Our Executive Team includes the Health Service Chief Executive and a group of eight Executive Directors who are each responsible for a key area of our service.
Susan Gannon | Chief Executive
Susan commenced as Mackay Hospital and Health Service’s Chief Executive in June 2023.
She was previously Chief Executive Hospitals at Tasmanian Health Services for three years and the Executive Director Operations for three years. Prior to this she was the State-wide Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery.
Susan has been on the Board of Directors for Women’s Health Care Australia since 2014 and has worked in policy, quality and education in both the public and private sector.
Her previous roles include several senior management positions, including medicine, emergency, cancer, surgical and women’s and children’s services.
Dr Colin Feekery| A/Chief Medical Officer
Dr Colin Feekery is currently filling the role of Mackay HHS CMO in an acting capacity.
Dr Feekery began his medical career in Queensland where he trained in paediatric medicine. He has executive and CMO level experience, mainly in Victoria.
Over the past five years, he has been a Director of Medical Services for Alfred Health and has also filled executive level positions in Darwin and Cairns.
He is a Fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators. He was recently appointed a member of the RACMA Board.
Ms Jenny Farley | Executive Director Operations Mackay
Jenny Farley moved to Mackay in August 2024 bringing more than 30 years’ experience in healthcare management and leadership to the Operations Mackay position.
She has served in a number of director and chief operating officer roles in both metropolitan and rural facilities in England and Wales and has extensive experience in project management, business planning and operational transformation.
In 2022-23 Jenny was tasked by the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board with delivering a complete turnaround of vascular services across North Wales.
Prior to this she led a two-year transformation program in Urgent and Emergency care for Mid-Cheshire Hospitals.
Jenny has worked across several speciality healthcare fields including paediatrics, mental health, women’s health, emergency medicine and surgery in both community and tertiary organisations. She also holds a Masters in Business Administration.
Mr James William Jenkins | Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery
James has extensive experience as a nurse practitioner and has spent many years working in emergency, paediatrics and acute medicine.
He trained at St George’s University Hospital Medical School and Kings College in London and was instrumental in the establishment of an innovative community nursing service at Guys and St Thomas Hospital.
James moved to Australia in 2017 and has worked in nursing leadership roles throughout Central Queensland including at Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
He also spent a year working on practice innovation as the Director of Nursing in the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
His most recent position was Acting Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.
Mr Martin Heads | Interim Executive Director Corporate Services
Martin is the interim CFO while Mackay recruits permanently to this role. Martin provides significant experience to this role. He has over 20 years of experience in the health sector having worked at all levels of the health system including within hospitals, health services and at departmental levels. Specifically, to this role, Martin is a former CFO for Metro North Hospital and Health Service and acted as CFO for Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service for the duration of 2021.
Martin has a collaborative approach with a strong focus on supporting our clinical services. He has an interest in activity based funding models and optimising health service funding, providing analysis to support informed decision making and working, with the team, to ensure we are safely maximising the available clinical care with the available resources.
Martin is a Chartered Accountant and holds degrees in Laws and Business. Martin volunteers his time as a member of the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF)’s Finance Committee.
Ms Julie Minogue | A/Executive Director of Public Health and Rural Services
Julie Minogue is a valued member of the Mackay HHS team and she has extensive experience in management roles in rural settings across Central and North Queensland.
For the past nine years, Julie has filled the role of Facility Manager Director of Nursing (DON) at Bowen Hospital. Prior to returning to Bowen, Julie was employed at Mareeba Hospital and Babinda Multipurpose Health Service as Facility Manager/DON.
Julie is passionate about rural health having lived and worked in rural areas across the state.
She also has many years of experience in filling executive level positions in an acting capacity.
Mrs Kerry Maley | Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Kerry is a dedicated and proud Kamilaroi and Mandandanji Aboriginal woman. Growing up on Barunggam country (Miles, Queensland), Kerry has a deep connection to her community and the land. Her passion for health and commitment to making a positive impact stem from the influence of her grandmother and mother, who collectively served Queensland Health for over 55 years.
Kerry is recognised as an Advanced Social Worker. With a career spanning more than 25 years in community service delivery, Kerry has acquired extensive expertise in various areas, including community health, therapy, child protection, women’s services, youth programs, and disability services. Kerry possesses a keen interest in organisational and strategic theoretical approaches, as well as stakeholder and community engagement. Kerry has an unwavering commitment to empowerment and successfully coordinating and implementing projects that foster inclusivity, support, and independence.
Kerry’s professional qualifications include:
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Graduate Certificate in Business (Public Sector Management) [underway]
- Diploma in Disability Work
- Diploma in Community Services
Ms Ngaire Buchanan | A/Executive Director People and Culture
Ngaire Buchanan has more than 30 years of extensive experience in health organisations in NSW, South Australia and New Zealand as well as Queensland. She has also worked extensively in rural and regional settings.
Ngaire most recently filled a regional director role at Te Waipounamu (South Island) in NZ and is a former CEO of Limestone Coast Health Network in SA, and a former Chief Operating Officer for the St Vincent’s Health Network in Sydney.
Ngaire is a values-based leader with a successful track record in the development of high performing teams and the execution of service improvement programs.
Ms Janet Geisler | Executive Director Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Janet has held senior and executive roles within public sector management, with extensive experience in leading strategy development and execution in complex environments with a proven record of adding value through the public health and community sectors.
She has worked across both the public and private sectors and is committed to driving strategies to enhance organisational performance, engagement and governance.
Janet has extensive experience in partnering across government, industry, community with a strong commitment to improve the delivery of health and social care services for regional, rural and remote communities.