirational leadership and commitment to exceptional patient care, she demonstrates authentic leadership, and positions organisations for success by strategically assessing the environment and providing foresight to maximise impact and reputation.

Bernadette has a Bachelor of Nursing, a Masters of Health Administration, post graduate diplomas in Health Services and Health Systems Management, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Bernadette McDonald

Kathryn Riddell was appointed Executive Director Nursing and Allied Health and Chief Nursing Officer in August 2022, with responsibility for nursing education and research, allied health and Infection Prevention and Control.

With a career spanning over thirty years, Kath is a highly experienced nursing leader who demonstrates more than 10 years’ executive level professional and operational experience within the Victorian public health sector. Across the breadth of her career, Kath has led strategy in patient safety and quality, workforce planning and industry based nursing and inter-professional education.

Kath previously held the position of Executive Chief Nursing Officer with St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM). Prior to this, Kath spent 12 years with Eastern Health, with her final position being Executive Director: Learning and Teaching & Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.

Kath is compassionate and inspired to make a difference to deliver high quality care, and excited about driving generational change.

Kath has a Master of Nursing (Research), a Graduate Diploma of Health Management, a Bachelor of Education and a Graduate Diploma of Critical Care Nursing.



Kathryn Riddell

Shane Hendricks

Pallavi Khanna is the current Director at The Royal Children's Hospital. Prior to this, they were with Metro Trains Melbourne and City of Stonnington. Before that, they were with The Royal Children's Hospital and [Ballarat Health Services](/org/ballarat-health-services). Pallavi has also been a part of the Finance and Risk Committee member with Common Equity Housing Ltd from February 2015 to January 2022. Pallavi has been an Associate Director, Risk Management with ShineWing Australia (SW) since April 2010 and is currently also a Board Member - Treasurer with the Public Galleries Association of Victoria.

Pallavi Khanna

Rowena Coutts is the current Chair at The Royal Children's Hospital. Rowena has also previously worked as the Chair Board of Directors at [Ballarat Health Services](/org/ballarat-health-services), Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Company Director at Federation University Australia, and as a Board Member and Chair at Ballarat Clarendon College.

Rowena Coutts has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) B Juris from [Monash University](/org/monash-university).

Rowena Coutts

Andrew Gay was appointed Chief Financial Officer in June 2022, and has responsibility for Finance, ICT, Payroll, Procurement and Supply, Facilities and Support Services.

Andrew has previously held CFO positions with the Victorian Department of Health, Northern Health Services, Canberra Health Services and Austin Health Services.

Prior to moving into the health sector, Andrew had a long and diverse career as a commercial executive and business leader across a wide range of complex industries and cultures. He has worked in packaging, paper and automotive industries in Australia, Korea and China. Prior to returning to Australia, Andrew was General Motors regional lead for business services within the Middle East and Asia Pacific areas, along with being a board member of GM Holden Australia Limited.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business degree, and a Master of Business Administration. He is a Fellow of the Australian CPA’s and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Andrew Gay

Sandy Bell was appointed to the role of Executive Director Strategy, Planning and Performance in February 2022.

Sandy was previously the Director Strategy, Planning and Performance at the Royal Women’s Hospital and Austin Health, building a vision and strategic plan for the future at both health services.

Sandy began her career as a Registered Nurse before joining the Department of Health where she worked in a number of roles across service and capital planning, elective surgery and rural health. In parallel, Sandy has built a 25+ year board career in both the public and not for profit sector in the areas of women, children and community services. Sandy is currently the Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Centre.

Sandy is at her best when working together with others to create positive change for the future and measuring success.

Sandy has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in women’s studies, a Masters of Public Policy and Management and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sandy Bell

Denise Patterson was appointed to the role of Chief Operating Officer of The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in May 2022. In this role, Denise has overall responsibility for the clinical operations of the hospital, working closely with the executive team.

Denise was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Canberra Health Services at a time of great change in the ACT’s health service system. Prior to that appointment, Denise held many senior executive roles, including Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery and Patient Quality and Safety at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (Queensland), Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Health (Victoria) and Chief of Clinical and Site Operations at Box Hill Hospital (Victoria).

Denise is a highly experienced leader with an extensive career across nursing and midwifery, health system reform and hospital operations. With a track record of delivery in the Australian health sector, Denise is known for her inspirational leadership and commitment to patient care and experience.

Denise has a Masters of Midwifery, a Graduate Diploma in Health Management and a Graduate Certificate in Hospital Redesign.

Denise Patterson

Stuart is the current Chief of Critical Care, appointed to the position in January 2022 for the remainder of the year. He was previously the Director of Emergency Medicine and will return to this role in 2023.

Stuart is a medical graduate of the University of Tasmania and worked across a range of clinical disciplines both in hospital and general practice for several years, before commencing specialist training in paediatrics in Western Australia in 1997. He moved to Melbourne in 2002 working in emergency medicine while completing fellowship training in paediatric emergency medicine (FRACP) that same year. He joined the Royal Children’s Hospital in 2003 as a fellow in the emergency department and was appointed to a senior medical staff position in 2004. He has continued as a full-time emergency physician at RCH and was appointed to the position of Director of Emergency Medicine in 2016.

His interests include sustainable access to the required levels of care according to need, and the relationships between access, flow and patient safety.

Stuart Lewena

Maddi Playford

After many years technology leadership experience in Australia, the US, UK and Europe, Michael moved into academia at La Trobe University. At La Trobe Business School (LBS), he was a Professor of Practice in Management, teaching into MBA and master’s courses on the social and ethical issues around technology and business, and on corporate governance. More recently, Michael has been involved in subject development and teaching for LBS and for the Centre for AI & Digital Ethics (CAIDE) at the University of Melbourne.

In addition to his role on the Royal Children's Hospital Board, Michael is Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and is a Member of its Profession Advisory Board, and an external member of the Audit & Risk Committee of Central Highlands Rural Health. He was previously a Director of Kyneton District Health where he was at various times a member of its Governance & Remuneration, Clinical Governance, and Audit & Risk Committees.

Michael has been awarded a PhD in Corporate Governance for research on board effectiveness in startups, an MBA with a concentration in computing, a GradDip in Communications Law, and a BSc in Pure Mathematics & Computing. His research interests are at the intersection of ethics, technology, law and governance.

Michael Wildenauer

Jude Munro is experienced in guiding large complex organisations both as a non-executive director and when she was a CEO. She has been board chair of Australia's fourth largest water utility, a State Planning Authority, and one of Victoria’s largest not for profits with services directed to children, young people and families. She has also been a chair of a not for profit company with oversight of four major hospitals. She has been a director of a national aviation business, an airport, a state transit authority, a bus company, a development company, and chair of Australia's first Pride Centre for the LGBTIQ+ community. She provides advice to organisations on strategic planning, governance and leadership. Jude mentors CEOs, and assists organisations in selection and CEO performance reviews. Her last CEO position was as CEO of Brisbane City Council for 10 years. She led the Council with its $2.6B annual budget, 9000 employees and planning and delivering infrastructure projects, bus and ferry services, regulatory and other municipal services for 1.2M people. Infrastructure projects included $2.7B Clem7 tunnel, steering committee chair for the feasibility stage of Airport Link, the Green Bridge, and Go Between bridge. She served three Lord Mayors in that time. She has been CEO of two capital city Councils – Adelaide and Brisbane.

Jude Munro Ao

Alison Errey was appointed to the role of Executive Director Communications at The Royal Children’s Hospital in April 2017, with responsibility for Corporate Communications, the RCH National Child Health Poll, Family and Volunteer Services, Archives, Switchboard, International Patients and the RCH Creative Studio. In this role Alison oversees all facets of brand and reputation management, media relations, digital strategy, and government and partner relationships.

For more than 25 years Alison has led communications, corporate affairs and business transformation programs for some of the country's largest and most complex organisations. She led the creation of a $20 million community foundation and negotiated a national-first partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission to champion workforce reform for mature Australians.

With a background in news journalism, Alison has had an extensive career in media and issues management in the NSW public sector across the police, education and health portfolios, and led the change communications strategy for a multi-million dollar IT platform integration in the financial services sector. Acknowledged with industry awards for journalism and workforce engagement, Alison has complemented her career with a number of Board appointments in children's welfare and sports administration.

Alison Errey

Richard Doherty trained in paediatrics and in paediatric infectious diseases in Brisbane and Boston and is a consultant physician in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Monash Children’s Hospital and Professor in the Monash Department of Paediatrics. He is also a former member of the staff of the RCH. He has held previous appointments as Dean of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Associate Dean for Teaching Hospitals at Monash, Medical Director of the Southern Health Children’s Program, Deputy Director of the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research and consultant physician at the Royal Children’s Hospital. He has served as a Director of the Australian Medical Council and on national committees including NHMRC panels, the 2016 Intern Review, the National Medical Training Advisory Network and several Victorian Department of Health advisory committees. In 2018 he was appointed to the Medical Board of Australia.

Richard Doherty

Christine Cunningham has been the Director at The Royal Children's Hospital since 2014. Prior to that, they were the Chair of the Board of Management at Northeast Health Wangaratta from 2009 to 2014. Christine has also worked for [La Trobe University](/org/la-trobe-university), Swinburne University Technology, and the North East Catchment Management Authority. Christine has a wealth of experience in research, analysis, evaluation, and governance.

Christine Cunningham has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Outcomes from The University of Melbourne, a Master's Degree in Science (Applied Statistics) from Swinburne University of Technology, an Australian Institute of Company Directors Course from AICD, a Bachelor of Letters in Journalism from [Deakin University](/org/deakin-university), and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology and Social Research from [Monash University](/org/monash-university).

Christine Cunningham

Sammy Kumar is the Director at The Royal Children's Hospital. Sammy has over 20 years of experience in strategy, transformation, and Asia. 

Sammy started their career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in January 2000 as a Managing Partner. There, they were responsible for leading the firm's Enterprises, Strategy & Transformation, and Asia businesses. Sammy helped create and accelerate new business activities, as well as manage the firm's investments in Asia. 

In September 2020, they left PricewaterhouseCoopers to join The Royal Children's Hospital. Sammy has since been responsible for leading the hospital's strategy, transformation, and Asia businesses.

Sammy Kumar is a commerce student at [Monash University](/org/monash-university).

The Royal Children's Hospital

Org chart

Teams

Leadership Team

CEO and Executive Team

Board of Directors

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