Adjunct Professor Jean-Frédéric Levesque, MD PHD FRCP
Chief Executive
Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque is the Chief Executive of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, and the Deputy Secretary, Clinical Innovation and Research at the NSW Ministry of Health.
He is an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at the University of New South Wales. He has a Medical Degree, a Masters in Community Health and a Doctorate in Public Health from the Université de Montréal, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada in Preventive Medicine and Public Health.
Jean-Frédéric brings extensive senior leadership in healthcare systems analysis and improvement, combining experience in clinical practice in refugee health and tropical medicine, in clinical governance and in academic research. He is a member of the HealthShare NSW Board and a member of the Strategic Analytic Advisory Committee of the Canadian Institute of Health Information.
As part of his research portfolio, Jean-Frédéric has published more than 150 peer reviewed publications and his seminal research producing a conceptual framework on healthcare access and inequity has been cited more than 2,000 times.
Originally from Canada, Jean-Frédéric has worked in diverse medical, research and public health roles in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Ellen Rawstron
Executive Director
PRISM (Preserving and Restoring Interventions in Surgery and Medicine)
Ellen Rawstron is the Executive Director, PRISM at the Agency for Clinical Innovation.
Ellen joined the ACI in 2010 and has worked extensively across clinical networks, project management and in senior leadership roles across the organisation. Her previous experience encompasses supporting clinical training programs at the NSW Institute of Medical Education and Training (now the Health and Education Training Institute) and at the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Ellen has worked in health for 14 years and is passionate about partnering with clinicians, consumers and health managers to design programs which deliver meaningful change. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University, and spends her time outside of work in volunteer and community organisations, including active service with the NSW State Emergency Service.
Richard Cheney
Executive Director
CATALYST (Care Across the Lifecycle and Society)
Richard Cheney
Executive Director
Richard Cheney is the Executive Director, CATALYST, at the Agency for Clinical Innovation.
Richard joined the ACI in October 2022, bringing extensive experience as a clinician, health manager, and educator. Working in health for more than 32 years, he has a particular focus on allied and rural health.
Richard has an undergraduate qualification in Medical Laboratory Science and postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition and Dietetics. Prior to the ACI, he was the Executive Director of Allied Health and Innovation at Western NSW Local Health District for 10 years. This involved leading virtual models of care in rural, remote and regional health practices. Richard has also held senior roles managing quality and risk management and allied health services in western NSW.
Richard holds key positions and chairing roles with several committees and working groups across NSW Health. He was previously involved in the ACI’s Rural Health Network as clinical co-chair.
Lea Kirkwood
Director
STEP (System Transformation Evaluation and Patient Experience)
Lea Kirkwood commenced her career as a nurse specialising in emergency care.
Lea has held numerous education and practice change roles, including Clinical Nurse Consultant in Emergency and lead for several statewide projects at the NSW Ministry of Health, moving into the manager of the NSW Health Redesign program. In this role she led the transition of the redesign program into a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Redesign and saw it win the Bond University prize for Sustainability in Healthcare in 2018.
Lea holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Psychology), Masters of Nursing and Graduate Certificates in Clinical Education and Clinical Redesign. Lea represents as a professional hearing member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW, Health Professional Councils Authority and is an Adjunct Lecturer with the University of Tasmania.
Lea completed a Hospital Alliance for Research Collaboration (HARC) scholarship in 2019 researching transdisciplinary innovation and is interested in how healthcare reform can be achieved through increased integration of design and partnerships.
Lea is passionate about the opportunity to influence health system innovation and developing consumer partnerships to progress healthcare reform.
Murray Johnson
Acting Director
EVIDENCE
Murray Johnson is the Acting Director of EVIDENCE at the Agency for Clinical Innovation
Murray joined the ACI in May 2024. He has worked extensively as a clinician and health manager at NSW Health, most recently at the Ministry of Health where he worked closely with the ACI on statewide programs and strategies. Murray has worked as a management consultant in health and aged care, and has a particular interest in strategy, improving system performance and solving complex problems to maximise patient and community outcomes. He has advised government on policy, strategy, and financial and operational improvement across multiple Australian and overseas jurisdictions. Murrray holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy), a Master of Business Administration, and has completed the Company Directors Course through the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Karen Perini
Associate Director
SCOPE (Strategy, Communication, People and Engagement)
Karen Perini joined the Agency for Clinical Innovation in May 2018.
She was previously the Director, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement at the Bureau of Health Information.
Karen has 20 years’ experience in corporate and internal communications, public relations, media and issues management. She has worked on community campaigns, high profile issues and has provided strategic communications advice to governments, Ministers and clients. Her experience spans across the business, health and environment sectors in Sydney and London. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst.
Mel Tinsley
Associate Director
Integrated Digital Enablement Accelerator
Mel Tinsley is the Associate Director, IDEA at the Agency for Clinical Innovation.
Mel commenced her career as a nurse specialising in stroke care over 20 years ago. She has held numerous clinical leadership roles including Clinical Nurse Consultant in Stroke, where she led statewide program areas to improve the outcomes of patients.
Mel joined the Agency for Clinical Innovation in September 2012, where she has worked extensively across implementation, project management, patient reported measures and digitally enabled programs.
Mel is passionate about bringing people, process and technology together to implement programs which deliver meaningful change. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing, Graduate Certificate in Neuroscience Nursing and an Executive Masters of Public Administration from the Australian New Zealand School of Government.
Kristen Ella
Associate Director
Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing
Kristen is a proud Yuin woman from the South Coast with strong family ties to La Perouse, and resides on Darkinjung Country.
Kristen has been working in Aboriginal mental health for over 14 years, starting as an Aboriginal Mental Health Trainee where she completed the 3-year Djirruwang Aboriginal Mental Health Workforce Training Program. She has worked as an Aboriginal Mental Health Clinician supporting adults, perinatal and infant mental health in mainstream services and in the Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service. Prior to joining the Agency for Clinical Innovation, Kristen worked at the NSW Ministry of Health as the Aboriginal Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Priority Advisor, and then as the Statewide Coordinator for the Aboriginal Mental Health Workforce Training Program for four years.
Kristen holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from Charles Sturt University. Kristen has a strong passion to improve mainstream systems for Aboriginal people, families and communities.
Basil Byrne
Acting Associate Director
Finance
Basil Byrne
Acting Associate Director
Basil was appointed as Acting Associate Director, Finance in April 2023.
Basil leads ACI’s finance function. He has extensive financial management experience spanning the consulting, banking and health sectors in Australia and South Africa. Basil has experience in leadership roles in both pillars and local health districts in NSW Health. He holds an Honours Degree in Accounting Science from the University of South Africa, and is a member of Chartered Accountants ANZ.