Our Chief Executive and leadership team implement our operational strategy, including responsibility for the day-to-day running of the service.
Executive team
Chief Executive
Mr Ron Calvert
BSc (Hons), MBA
Ron Calvert was appointed as Chief Executive of Gold Coast Hospitals and Health Service in 2012. Gold Coast Health serves a population of 660,000, as well as providing specialist tertiary services for the circa 240,000 residents of Northern New South Wales and the millions of visitors to the Gold Coast each year. Gold Coast Health runs Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), Robina Hospital, Varsity Lakes Day Hospital, and numerous other health precincts and community health centres. Gold Coast Health is the largest employer on the Gold Coast, with a turnover of over $2 billion per year and employing well over 9,000 FTE staff. Since 2012, Gold Coast Health has gone from strength to strength in terms of scale and reputation. The “state of the art” GCUH hospital was opened in September 2013, and is now ranked 224 in Newsweek magazine’s “World’s Best Hospitals” list, with more than 2,300 hospitals ranked. Gold Coast Health is one of three hospitals in Australia holding Magnet recognition, the highest international honour for nursing and midwifery excellence, and is the only entire health service in Australia to be designated. Gold Coast Health is at the forefront of the digital revolution sweeping health across the globe, and prides itself on being a learning organisation. Ron is particularly proud of the culture established over the last decade: in a biannual staff survey with a 66% response rate, over 69% of the staff agreed with the statement “Gold Coast Health is a truly great place to work.”
Ron is now an Australian citizen, having emigrated from the UK after working for more than 20 years in the British National Health Service (NHS). In the UK he held Chief Executive posts at Doncaster & Bassetlaw NHS Foundation trust, and Trafford NHS Trust, after holding Board level roles at University Hospitals Leicester and University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
He is passionate in his support of Newcastle United (his home town football club) and is an avid golfer.
Executive Leadership Team
Ms Sarah Dixon
Executive Director, Corporate Affairs
Executive Director, Corporate Affairs
B Bus (Comms), JP(Qual), GAICD, MPRIA
Sarah joined Gold Coast Health’s executive team in 2018, following a 15-year consulting career in corporate affairs, communication and marketing. She has worked across a wide variety of sectors, including health, and has advised Boards and executive management teams on a range of complex issues and situations in the national spotlight. She is also a Deputy Chair of a charitable trust.
Dr Kellie Wren
Executive Director, Medical Services, Clinical Governance and Research
Executive Director, Medical Services, Clinical Governance and Research
Dr Kellie Wren is an anaesthetist and medical administrator who joined our executive team in 2019 as deputy executive director of medical services. Kellie has worked in Queensland Health for over 20 years and brings extensive experience in operational management and patient safety. Kellie came to GCHHS from Metro North HHS where she held several roles including, Clinical Lead for the development of the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service and Director of the periprocedural support service. As the EDCGER she supports the organisation to deliver high-quality safe care that always has our patients at the forefront. Kellie holds a Masters of Business Administration, an Associate fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators, a Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.
Mr Ian Moody
Chief Finance Officer, Finance Services
Chief Finance Officer, Finance Services
BA (Hons), FCA, MAICD
Ian joined Gold Coast Health in December 2013 following an international career of 15 years in assurance and consulting in various commercial industries and government sectors. He is a Board Director of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Ms Paula Duffy PSM
Executive Director, Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Experience
Executive Director, Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Experience
RN, AFCHSM,CHM, MClinRehab
Paula commenced at Gold Coast Health in 2002 and has performed a variety of roles including operational Executive Director roles and Nursing and Midwifery Executive Director roles.
Paula was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2022 for her leadership during Gold Coast Health’s COVID-19 pandemic and her leadership in nursing. She is an Adjunct Professor with Griffith University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (Gold Coast) and an Associate Fellow and Certified Health Manager of the Australasian College of Health Service Management.
Mr Grant Brown
Executive Director, People and Operations
Executive Director, People and Operations
BCrim, BCom, CAHRI
Joining Gold Coast Health in 2017, as Senior Director, Human Resource Services, Grant has more than 14 years’ experience in senior Human Resources and Industrial Relation roles within Queensland Health, Queensland Government agencies, Metro South Health and SEQ water.
He started his career in complex commercial fraud investigations and transitioned into the business sector where he held various management, leadership and sales roles in manufacturing, mining, processing, chemicals and bulk handling industries.
With over 20 years’ experience in senior leadership and management roles, Grant has led numerous enterprise bargaining negotiations on behalf of Queensland Health and has developed an extensive understanding of factors impacting operational and strategic direction of health services. This includes recognising the value of appropriate and collaborative organisational change to improve employee performance and productivity to build a culture of success.
Mr Sandip Kumar
Executive Director, Strategy, Transformational and Major Capital
Executive Director, Strategy, Transformational and Major Capital
BBus, CA
Sandip joined Gold Coast Health in 2020 following a 12-year career in management consulting, corporate finance, strategy, transformation, and financial services roles; including four years consulting in and across Queensland Health transformation and change programs.
Ms Jenny Paton
A/General Manager, Medicine
A/General Manager, Medicine
Jenny has worked in a variety of health and not-for-profit leadership roles in both Queensland and New South Wales. She is well known at Gold Coast Health, having worked as a Service Director, Quality Improvement Lead and change management expert. In the past, she has been involved in major funding reforms and service delivery improvements. Her background in clinical redesign affords her the ability to create and maintain efficient and equitable patient-centred healthcare systems.
Ms Sandra Lenehan
General Manager, Surgical and Critical Care
General Manager, Surgical and Critical Care
Sandra’s most recent experience was Nursing Director, Surgical Services, at Logan Bayside Health Network at Metro South. With a background in nursing, Sandra has demonstrated her leadership qualities in a variety of roles and committees in both Queensland and New South Wales hospitals. Sandra is a current member of the Queensland Clinical Senate, a group focused on providing clinical leadership by developing strategies to safeguard and promote the delivery of high quality, safe and sustainable patient care.
Emergency and Speciality Services
Ms Sara Burrett
Executive Director, Allied Health and Rehabilitation Services
Executive Director, Allied Health and Rehabilitation Services
Sara Burrett commenced at the GCHHS in 2019, relocating from NSW where she held senior operational and strategic roles in the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network. Her passion for patient-centred care saw her sponsor several successful redesign projects within the Network and with external stakeholders. Sara championed change in the allied health services to increase quality and safety and establish clearer governance. Sara trained as a social worker and has post graduate qualifications in Human Services Management.
Ms Alison Ewens
A/ General Manager, Emergency and Specialty Services
A/ General Manager, Emergency and Specialty Services
MSc, BSW, PGCert Disaster Mgt, PGDip Health Mgt
Alison is an executive leader with more than 20 years’ experience across local government, health care and social care industries in Australia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Alison returns to Gold Coast Health after six years working for Gold Coast City Council as the Director of Lifestyle and Community, where she managed a large portfolio of health and community services across the city. Prior to this role, Alison was part of Gold Coast Health’s executive team and held the role of General Manager, Cancer, Access and Support Services, managing a diverse clinical and non-clinical portfolio including oncology, haematology, patient flow and allied health. Prior to relocating back to the Gold Coast in 2011, Alison spent 12 years working for St Thomas ‘Hospital and King College Hospital in London. During that time, she managed a variety of functions, including integrated care, discharge services, allied health, mental health services and legal services.
Mr Malcolm McCann
Executive Director, Mental Health and Specialist Services
Executive Director, Mental Health and Specialist Services
Malcolm McCann is the Executive Director for Gold Coast Health’s Mental Health and Specialist Services. Before moving to the Gold Coast, Malcolm worked in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) for more than 30 years. He graduated from Manchester University (Bachelor of Nursing Honours Degree) in 1988 and followed a career in health leadership. This included acute, community and mental health services management; the latter two as an NHS Trust Board Executive member for more than 15 years. Malcolm also has extensive experience of primary care and was a Primary Care Trust Chief Executive for five years, gaining expertise in commissioning, integration and partnership working. Malcolm is passionate about Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs services, and is proud to be co-chair of the Gold Coast Regional Plan Steering Committee. He is a compassionate leader, committed to value in the public service and a believer in ‘stronger together’.
Ms Hazel Brittain
Executive Director, Women, Newborn and Children's Services
Executive Director, Women, Newborn and Children's Services
Hazel has worked in many diverse roles, mainly related to her primary area of interest – service for women and children. She was also the Midwifery Advisor for the Chief Nurse and the Director for the Queensland Centre for Mothers and Babies. Hazel has also been the Midwifery/Nursing Director for Women and Children’s Services at both Logan and Gold Coast Hospitals where she coordinated the setting up of continuity models of care for disadvantaged women.
Hazel coordinated the re-opening birthing services at Beaudesert Hospital. The birthing service has been up and running since March 2014. This reopening has been an enormous event for the Beaudesert community who have been campaigning for over a decade for the return of their birthing service.
She also works closely with the nursing and midwifery team at Griffith University and is an adjunct Professor there.
Hazel was awarded a Churchill scholarship in 2015 which enabled her to travel extensively and look at innovative ways of implementing the maternity care reform agenda.
In addition, she is a recipient of the Australian College of Midwives leadership award; the NAIDOC partnership award and a Golden Gala award for staff empowerment - from Gold Coast Health.
