Board of Directors

Mr Michael Gorton AM is an accomplished senior partner at Russell Kennedy Lawyers, bringing more than 30 years of experience advising the health and medical sector. He has assisted numerous boards of health organisations to understand their legal obligations, implement effective governance structures and policies, and introduce robust risk management strategies.

Mr Gorton currently serves as Chair of Wellways Australia and Holmesglen Institute (TAFE), and is a Board member of Latrobe Regional Hospital. He was previously Chair of Peninsula Health, Alfred Health, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, as well as a past Board member of Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne Health and the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

Through his extensive experience in legal practice and board leadership, Mr Gorton contributes deep insight and strategic direction to Monash Health, supporting the organisation as it addresses both present challenges and future opportunities in the healthcare sector.

Ms Aurélia Balpe is an international humanitarian leader, sustainability and organisational development consultant, gestalt relational psychotherapist and executive coach. She has undertaken field missions to more than 50 countries across Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, Africa and Europe.

Ms Balpe has had oversight of multinational programs in disaster risk management and disaster law, climate change adaptation, water and sanitation, and health. Aurélia has been a strategic advisor to governments, United Nations agencies, regional inter-governmental organisations and corporations on humanitarian action, development programming and multinational coordination.

In 2015 she was awarded the Vanuatu Red Cross medal for her contribution to humanitarian action within the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

Aurélia is an industry fellow at Monash University, providing thought leadership on sustainability and sustainable enterprises.

Mrs Jane Bell is a banking and finance lawyer and non-executive director with more than 30 years’ experience in leading law firms, financial services and corporate treasury operations in Australia and overseas. Mrs Bell has served on 14 boards, including nine health and medical research boards. She is currently a Director of Mesoblast Ltd, (ASX:MSB) (Nasdaq:MESO) and Amplia Therapeutics Limited including Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee (ASX:ATX).

Mrs Bell is a former Chair of Melbourne Health (Royal Melbourne Hospital) and Biomedical Research Victoria, Deputy Chair of Westernport Water Corporation, Director of UCA Funds Management, WorkSafe Victoria, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Queensland Institute of Medical Research Trust, Australian Red Cross (Qld),Victorian Women’s Housing Association and former Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

In the King’s Birthday Honours List 2023, Jane was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to governance in the medical research, healthcare, and not-for-profit sectors.

*Kitaya Holdings Pty Ltd operates Jessie McPherson Private Hospital

Ms Helen Brunt is a senior governance and technology delivery executive with extensive local and international experience in digital technology and large-scale transformation in complex business environments, including Coles and Westpac.

Ms Brunt is skilled in developing strategies to leverage innovative technology to support business strategy and drive business benefit. Ms Brunt is passionate about diversity and using technology to transform customer and employee experience. She previously served as an associate board member for the VIC ICT for Women in IT and served as an elected Member Director of the Wesfarmers Super Trust Policy Committee.

Professor Jane is Dean of the Sub‑Faculty of Translational Medicine and Public Health at Monash University and has held senior leadership roles in academic medicine and health research, including as Director of Research at Alfred Health (Alfred Care Group / Bayside Health).

He is an internationally recognised clinician–researcher with extensive experience in translational medicine, having led major research programs and contributed to the integration of clinical care, research and education across academic health settings.

Professor Jane is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and has published extensively in leading international journals.

He brings to the Board significant expertise in research leadership, academic health system integration and healthcare innovation.

Mr Hamish Park is as an accomplished executive adviser and board director, with over 20 years of strategic leadership experience. As Director of Melbourne Leadership Group and Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Law School, Mr Park specialises in leadership development, empowering boards and executives to lift the performance capability of their organisations and achieve robust governance outcomes.

Mr Park’s extensive public sector service includes advisory roles in several high-profile government portfolios, where he guided teams through complex policy, legislative, and operational challenges. In the private sector, he has consulted for many large organisations including Ernst & Young, PwC, KPMG, National Australia Bank, ANZ Bank, and Telstra. In addition to bachelor degrees in commerce and arts, he has a master’s degree in management from Harvard University.

Mr Park is also a former board director for Peninsula Health, and a founding member of Dine For A Cure, a charity which has raised over $2 million in medical research funding.

Ms Fiona Pearse has extensive commercial and financial expertise gained from a long executive career at global companies BHP Billiton and BlueScope Steel. She has subsequently served on over 10 boards spanning ASX-listed, private, large government, and high-profile not-for-profit boards. Her experience covers a broad range of industries, including technology, financial services, heavy industrial, utilities and health.

Her current and former directorships include City West Water, World Vision Australia, Scotch College, ASX-listed Smart Parking, a pioneering developer of Smart Cities technology with international operations and U Ethical, an ethical fund manager. She served as an Advisory Board member for a fintech based in Stone & Chalk, and she is an independent member of the Victorian Parliament Audit Committee. Ms Pearse holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Senior Executive MBA. She is a Fellow of CPA Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ms Felicity Topp is a highly respected executive and clinical leader with over 35 years of experience in public health across Victoria. As the former Chief Executive of Peninsula Health, Ms Topp led major health system transformations, including the $1.1 billion Frankston Hospital redevelopment, the acquisition of Frankston Private Hospital, and the opening of the Frankston Public Surgical Centre. Her extensive leadership career also includes senior roles at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Barwon Health, and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Ms Topp brings deep expertise in governance and strategy, serving on multiple boards and committees. She is currently a Council Member at Victoria University and a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Community Support Organisation.

Passionate about ethical leadership and mentoring, Ms Topp now works as an executive consultant and facilitator partnering with boards and leaders to drive meaningful and sustainable healthcare transformation.

Professor Umstad is an experienced obstetrician and gynaecologist, and Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health at the University of Melbourne.

He has held a number of senior leadership roles at the Royal Women’s Hospital, including Director of Maternity Services, and has made significant contributions to maternal–fetal medicine, particularly in high‑risk and multiple pregnancies.

Professor Umstad currently serves as Chair of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity at Safer Care Victoria, providing oversight and advice to improve clinical outcomes across the Victorian health system.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to medicine and brings to the Board extensive expertise in clinical governance, patient safety and health system improvement.