Our Board

Elissa Campbell is a geriatrician and palliative care physician, working in acute geriatric medicine in Perth. She has been President of Palliative Care WA since 2019.

In 2022, Dr Campbell undertook the inaugural WA Health Churchill Fellowship, to “explore models of palliative care for people with dementia.”

Dr Campbell is involved in national research and quality improvement projects in areas including palliative care, dementia and advance care planning. She is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of WA. Dr Campbell was a member of the WA Ministerial Expert Panel on Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD), VAD Implementation Leadership Team and VAD Act Review Panel.

Dr Simon Towler is the Chief Medical Officer with the WA Department of Health. He was an intensive care specialist for 35 years and therefore, not surprisingly, has a passionate interest in all aspects of end-of-life care. He was previously the End of Life Care Clinical Lead at the Department of Health, was a member of the Ministerial Expert Panel that advised on the introduction of Voluntary Assisted Dying in WA and has provided leadership in the introduction of the ‘Goals of Care’ program in WA and the option to include end-of-life documents in the My Health Record.

Dr Towler has a long-term interest in organ and tissue donation and was the WA State Medical Director at DonateLIfe WA for three years before taking up his position as the Chief Medical Officer.

He has served on the Board of Palliative Care WA for several years and remains committed to engaging and supporting West Australians to embrace planning for end of life so that their quality of life is preserved and their families can focus on providing care and support in a way that honours every person’s wishes.

Hiren is a dedicated and experienced finance professional who is passionate about developing the not-for-profit sector. Hiren joined PCWA Board as a Treasurer in December 2017. He is an accomplished chartered accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration from Curtin University, Western Australia. Hiren brings to the Board a wide variety of skills and experience in financial and commercial leadership, corporate governance and strategic thinking.

Hiren has worked in various industries that include audit and consultancy, manufacturing and not for profit during his career. His current position is Chief Financial Officer with Silver Chain Group, a ’for purpose’ organisation with the vision to provide the world’s best heath and aged care in the home so Australians can confidently live their lives as they choose. At Silver Chain, Hiren has been involved in the growth and expansion of palliative care services in Western Australia and across Australia including setting up the world-first successful social impact investment bond.

He is passionate about giving back to the community, and palliative care is very close to his heart, as one of his family members received this service. That experience has made him realise how important palliative care is to patients, families and their carers.  He strongly believes in the Vision and Mission of Palliative Care WA.

Secretary

Sam is an owner/director of Mawson Consulting, a global boutique management consultancy established in 2001. She has extensive knowledge and experience in organisation culture, structure, design, leadership development and change. Sam has spent a significant portion of her career assisting senior leaders and executives to develop organisations that support the achievement of their strategy and goals. She has done this across a range of industries in Australia and internationally.

While Sam has completed assignments individually, much of her work has been leading teams of consultants and working closely with clients. She has derived much satisfaction in being collaborative. Her reputation is one of delivering quality outcomes, which are both evidence based and pragmatic.

In addition to this organisation background, Sam spent several years in private practice as a clinical psychologist. Along with general practice, Sam specialised in psycho-oncology and had a specific interest in brain cancer patients and their families, as well as grief and loss.

Supporting people with significant health issues or facing end of life has been long held personal interests for Sam about which she has become passionate to make a contribution. Palliative Care WA is a key organisation in these fields. Sam is utilising her combined skills in helping PCWA continue to develop and impact how end of life is viewed and approached within the WA community.

My first interaction with the Palliative Care sector was as a Member of Parliament from 2009-2017 when I joined the Parliamentary Friends of Palliative Care. During this time, I advocated for Palliative Care both within Parliament and to my constituents.

As the State Manager of Ageing Australia, I sit on the EOLPCAC (End of Life Palliative Care Advisory Committee) of WA Health and bring the perspective of the Aged Care Provider both in residential and home care settings to the table.

As a daughter, I have firsthand experience of what is excellent palliative care in a residential aged care setting when my mother passed away in March 2020.

I have served on the Board for three years. I bring to the Board a well-developed network of both State and Federal Government contacts which have proven to be of great value in the policy and advocacy space. I act as a conduit to a majority of the residential and home care providers in this State and I am able to use various forums and publications to promote the cause of Palliative Care WA.

In my role as General Manager Community for Brightwater Care Group I have oversight of all services for people with disability, including people with brain injury, Young Onset Dementia and Huntington’s disease. A long-standing staff member of Brightwater, I have had considerable experience across several services areas, including managing services for people ageing in the community. I continue to have high level involvement in the organisational direction regarding palliative care.

Trained originally as an Occupational Therapist, my attitude to client care is underpinned with a belief in the right of the individual to drive care and services towards outcomes that are important to them. These outcomes should be supported by a collaborative approach inclusive of all involved in the individual’s circle of supports.

This belief has influenced my approach to palliative care across Brightwater’s services, including for our clients with Huntington’s Disease who are supported to make crucial decisions regarding their long-term care and support throughout their journey with us.

My interest in palliative care has led me to be been involved in not only the direction of palliative care within my organisation but to have had broader influence, including representing Brightwater at the Joint Select Committee on End-of-Life Choices; as a member of the Expert Panel on Advance Health Directives; participating in the WA Health Department consultation on Advance Care Planning; and, more recently, as a Board member of Palliative Care WA.

I feel I can continue to make a strong contribution to the vision and direction of Palliative Care WA as a Board member.

Professor Davina Porock brings many years of experience to the Palliative Care WA Board role. She began her nursing career in WA over 40 years ago, obtaining her diploma in nursing from WAIT and then Bachelor and Master degrees in nursing from Curtin University. She worked clinically at RPH and SCGH as well as Silver Chain Hospice before embarking on a PhD which was awarded in 1998 from ECU. Before returning to Perth, Davina worked in the UK and USA teaching and supervising students while always partnering with palliative care and hospice providers to conduct clinically relevant research.

Davina’s research program focuses on the care of people in late life with life-limiting and terminal conditions, in particular frailty and dementia. Improving the care of people transitioning to palliative and end-of-life care has been the central driving force of her work. In addition to her professional experience, Davina has personal experience of caring for loved ones dying at home and in residential aged care.

Davina has served on clinical, research and university committees and boards in leadership and office-bearing roles as well as member-at-large. She is cognisant with governance, including reporting, finance, and ethics, and works from a philosophy of transparency and fairness. Now recently retired, Davina is focusing her time and efforts on educating families and care staff in recognising dying to support end-of-life care at home and in residential aged care. She brings this passion, knowledge, and experience to the board of PCWA.

Maria has held a number of executive roles in both the aged and disability sectors. She brings strong leadership and a breadth of experience, working with teams to exceed client expectations through bringing together an engaged workforce, with strong commercial acumen.

In her role as CEO of Melville Cares, Maria leads the delivery of high-quality services, expanding the geographical footprint with the commissioning of new offices and achieving significant revenue growth. Melville Cares is committed to a community focus, responding with innovation and strong partnerships. Melville Cares has been nominated for a number of awards, including Business News Not For Profit Innovation, Emerging Leaders in Governance Diversity Award and Ageing Australia You are ACE Awards. One strategic priority is to better support clients of Melville Cares to die where they choose. Melville Cares works collaboratively with a range of organisations to achieve this, including its research partners at Edith Cowan University.

Maria is a registered psychologist, graduate of INSEAD Business School, a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors and has held a number of board positions. Maria is currently Board Chair of Directions Disability Support Services and a Member of the Ageing Australia WA Council. Maria is also a current Board member of Palliative Care WA bringing forward a particular focus of end-of-life care for older people when living at home, as well as their carers.

Member

Zoe is a senior social worker in the specialist palliative care team at Fiona Stanley Hospital. She has worked in palliative care for more than 13 years, with one of her biggest achievements being in 2015 when she was recognised as Palliative Care Australia’s inaugural Emerging Leader.

She has been a previous Board Member of PCWA and is currently in the leadership team for the WA Palliative Care Social Work group as part of PCSWA. She has been a representative on numerous working groups and committees, including the Department of Health End of Life and Palliative Care strategy Advisory Group and the expert reference group for developing the national Palliative and End of Life Care Social Work Standards.

Zoe is passionate about education and has led several quality improvement projects, presented at various conferences, including the Oceanic Palliative Care conference, and has taught advanced communication skills to clinicians as a facilitator for the Cancer Council WA’s communication skills training.

As a social worker, she has good knowledge and understanding of various sectors, including aged care and disability, and also brings many personal experiences of palliative and end-of-life care to her work. In her spare time she is kept busy with her four-year-old twin boys.