Kidsafe NSW Council
Chair - Ms Leigh-anne Shannon
Experienced Chief Executive with a special interest in Not-For-Profits. Currently leading a trans-Tasman professional association, having come from running the operations for the Australian chapter of a social change organisation based in London. Experienced board/committee member of a local NSW incorporated association.
A Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) and an Associate Member of the Institute of Community Directors of Australia, she committed to following governance principles for national and state based associations.
Leigh-anne is also a member of the Australasian Society for Association Executives (AUSAE).
Deputy Chair - Dr Kate Hunter
Dr Kate Hunter is a Senior Research Fellow with the Injury Division at The George Institute for Global Health, and conjoint Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales. She has over fifteen years’ experience in injury prevention research and has produced several reports and guidelines currently in use by Australian government and non-government organisations. Dr Hunter is leading a collaboration to facilitate and write the National Injury Prevention Strategy appointed by the Australian Government Department of Health. At The George Institute, Dr Hunter leads a body of work in injury prevention research focussing on addressing inequities experienced by families and children across the injury prevention spectrum. Her research expertise includes the conduct and evaluation of community-based programs, translational research, and assessing equitable access to health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Dr Hunter is elected Chair of Kidsafe NSW and is an executive member of the Australasian Injury Prevention Network.
Treasurer - Ms Anita Kariappa, Partner - Financial Services EY
Qualifications: Bcomm (Accounting and Finance) UNSW; Masters in International Finance UNSW
Anita has more than 19 years' experience with EY working in the Sydney, New York and Tokyo offices and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She is also a mother of two young children, which certainly enhances her skill set.
Anita's experience across a variety of domestic and international accounts has resulted in broad experience across regulatory, accounting, transaction and funding initiatives.
Through her time domestically and internationally, Anita has developed an extensive global network providing her access to emerging industry challenges and best practices from the regulators across a number of locations.
Anita's clients value her for her strong project management, ability to work with quality service delivery and pragmatic insight and advice. She develops strong relationships with management and those charged with governance.
Member - Ms Kerri-Lynn Peachey
Kerri-Lynn is a farm health and safety researcher, and advocate with over 10 years’ experience investigating non‐intentional fatal and non‐fatal incidents occurring on farms across Australia. She has extensive translation into policy and practice experience within the agricultural and horticultural sectors.
Furthermore, as demonstrated by her extensive range of publications and presentations, has a proven track record of using excellent personal, communication and organisation skills to improve the health and safety of farmers, farm workers, farming families and farming communities.
Currently, Kerri-Lynn is a Farm Safety Research Manager with AgHealth Australia, The University of Sydney. She manages the National Farm Injury Database and reports on farm deaths and injury across Australia. In terms of her practical work with communities, Kerri-Lynn provides farm occupational health and safety information and safety guidance material.
Member - Ms Francie Kelly
Francie is a proud Weilwan woman with strong family ties to the Wiradjuri Nation.
Francie has always had an interest in the trauma and early intervention fields and based her work and education around this. She grew up in a small Aboriginal community and has always wanted to make a difference. Her aim is to make it safe for future generations by giving back and using her knowledge, understanding and experience to educate her people as well as others. Francie is passionate about breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma amongst her community and people and to create a better life for children.
As part of her work, Francie has the opportunity to work with very knowledgeable Allied Health Specialists (Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist), Midwives and Nurses which has enabled her to build and expand her knowledge and skills in the early intervention and prevention area. Importantly she provides and delivers cultural awareness education across communities and professional services.
Member -Mr Christopher Zinn
Mr Zinn holds a MA Geography (Oxford) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism (University of Wales)
Christopher Zinn has worked for 25 years within the print media, broadcasting and consumer organisations in Australia and overseas as a journalist, presenter, producer, media spokesman and campaign director.
He is Director, Campaigns and Communications, Adviser Ratings and the spokesman for the FiftyUp Club. He previously worked at CHOICE and been Director of Campaigns for One Big Switch, a consumer network.
Mr Zinn is currently the Director of determinedconsumer.com.au, a consumer empowerment initiative; and a Board Member of the Australian Youth Mentorship Network and the new statutory body Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW.
Member - Dr Emma Webster
Dr Webster is a Senior Lecturer in Rural Research at the University of Sydney, School of Rural Health. Based in Dubbo, she teaches public health and research and supports clinicians and students to undertake research; and as a result she has experience in a wide range of topic areas and research designs.
Emma specialises in community based research which responds to local priorities and health services research to drive improvements in care for rural communities. Dr Webster is learning more about Aboriginal perspectives and applying decolonising methodologies to research.
Member - Ms Kate Craig
Kate is a partner in Colin Biggers & Paisley's banking, finance and corporate practice, and is national co-head of the commercial and dispute resolution group.
Kate was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in 2006, and is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in addition to her law degree.
In addition to her practice in banking, finance and corporate work, Kate advises NGO's and not for profit entities on corporate, commercial, financing and dispute issues.
Kate also has a background in regulatory work in the health sector including working with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and working with a variety of regulatory health issues.
Member - Professor Gary J Browne, MD, MSpMed, MBBS, FRACP. FACEM, FAAP, FACEP
Professor Browne currently practices in Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) and Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) at the Children’s Hospital Westmead and is Director of the Kids Concussion Service at CHISM.
As Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Sydney, his combined practice gives a unique perspective on the continuum of care of children and adolescents suffering injury, with activity related medical issues and advocacy in injury mitigation. Prof Browne has published over 200 peer reviewed papers, book chapters and textbooks, and senior peer reviewer for major journals and publications in the areas of PEM and SEM. Prof Browne has an interest in medical education and is Chair, Discipline of Emergency Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School. He is Senior Examiner for NSW Ambulance, Paramedic Education, teaching and mentoring Paramedics undertaking further education on the Paediatric Intensive Care Program for Paramedics. Throughout his career, Professor Browne has been an advocate for injury prevention and mitigation involved in many prevention campaigns co-ordinated through the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, including promoting healthy active living, wellness and fitness in young people
Member - Dr Blessy John-Denny, MBBS DCH FRACP (PEM) FRACP (Paediatrics) MPH MHM (UNSW)
Dr John-Denny is the current trauma lead for Children’s Hospital Westmead Emergency and a member of the Trauma Committee. She is able to provide Kidsafe with ‘a finger on the pulse’ of paediatric trauma in NSW. She comes highly recommended with excellent manager, oversight, leadership and people skills.
Her research and practice in the care of children is diverse and Dr John-Denny instructs and lecturers in paediatric emergency and life support.