From left to right: Jeanette Ward, Donna Ah Chee, Sinon Cooney, Giselle Baku, Rob McPhee, Anne-Maree Lee, Charlie Gunabarra, Steve Rossingh, David Galvin
Board
Our Board is made up of eight Directors elected from Full Members of AMSANT, and up to three Non-Member Directors, with two of these positions currently filled. Directors are elected for a two-year term.
Rob McPhee
AMSANT Chairperson
Chief Executive Officer – Danila Dilba Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Rob McPhee is the Chief Executive Officer for Danila Dilba Health Service in Darwin. Before this he was Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services in Broome WA. His people are from Derby
in the West Kimberley and from the Pilbara and Midwest regions of Western Australia. Rob has an undergraduate degree in Aboriginal Community Management and Development, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights. He is passionate about social justice for Aboriginal people and has spent the past 30 years working in Indigenous affairs. Prior to working in Aboriginal health, he taught at Curtin University and the University of Western Australia and worked as a senior adviser in community relations and Indigenous affairs to the oil and gas industry.
Anne-Marie Lee
AMSANT Director
Chairperson – Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Anne-Marie has been the Chairperson of Sunrise for many years and has represented her community of Barunga as a director for over 18 years. She started her career as an Aboriginal Health Worker and has worked tirelessly for her community as a member and Deputy Chair on the Northern Land Council Board, and as a member of the Barunga Local Authority of the Roper Gulf Regional Council. Anne-Marie has also been instrumental in driving the ‘Reduction of Anaemia in Children’ strategy that has been highly successful and has been involved in the ‘Stay Strong on Community’ initiative. More recently, Anne-Marie supported health promotion messaging and leadership in response to COVID-19 and the vaccination rollout and worked closely with Menzies School of Health Research in screening community Members in and around Barunga for rheumatic heart disease.
Charlie Gunabarra OAM
AMSANT Director
Chairperson – Mala’la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Charlie began his career at the Maningrida Clinic in 1976 as a 25-year-old, initially working in the old clinic before the new one was built. Early in his career, Charlie managed the Leprosy program and later led the Men’s Health program.
Over the years, Charlie has witnessed significant changes in Maningrida. When he started, the community had around 200 people, with most residents living on homelands and outstations. Today, the population has grown to approximately 3,000. Charlie completed his training as an Aboriginal Health Practitioner in 1978 and dedicated 44 years to the Top End Health Service before transitioning to Mala’la Health Service in 2020.
Charlie’s commitment to community-controlled health services was realised on 1 February 2021 after years of advocacy. As Chairperson of Mala’la Health Service, he played a key role in the Transition Steering Committee, providing advice and guidance to ensure the community was well-informed and that decisions reflected their needs.
In recognition of his service, Charlie was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2007 for his contributions to the Maningrida community, particularly in health. In 2020, he received the Chief Minister’s Public Sector Medal for outstanding service to Maningrida.
Charlie continues to provide leadership, most recently during the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. He campaigned tirelessly before and during the rollout and was the first in the community to receive the vaccine. Charlie remains actively involved with Mala’la Health Service, offering leadership to both the community and staff and representing the Board at various meetings and events.
Dr Donna Ah Chee
AMSANT Director
Chief Executive Officer – Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress)
Donna is a Bundgalung woman from the far north coast of New South Wales who has lived in Mparntwe
(Alice Springs) for more than 30 years. Donna has been CEO of Congress since 2012 and a member of
the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum (NT AHF) as a representative of AMSANT. She is also an Aboriginal Peaks Organisations Northern Territory (AP ONT) representative on the NT Children and Families Tripartite Forum and the Congress representative on the Alice Springs Peoples Alcohol Action Coalition.
Giselle Barku
AMSANT Director
Director – Pintupi Homelands Health Service
Giselle Barku is a proud Pintupi woman from Walungurru (Kintore), located 550 km west of Mparntwe
(Alice Springs). As a highly respected voice for the Luritja Pintupi people. Giselle has been a key
advocate for the Kintore community, consistently championing their right to high-quality healthcare. Her deep connection to the land and her people informs her leadership and vision, driving her unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of the Kintore community. As Chairperson of Pintupi Homelands Health Service, Giselle has played a pivotal role in ensuring that the organisation’s strategic principles and values align with the unique needs of the region. Her leadership has fostered a community-focused approach to healthcare delivery, emphasising culturally safe practices and the empowerment
of Indigenous voices in decision-making processes. Her foresight and dedication have ensured that the health service continues to deliver culturally responsive care, advocating for the best possible health outcomes for the community. She has also been a strong advocate for sustainability and the strategic development of health services to meet future challenges. Giselle is a Director at AMSANT, she aims to continue to influence Aboriginal health policy at a regional and national level.
Sinon Cooney
Member Director
Chief Executive Officer – Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation
Sinon Cooney has worked at Katherine West Health Board since 2007 and has been the CEO since July 2019. He began his career in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector as a Remote Area Nurse in Lajamanu and has dedicated himself ever since to Aboriginal primary health care and addressing the determinants that impact optimal Aboriginal health. Sinon has been part of the Katherine West Health Board’s leadership team for 13 years and holds a Masters in Public Health. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a member of the NT Aboriginal Health Forum (NTAHF) as a representative of AMSANT.
Steve Rossingh
Member Director
Chief Executive Officer – Miwatj Health Service
Steve is a descendent of the Kamilaroi people in Northern NSW and has lived and worked in the NT for more than 25 years. He holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting and is a Fellow Certified Practising Accountant (FCPA) and Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and holds an MBA from Deakin University in Victoria. His accounting and FCPA qualifications have been a key “foot in the door” to more diverse roles. Steve started as the CEO of Miwatj Health in February 2022 after he was the inaugural Director of the NT Treaty Commission. He has been a Departmental Chief Executive in the NT public service, General Manager of the NT’s largest legal firm, and has held CFO roles in the not-for-profit sector.
David Galvin
Non-member Director
David serves as Chairperson of AMSANT’s Finance, Risk and Audit Committee. David is also the Managing Director of Tubarao Investments, in addition to other directorships and Advisory Board positions. He is a former chair of the Australian Livestock Export Corporation, CEO of the Torres Strait Regional Authority from 1995 to 2000, and CEO of the Indigenous Land Corporation from 2001 to 2012. He holds a Masters of International Development and is a Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Certified CEO.
Prof Jeanette Ward
Non-member Director
Jeanette has extensive experience in non-executive Board Director roles and earned her Fellowship with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) in 2011. She is a public health physician working in population health and system reform. Jeanette is President of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. She lives in Broome, WA.
