Sophy Athan

Sophy has had diverse roles as a health advocate in the sector for over 15 years with a strong interest in mental health, disability, aged care and women’s health. She also brings experience from employment in senior executive roles at the state and local government levels. Sophy currently Chairs or is a member of a number of consumer and carer committees across the region and more broadly including Health Issues Centre (Chair), AHPRA Community Advisory Committee, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Community Advisory Committee (Chair), and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Community Advisory Committee, just to name a few. Sophy is currently a Director of Euroforce Music. She has presented at conferences and workshops on the consumer and carer perspective; a perspective she continues to share in her role as Chair for the Community Reference Group.

Heather McMinn

Heather has more than 20 years’ experience in the health and community sectors. She is currently in the role of Manager for Inclusion and Diversity at EACH, which involves working collaboratively across all parts of the organisation to incorporate the voices, experience and opinions of all community members accessing EACH services, for themselves or family members. This includes consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community members, people who speak a first language other than English, the GLBTIQ Community, and people living with disability or chronic health conditions. Heather’s background has seen her provide a range of counselling and support services directly to families and through many community groups in the eastern region. In addition to a diverse and rich working life, Heather has family insight into degenerative chronic health conditions and living with a disability.

Hamish Russell

Hamish was a senior executive with the Victorian Health Department and is currently a consumer representative on the Quality and Clinical Governance Committee at Inspiro Community Health. He has served as a Board Member of several community and health organisations in the Outer East, including serving as Chair of the Yarra Ranges Council Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee for over nine years. He was involved in the creation and maintenance of a health profile for the Shire of Yarra Ranges and has strong links with a range of health service providers and community organisations in the area. Hamish is passionate about improving health outcomes for the ageing population and people with chronic disease issues.