Governance
Council and committees
The Â鶹ֱ²¥Council has general oversight of the policy and strategic planning of the College and meets three times a year (generally in March, July, and November) at College Place in Melbourne, Australia.
The Council comprises the members of the Board, 19 Fellows representing each State and Territory of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, two regional Fellows, the Immediate Past-President, one MÄori Fellow, the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Committee, the Chair of He Hono WÄhine, the Chair of the Trainees’ Committee, and a Community representative. Non-voting members include the Dean of Education, Dean of Policy & Research, Deputy Chairs (Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) of the Trainees’ Committee, a Subspecialties Committee representative, and a representative of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG).
The Thirteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council took office at the College Annual General Meeting held on 15 November 2023. The Council will serve a two-year term until November 2025.
Members of the 13th Â鶹ֱ²¥Council
Members of Council | |
|---|---|
| President | Dr Gillian Gibson |
| Vice-President | A/Prof Boon Lim Dr Susan Fleming Dr Nisha Khot |
| Board Director | Dr John Regan Dr Michael Rasmussen A/Prof Jared Watts |
| Board Director, Associate Procedural or Advanced Procedural member (or equivalent) | Dr Martina Mende |
| Board Director, Independent | Ms Julie Hamblin |
| Councillor resident in Australian Capital Territory | Dr Elizabeth Gallagher |
| Councillors resident in New South Wales | A/Prof Amanda Henry Dr James Brown Dr Mark Ruff Prof Thierry Vancaillie |
| Councillors resident in Northern Territory | Dr Kasia Siwicki |
| Councillor representing MÄori Fellows resident in Aotearoa New Zealand | Dr Angela Beard |
| Councillors resident in Aotearoa New Zealand | Dr Emma Jackson Dr Per Kempe |
| Councillors resident in Queensland | Dr Elisha Broom Dr Kathryn Saba Dr Samantha Scherman |
| Councillors resident in South Australia | Dr Magda Halt Dr Aimee Woods |
| Councillor resident in Tasmania | Dr Frank Clark |
| Councillors resident in Victoria | Dr Jenny Dowd Dr Pallavi Desai Dr Marilla Druitt Dr Victoria Carson |
| Councillors resident in Western Australia | Dr Anna Clare Dr Uchechukwu Nwangwu Ijeneme |
| Councillors representing Regional Fellows | Dr Adam Bush Dr Romany Erwin |
| Immediate Past-President | Dr Benjamin Bopp |
| Chair, Trainees Committee | Dr Sophie Doherty |
| Chair, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Committee | Dr Marilyn Clarke |
| Chair, He Hono WÄhine | Dr Leigh Duncan |
| Community Representative | Tessa Kowaliw |
| Representatives (non-voting) | |
|---|---|
| Dean of Education | Professor Ian Symonds |
| Dean of Research and Policy | Professor Cynthia Farquhar |
| NASOG Representative | A/Prof Gino Pecoraro |
| Subspecialties Committee Representative | (shared by Subspeciality Committees Chairs) |
| Trainees Committee Representative (Deputy Chair, Australia) | Dr Estelle Blair-Holt |
| Trainees Committee Representative (Deputy Chair, New Zealand) | Dr Steven Knights |
| College staff (non-voting) | |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Vase Jovanoska |
| Lead, Executive Support | Sue Carey |
| Administrative Assistant, Executive Office | Annabel Scott |
Elections
Current elections
Election of the Â鶹ֱ²¥Board for the Fourteenth Council
The election of the Â鶹ֱ²¥Board Members for the term of the Fourteenth RANZCOG, to take office from October 2025 to October 2027, will be conducted for the following positions on the Â鶹ֱ²¥Board:
One (1) Vice-President position who shall reside in Australia or New Zealand;
One (1) Vice-President position who shall reside in Australia;
One (1) Vice-President position who shall reside in New Zealand; and
Three (3) Elected Director positions
The election will not be conducted for the other positions on the Board (i.e., the President, Associate (Procedural/Advanced Procedural) Board Director, and Independent Board Director).
Call for nominations open: 10.00 am AEDT on Wednesday, 2 April 2025
Call for nominations close: 12.00 pm AEST on Wednesday, 30 April 2025
The election will be conducted in accordance with the following:
Â鶹ֱ²¥Regulations (See A10: Election of the Â鶹ֱ²¥President, Board of Directors, and Councillors); and
If you have any queries regarding this election, please contact:
Laura Le, Governance & Legal Officer
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au
Casual Vacancy Election of Â鶹ֱ²¥Councillor representing Regional Fellows for the Thirteenth Council
Following the close of casual vacancy nominations for the position of one (1) Â鶹ֱ²¥Councillor representing Regional Fellows for the remainder of the term of the Thirteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council, to take office from election until November 2025, the number of nominations received were greater than the number of vacancies to be filled. Therefore, in accordance with section 2.6 of the Election of the Â鶹ֱ²¥Council Members Policy and Procedure, a casual vacancy ballot will be conducted.
Casual vacancy ballot open: 10.00am AEST on Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Casual vacancy ballot close: 12.00pm AEST on Wednesday, 30 April 2025
The casual vacancy election will be conducted in accordance with the following:
If you have any queries regarding this casual vacancy election, please contact:
Laura Le, Governance & Legal Officer
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au
Casual Vacancy Election of Victoria State Committee for the Thirteenth Council
Second Call Casual Vacancy Call for Nominations
Following the close of casual vacancy nominations on Thursday, 10 April 2025, no valid nominations were received for the below position, to take office for the remainder of the Thirteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council, to take office from election to November 2025. Therefore, in accordance with section 2.15 of the Election of State and Territory Committees / Aotearoa New Zealand Committee Members Policy and Procedure, a second call casual vacancy call for nominations will be made.
Position to be elected:
One (1) Associate Representative – Victoria (VIC) State Committee
Second Call Casual Vacancy Call for Nominations open: 10.00 am AEST on Thursday, 17 April 2025
Second Call Casual Vacancy Call for Nominations close: 12.00 pm AEST on Thursday, 15 May 2025
This election is run in accordance with the following policies and procedures:
If you have any queries regarding this election, please contact:
Laura Le, Governance & Legal Officer
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au
Previous elections
Election of the President for the Fourteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council
Following the conduct of the election for President of the Fourteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council, and the announcement at the March 2025 Council Meeting, Dr Nisha Khot is declared the President-Elect for the Fourteenth Â鶹ֱ²¥Council, being from October 2025 to October 2027.
Dr Khot shall assume the office of President at the conclusion of the 2025 Annual General Meeting and until then, shall be known as the President-Elect.
The Â鶹ֱ²¥Board and Council congratulates Dr Nisha Khot on her election.
Results
| Casual Vacancy Election for the Trainees’ Committee | |
|---|---|
| FÂ鶹ֱ²¥Aotearoa New Zealand (South Island) Trainee Representative | Dr Juliet Whittaker |
| FÂ鶹ֱ²¥New South Wales Trainee Representative | Dr Katie Blunt |
| Casual Vacancy Election for the Maternal Fetal Medicine (CMFM) Subspecialty Committee | |
|---|---|
| CMFM Trainee Representative | Dr Amanda Lazzaro |
| Casual Vacancy Election for Â鶹ֱ²¥Council | |
|---|---|
| Councillor resident in South Australia | Dr Aimee Woods |
Timetable
| President | January – March |
| Board | March (After declaration of President election results) – May |
| Council | May (After declaration of Board election results) – July |
| State & Territory Committees (7) and Aotearoa New Zealand Committee | July – September |
| Subspecialist Committees (5) | July – September |
| Associate Procedural Members and Certificants Committee | August – September |
| Trainees’ Committee | July – September |
Executive Leadership Team
The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) are integral to College governance. They meet weekly to determine matters, or make recommendations to the CEO and Board, regarding the direction and operations of the College.
Meet our ELT
Vase Jovanoska
Chief Executive Officer
MBA, MHSM, BA (Accounting)
Vase’s corporate experience extends more than 22 years across the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. In addition to her tertiary qualifications, Vase has also completed the Executive Program in Leading for Strategic Change with Melbourne Business School, the Women’s Executive Leadership Program and Negotiations Strategies Program with Yale University. She is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a qualified CPA, and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, Australia, and New Zealand.
Sudi Sekhar
Deputy CEO and Executive Director, Innovation, Learning and Quality Assurance
Sudi has over 14 years’ experience across tertiary, not-for-profit and health sectors, and includes strategy development and implementation, project management, strategic partnerships, business development, change management and client services.
Sudi holds a Master of Business Administration, Master of International Business, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as the Fundraising Institute of Australia. Sudi also holds an Agile Practitioner (AgilePM) qualification.
Daniel Petkovski
Executive Director, Operations
Daniel is responsible for leading the Operations Department at RANZCOG, which includes overseeing business units such as People and Wellbeing (HR), Information Technology, Facilities, Diversity and Belonging, and the Training Support Unit.
In his role, Daniel drives strategic initiatives to enhance internal operations, foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, and support the delivery of RANZCOG’s core business of education and training.
Daniel is a member of the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) and holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management). His career encompasses experience within community health, the not-for-profit sector, and the commercial sector.
Catherine Cooper
Executive Director, Aotearoa New Zealand and Global Health
Catherine leads the Aotearoa New Zealand Office of Â鶹ֱ²¥and the Global Health Unit, working closely with Te KÄhui Oranga Å Nuku, He Hono WÄhine and the staff team. She has a background of many years in management roles in the New Zealand public service, and not-for-profit and membership organisations. Catherine also has governance experience, chairing school Boards, as well as a Masters in management and a BA in psychology and education.
Stephen White
Executive Director, Education
Stephen is responsible for the Education activities of the College, encompassing curriculum development, training program operations, examinations, accreditation, evaluation, trainee selection and SIMG assessment. With an Honours degree in English Studies, Stephen worked in academic publishing for eight years in the UK before moving to Australia. He then spent 11 years in the vocational education and training sector, before shifting into the specialist medical college world. Stephen worked on strategic education and curriculum development for ANZCA before joining Â鶹ֱ²¥in early 2020.
Michelle Zhang
Executive Director, Finance, STP and Risk
Michelle is a certified practising accountant (CPA) with more than 15 years’ experience in financial and management accounting, project management and data analysis. As the Head of STP, Finance and Risk, Michelle manages several government funded programs and work closely with project managers on various projects as well as oversees workforce related activities. Michelle has completed the Master of Professional Accounting (MPA).
Gagan Cheema
Executive Director, Education Development
Gagan is responsible for driving strategic initiatives related to the education development activities. These include development of curricula, assessments, learning resources, CPD and evaluation. Gagan holds a Diploma of Training Design and Development and a Master of Educational Leadership. Over the years, Gagan’s dedication to medical education has led her to oversee the development of numerous training programs for the Australian healthcare workforce and educational resources for health professionals and patients. She possesses extensive expertise in women’s health and is a strong women’s health advocate. With a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Canberra, Gagan is also a qualified dietitian and worked for over a decade as an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), specialising in chronic disease prevention and management before immersing herself completely into medical education.
Independent External Reviewer
The Independent External Reviewer (IER) provides independent oversight of the College’s complaints and whistleblower processes and seeks to ensure concerns can be raised and issues addressed fairly without fear of reprisal or retribution.
The Independent External Reviewer is an independent non-member and non-College staff member, appointed for the term of the Â鶹ֱ²¥Council.
Responsibilities
Investigate and determine applications for review of complaints referred by the College or directly submitted to the IER, including bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment complaints;
Investigate and determine disclosures referred by the College or directly submitted to the IER under the WhistleBlower Policy;
Liaise and provide instruction and guidance to disputing parties, including the complainant and the respondent in relation to the external review process;
Write clear and logical decisions setting out the basis for the decision, relevant findings of fact and the material on which those findings were based;
Work closely but independently with the College Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and governance staff working within the Office of the President and CEO to provide guidance on the independent external review processes;
Build and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal stakeholders and provide support relating to or arising out of the external review process;
Provide relevant process improvement recommendations to the Board on complaints and whistleblower processes;
Conduct a review of all the complaints and whistleblower disclosures and provide a report to the Board, annually or as requested;
Conduct a review of processes relating to reconsideration, review or appeal and provide a report to the Board, annually or as requested;
Act in accordance with the Code of Conduct;
Act in accordance with all relevant laws, regulations and policies governing complaints and whistleblower processes.
Meet our IER
Ms Candy Caballero was appointed as Independent External Reviewer on 11 May 2023.
Ms Caballero has worked for more than 20 years as a lawyer and public servant in trade and commercial law, contracts and procurement, administrative law and regulatory practices. Registered to practise law in California and Victoria, she is also a member of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Institute of Community Directors.
She has a particular interest in complaints handling and the identification and management of systemic risks and emerging issues through complaints data analysis. She has worked in the regulation of company directors, health professionals, hospitals and architects.
Contact our IER
If you are submitting a whistleblower disclosure, or you are a member of the College making a complaint, you can contact the IER by sending an email to ier@ranzcog.edu.au or completing the form on the Feedback, Compliments and Complaints page as per the relevant policies listed below.
For any questions regarding relevant policies and processes, you can contact the Governance team by sending an email to governance@ranzcog.edu.au.
RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy
Complaints Policy
Independent external reviewer policy
Reconsideration, Review and Appeal of Decisions Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Contact
For general governance enquiries, please contact:
Email: governance@ranzcog.edu.au
If you have any queries in relation to Â鶹ֱ²¥election processes, please contact:
Phone: +61 3 9412 2920
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au
ADDRESS
Djeembana
1 Bowen Crescent
Naarm (Melbourne)
Victoria 3004 Australia