Pat Garcia    CEO of Catholic Health Australia

Pat Garcia is the CEO of Catholic Health Australia, the largest not for profit grouping of health and aged care services in Australia. He is a lawyer, policy expert and political strategist who has worked in all three levels of government including as the Director of Policy to the NSW Premier, as a Senior Adviser in the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet, and as Chair of a local government planning committee.

Pat is an experienced board director whose experience spans the boards of the St Vincent de Paul Society National Council, the Law Council of Australia, the Law Society of New South Wales, Shine for Kids, Surf Life Saving Sydney and Youth Action. He is a former Club Captain of Coogee Surf Life Saving Club and former Army Reserves Officer.

Pat has degrees in Law, Finance & Marketing, Public Policy, International Law and Security

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Julian Lee    Communications and Media Director of CHA

Julian Lee is the Communications and Media Director of CHA. Julian spent the majority of his career working as a journalist in London and Sydney, specialising in the advertising, marketing and media industries as well as consumer affairs.

He has worked for both The Times of London and The Sydney Morning Herald.

More recently he has moved into communications, advising clients on how best to navigate a fragmented media environment, with his most recent role being media director to a state opposition leader.

He joins CHA with a commitment to increase the Catholic sector's voice in both the health and aged care sectors, and to promote the values of universal access and compassion.

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Nick Mersiades    Director of Aged Care

Nick has extensive experience in aged and health care, including 16 years in the Department of Health and Ageing. As well as roles as manager of the Department's Queensland and New South Wales state offices, Nick's most recent role in the Department was head of the Ageing and Aged Care Division, where he was responsible for the development of aged care policy and for the overall management of the Australian Government's residential and community aged care programs.

Prior to joining Catholic Health Australia in November 2008, Nick had been General Manager of Strategic Policy and Communications in Catholic Healthcare Ltd.

In 2012, Nick was appointed to the board of the Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA).

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James Kemp    Director, Health Policy at Catholic Health Australia

James has worked in health policy and health administration in the NSW Government, NSW public health system and university sectors. An economist by training, James has extensive knowledge of funding models in the Australian health care system, as well as developing and understanding high-quality and cost-effective health service programs.

James is passionate about contributing to an Australian health system which provides universal access and compassionate care to all who need it, and believes integrated care, simplified funding structures and embracing digital health are key to a sustainable health system into the future.

As the Director, Health Policy at Catholic Health Australia, James represents Catholic hospitals and advocates for policy and health care improvements which support better outcomes for patients.

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Deborah Reynolds   Office & Membership Manager

As Office & Membership Manager, Deborah is the friendly, welcoming face of CHA for all members and guests and she maintains the smooth running of the CHA office. She manages client and provider relationships, office technology and administration and provides day-to-day support to CHA staff.

Deborah is also Program Support Officer for CHA’s Ministry Leadership Program. In this role she provides hospitality and administrative support to participants and their organisations so that they have a positive experience of the program from registration, session attendance and interaction with the program’s learning management system.

She also provides a support role to CHA events, oversees national awards and registrations, and liaises with external conference organisers.

If you need to know who to contact at CHA on a particular matter, kindly contact Deborah who will happily re-direct you to the appropriate person.

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Dr Anthony Gooley   Manager Mission Services

Anthony joined CHA as Manager Mission Services in July 2018.

Anthony has had a keen interest over many years in ministry leadership and mission identity formation within Catholic organisations, both from a research perspective and through practical experience. Formerly Head of Theological Studies at Broken Bay Institute – The Australian Institute for Theological Education, he has held leadership positions in Catholic schools, diocesan administration and tertiary education. He has also worked as a consultant on mission integration and identity formation with a number of Catholic organisations in the education and welfare sectors.

Anthony’s theological education had a primary focus on ecclesiology and ministry. His studies also include some units in Christian ethics and moral theology. In addition to qualifications in theology he also has qualifications in education and psychology.

He looks forward to supporting the work of Catholic health care in the areas of mission leadership formation, pastoral care and ethics.

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Siobhan Tanzer Accounts Manager

Siobhan has been a member of the CHA team since 2006, as of March 2016 she has moved from the wider responsibilities of Office/Accounts Management and Personal Assistant to CEO to concentrate on the Accounts Management.  She has earned qualifications in Bookkeeping and Business Studies.

Siobhan has worked, at various levels, in not for profit, community based organisations since returning to work after raising her family.  Siobhan is married with five children and four grandchildren.

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Stephanie Panchision    Senior Health Policy Advisor

Originally from the USA, Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology concentrating in Immunology, a Bachelor of Art in International Studies focusing on World Politics and Policy, and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion.

After working in biotechnology and completing her MPH, Stephanie relocated to Alice Springs to work in health promotion for an Aboriginal community controlled organisation in renal health, and most recently worked for the Batchelor Institute training Indigenous students in health and science. 

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Shona McQueen    Senior Advisor Aged Care

Shona McQueen joined CHA as our Senior Advisor Aged Care in 2018. Before retiring from the Public Service, Shona was the Assistant Secretary of Home Care Reform Branch in the Ageing and Aged Care Stream.  She has had over a decade of working in aged care policy at senior levels in the Department of Health and Ageing and previously the Department of Social Services.

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Paul Linden    Senior Aged Care Advisor for CHA

Paul Linden is the Senior Aged Care Advisor for CHA. He has a passion for social policy and is committed to the ongoing improvement of the aged care system.

Paul has previously held a number of senior policy roles within the Australian Government Department of Health, including in the areas of primary care, Indigenous health, mental health, and aged care. Paul’s most recent role within the Department was as the Director responsible for future reform of the aged care at home programs.

Contact Paul