PCV Board Members 2022

She holds a Master of Nursing and Master of Business Administration and an Adjunct Associate Professor role at Monash University in clinical practice.

With broad strategic, operational and management experience within complex environments, her experience includes being the General Manager Specialty Medicine, cancer and critical care at Monash health, commissioning Casey Hospital at its exception and leading elements of the expansion, Director of Nursing at Jessie McPherson Private Hospital and Director of Nursing and Operations with donate Life Victoria. 

With strong leadership skills illustrated by the ability to create significant change with positive business outcomes, she engages with the workforce to align strategic outcomes and keeps individuals as core to her decision making. As a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she has Board experience in the health, education and not for profit sectors, including Chair and committee membership. 

She has a strong governance, quality, safety and risk management skills demonstrated in her experience assessing against national and state accreditation frameworks as an Assessor with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards for over a decade. 

Kelly has held a Board position with PCV for two years and was elected Chair at the February 2022 meeting. She is also Chair of the Governance committee. Her Board role includes supporting the CEO to deliver the strategic directions and to involve the membership in developing the direction of PCV in the future. Kelly is passionate about raising the profile and opportunities for Palliative care across all settings and ensuring consumers of palliative care services remain pivotal in policy and funding decisions. She looks forward to supporting PCV as the Victorian peak body to develop and implement the strategies that improve services for our community.

Angie is the Director of Clinical Care at Heathcote Health. Her previous roles included General Manager Service Delivery and Improvement with Very Special Kids in Malvern, an organisation providing support for children and their families through community programs, hospice respite, end of life care and bereavement work, and Director of Nursing / Community Health at Peninsula Health. 

Angie is responsible for quality and governance within Very Special Kids and ensuring best practice in all areas including adhering to the National Standards. Her role also includes extensive collaboration and negotiation with regulatory bodies and Department of Health for funding and accreditation purposes. Financial literacy is another key component of the role ensuring organisation obligations are met and a secure financial environment is achieved. 

As a member of the Palliative Care Clinical Network within Safer Care Victoria, Angie engages with peak bodies and Department of Health in relation to policy changes, reform and risk and contributes to the wider vision of the Palliative Care Clinical Network. 

Angie utilises her research and analytical skills to find solutions to difficult problems and brings passion, drive and enthusiasm to her role as Board Member and Chair of the Governance Committee of Palliative Care Victoria.

Arunesh has significant experience in strategy, operations and governance, which was gained working within commercial, finance, risk, regulation, compliance and IT functions of various organizations. 

In addition to the Treasurer role Arunesh is Chair of the Finance, Risk & Compliance Board Sub-Committee. He has worked with Board committees of various NFP and corporate organisations with a broad focus on finance, risk, audit, treasury and strategic oversight and is well versed in the governance processes. 

With his keen eye for detail and big picture thinking he assists the PCV Board in meeting its objectives.

In the late 1980’s Palliative Care was often considered ‘new age.’ During this time, Margaret was responsible for the initial development of the successful community Palliative Care Service in Benalla. Medical and nursing staff were sceptical of moving end of life care from hospital to the community, however witnessing, as a registered nurse, the experience of people receiving in hospital care for weeks, away from loved ones, prior to their death, palliative care offered a more compassionate option.

Margaret was employed for eight years as the Quality Manager at Benalla Hospital. This required a clear, working understanding of accreditation requirements, risk management and governance.

She then accepted the position of Chief Executive/Director of Nursing of ‘Cooinda,’ a not for profit community for older people, a position she held for 11 years,  All at Cooinda worked with values consistent with PCV’s values of respect, empowerment, integrity and compassion.  In this role Margaret was able to ensure a strong team focus on compassionate and excellent symptom management of end of life care to older people many of whom were living with dementia.

As Chief Executive, she worked very closely with the Committee of Governance ensuring all aspects of the organisation, clinical care, risk management, staff culture, strategic direction, finances, public profile and marketing were managed astutely. During this time Margaret also completed and graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. In 2018 Cooinda was awarded the Aged Care facility of the year by Leading Aged Services Australia.

In 2020, following moving to Point Lonsdale, Margaret joined the Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine (CHoB) Management Committee.  CHoB, a community based organisation trains, supports and coordinates volunteers. She has been involved, with other Committee members in providing this education.  Through the commitment of the volunteers, CHoB provides support to people with a life limiting illness who live on the Bellarine.  CHoB provides education to community members on death, dying and bereavement and the role of volunteers. Margaret continues to work 2 days per week reviewing aged care facilities and making recommendations to improve care to older people.

Sandeep is a fellow of the RACGP and Palliative Medicine Chapter of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and an associate fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators. Currently, he heads up the palliative care unit at Peninsula Health and is an Adjunct Lecturer at Peninsula Clinical School (Monash University). He also chairs the End of Life Care committee, which aims to improve care of the dying in any setting.

Sandeep has served as a member of the City of Monash's Disability Advisory and Multicultural Advisory Committees for four years. He was board director and deputy chair of Gippsland Education and Training in General Practice, board director with Link Health and RACGP Victoria Faculty including chair of their New Fellows Committee.

Recognizing a need to improve health literacy, especially amongst multicultural groups, Sandeep is a regular volunteer health reporter for various Hindi and Punjabi radio channels in Victoria.

Sandeep is committed to the vision and values of PCV and to improving the role of palliative care especially for those with non-malignant and chronic incurable illnesses such as advanced heart disease, airway diseases and terminal dementia.

Sandeep is also an active Australian Army reservist (Lieutenant Colonel). Formal military health command, management and leadership training and overseas deployment as an Australian Army Officer, together with his health services governance experience have placed Sandeep well to serve the PCV Board with excellence.

Since that time, Barbara has been the Advance Care Planning Clinical Lead at Northern Health and has worked to improve end-of-life care in the generalist setting through initiatives such as: goals of care planning in hospital and residential aged care; and the trial and introduction of a Northern Health Care of the Dying Patient Plan.

Barbara is involved in teaching about consent, advance care planning, goals of care, and generalist palliative care - in hospitals and residential aged care. She has been part of Department of Health and Human Services working groups on advance care planning and in that capacity was involved in developing Victorian resources for use when a person lacks capacity to complete an Advance Care Directive.

Currently Barbara is involved in research projects related to palliative care, advance care planning, and end-of-life decision-making, in residential aged care settings. This includes two NHMRC funded research studies aimed at improving end-of-life care for people with dementia. She also has personal experience of caring for older relatives to enable them to remain and die at home.

As a member of the PCV Board, Barbara contributes to the work of improving palliative care, including in residential aged care, an area she has a particular interest in. With recent changes at the Board and executive level, Barbara has been able to provide much valued continuity for the Board and staff of Palliative Care Victoria.

Kate has a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Genetics and Psychology), a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology and recently graduated with an MBA and Master of Leadership.

Since arriving at MND Victoria, Kate has facilitated the development of the strategic and business plans, the re-architecture of the organisation’s IT infrastructure and the selection and implementation of a new client and customer management system. Over the last 18 months she has ably led MND Victoria through the challenges of COVID restrictions, ensuring that people with MND in Victoria and Tasmania have continued to receive the high-quality services and supports they require.

MND is a rapidly progressing, life limiting neurological disease with no effective treatment and no cure. Average time from diagnosis to death is 27 months. Kate ensures that people living with MND in Victoria and Tasmania are well supported, informed and have access to services, including palliative care, throughout their MND journey.

Through her work at MND Victoria and in previous roles, Kate has developed an excellent understanding of the importance of high-quality palliative care and clear communication around the benefits and broad range of palliative care supports. She brings an understanding of the needs of a group of significant users of palliative care services, with a specific range of needs.

Kate has been a member of the management committee of Knox volunteers and the Board of Extended Families and has a keen interest and depth of experience in governance, strategy, leadership and change management.

Kate sees her role as a PCV Board member is to support delivery of the strategic plan, through good governance and innovation, and to ensure that the development and delivery of PCV’s services are responding to the needs of the community it serves.

Amy is passionate about improving quality of life and end of life care for individuals with life limiting illness. She holds a Masters in Advanced Nursing Palliative Care and Oncology.

In her current role Amy is actively involved in leading quality improvement within the service, providing senior clinical leadership and operational management, and supporting research and education to improve care. Amy has also played a key role in supporting their staff through the challenging transition to the integrated service across the hospitals, in all the areas including inpatient, outpatient and outreach.

Amy has strong leadership skills and has Board and Committee membership experience in the health service. She is currently the Chair for the North West Metropolitan Region Palliative Care Consortium. She is also a member of the Palliative Care Clinical Network within Safer Care Victoria and engages with Department of Health and peak bodies to contribute to policy changes and the wider vision of the palliative care across the clinical network.

Amy has held a Board position with PCV for two years and is a member on the Governance committee at PCV. Amy is passionate about raising the awareness and opportunities for Palliative Care across all settings. As a member of the PCV, Amy contributes to the work of improving palliative care across all settings.