Panel chair

Location: Armidale, NSW Rod has been a Rural Generalist for nearly 20 years. Born in Lismore he was raised in Brisbane and was originally a research scientist before commencing medical studies at the University of Queensland. Rod’s time with ACRRM started as a medical student in 1999. After Internship in Brisbane and St George in Western Qld, he continued on the RG path as an RVTS Registrar in Theodore Qld with Bruce Chater, before completing Anaesthetic and Obstetric training in Armidale NSW and becoming a Fellow of the College. Rod has been a Senior Lecturer in Rural Medicine and Critical Care since the foundation of the UNE School of Rural Medicine. He continues to teach medical students, as well as serving as a VMO in Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, and Emergency Medicine, and as a Practice Associate of Health on Rusden. Most recently, he and wife Deborah have cofounded Observa Care, a Remote Patient Monitoring service company focused on addressing rural and remote health needs. Rod has enjoyed serving on many College committees, has been examined by the College and has been an examiner for over 15 years. He has been on Council as the NSW representative on Council for nearly ten years over the span of five Presidents. He teaches and contributes to many of the courses offered by ACRRM and has been active in building curriculum areas including palliative care and continues to assist the College in developing a new Rural Point of Care Ultrasound course. Away from College Rod has sat on boards for RVTS, RRQC, GP Synergy and its precursor, NEATS and was treasurer for RDAQ and RDANSW. When at home Rod tries to keep a couple of beehives happy and sooner or later will get on to making some mead with the excess honey. To stay healthy and centred he is a regular (and possibly addicted) swimmer complete with head up display goggles. He took up open water swimming during COVID and this has morphed into cold water swimming, completing an Ice Mile in September 2022. Rod and wife Deborah have three adult daughters and are enjoying working together to grow Observa Care, which allows them to combine their rural experience with their commitment to improving health for regional Australians.

Sheryl born in Augathella raised in Charleville, a strong Aboriginal Bidjara woman but who also is of Torres Strait /South Sea descant on her mother and Grandmother side, Sheryl Has two daughters and one granddaughter. Sheryl has been the CEO of CWAATSICH for 26 years. Her qualifications consist of Graduate Certificate in Health Management and Diploma in Business as well as various other certificates Sheryl has spent decades working across Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in areas including health, housing, legal services and early childhood support and has held leadership roles at regional, state and national levels, including with QAIHC and NACCHO, and is an enormously strong advocate for community-controlled healthcare and improving health outcomes for First Nations communities. Sheryl was one of the First Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Director’s in the SW Region of the SWHHS board in its augural inception 2012-2014 and is currently a Director of the Western QLD Primary Health Network Board and one of the first ACCHO CEO to be the Chairperson of the South West Health Hospital Service Health Equity Board. Through her work at CWAATSICH, she has been closely involved in developing innovative models of care and strengthening the rural and remote health workforce across south west Queensland. Working for Population health in 2020-2021 gave her a significant insight into health promotion and preventative health for chronic diseases which has enabled her to embed these learnings into culturally appropriate models of care for the Aboriginal Community Control Health Sector to ensure as the Leading provider of quality comprehensive primary health care meets our communities cultural needs of our people to improve Aboriginal /Torres Strait Islander life expectancy.

Dr Ramya Raman FRACGP, MBBS, BSSc (Hons), Dip Childrens Health , Dip Women’s Health, GAICD Dr Ramya Raman is a Specialist General Practitioner, medical educator, and health policy leader. Raised in Orange in Central West NSW, where she lived for over 15 years, she brings a deep, lived understanding of rural and community healthcare to her work. Now based in Perth for nearly two decades, she is the Director of The Garden Family Medical Clinic in Piara Waters, where she continues in clinical practice and leads a modern, forward-thinking teaching practice. She is also Discipline Head of General Practice at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, leading the training of future doctors. Dr Raman is an experienced board director with a strong focus on governance, strategy, and health system reform. She currently serves as Chair of RACGP WA and Vice President of the RACGP nationally. She has built a national profile as a leading advocate for patient safety and evidence-based reform, and is a confident media communicator, regularly contributing to public discussion on healthcare policy and the future of general practice. Recognised as RACGP WA GP of the Year (2020) and AMA (WA) Advocate of the Year (2024), her leadership is driven by a clear principle: strengthening general practice is essential to strengthening Australia’s health system.