Staffing Profile
The organisational structure of the RFDS (Western Operations) is set out below:
Click here to download in PDF format - Org Chart April 2008.pdf
2008 EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM – BRIEF PROFILES
Tim Shackleton
Chief Executive Officer
Tim was appointed Chief Executive Officer of RFDS Western Operations in June 2006. Prior to this he spent 18 months as the Regional Director for the WA Country Health Service's Wheatbelt Region and held similar senior management positions in the Pilbara-Gascoyne and Murchison regions of WA.
For three years to 1999, Tim was the Regional Services Manager for RFDS Western Operations, during which time he was a member of the corporate executive and regularly visited each of our country Bases. Earlier in his career, Tim also held the position of Executive Director of the Asthma Foundation of WA.
Tim has a broad range of senior management experience and has a post-graduate qualification in health services management. Tim’s extensive time as both a manager and resident in many of WA’s regional locations, adds considerably to his understanding of service issues relevant to the communities that the RFDS serves.
Tim is married to Cath and has one pre-school and three school-age children. His interests are football, swimming, reading and music.
Liane Papaelias
Director of Corporate Services/Company Secretary
Liane is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) and started with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in February 2004. Previously she worked in Government, large Chartered Accounting firms and Education. Liane’s first management role was as Director of Finance and Administration for Perth College, a large Anglican school for girls. Liane holds one directorship and that is with the Anglican Schools Commission.
Liane’s role as Director of Corporate Services started out with responsibility for finance, base administration and facility management. As a result of the restructure her portfolio now comprises finance, administration, information management, quality, IT and communications. Liane has worked closely with the CEO in negotiations with the State Government and the Commonwealth. She has contributed to and co-ordinated responses to a national review, and two state reviews as well as ongoing reporting. Liane took a lead role in the development of the national cost model which formed the basis of the increased funding from the Commonwealth. Liane spearheaded the current project for a national reporting framework and along with her colleagues, continues to contribute to its ongoing development.
Liane is married to Tasso, a Partner at Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants.
Stephen Langford
Medical Director
Stephen joined the WA Section of the RFDS in 1983, as a medical officer in Port Hedland, after completing postgraduate training in obstetrics, paediatrics and emergency medicine. In 1987 he undertook a Diploma in Aviation Medicine at Farnborough in the UK and subsequently returned to work from Jandakot Base as the only fulltime RFDS doctor in Perth for many years.
Significant developments initiated have included the standardization of our aircraft medical fit-outs, uniform drug and clinical guidelines, coordination procedures for the Operations Centre and introduction of a range of state-of-the-art medical technology such as diagnostic ultrasound, capnometry, transcutaneous pacing, point-of-care testing and most recently a blood bank at Jandakot.
In 1991, after completing additional studies in epidemiology and biostatistics, he completed Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Public Health Medicine) and in 1993, was awarded Membership of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators as a clinician manager. He has since completed standard postgraduate courses such as ATLS, APLS, EMSB, Disaster Medicine and relevant refreshers.
Over the years Stephen has held memberships and committee positions with a range of relevant professional associations including the Aviation Medical Society of Australia & New Zealand, Air Medical Physicians Association (USA), SPUMS, WACRRM and the AMA. He has been a Fellowship Examiner for the RACGP, Clinical Lecturer UWA Medical School and is currently co-supervisor of a PhD student in Emergency Medicine at UWA.
After nearly 16 years as a full-time on-call retrieval doctor he accepted the full-time role of managing the emergency medical services of RFDS when Western Operations was formed. He maintains a small clinical practice as an Aviation Medical Examiner at Murdoch & Jandakot.
Stephen is married to Elizabeth, originally an RFDS doctor from Kalgoorlie, who is now a specialist paediatrician in private practice at St John of God Hospital Murdoch. They have two children, Katherine aged 11 years and Josephine aged 10 years. His interests remain in computers and technology and hobbies include boating, fishing, and diving. He remains a loyal Hawthorn supporter and a member of the Fremantle Sailing Club, the Royal Aero Club of WA and Melbourne Cricket Club.
Graham Philp
Director of Nursing and Primary Health Care
Graham has extensive experience in the WA health service and joined the RFDS in 1998. He became a Registered nurse in 1979, specialised in Intensive Care and Coronary Care at RPH and completed his Midwifery qualification n 1983. He began his Bachelor of Health Science degree in 1986. He was a Clinical Nurse Specialist at SCGH and did nursing agency work. He returned to SCH ICU in 1990 as a Clinical Nurse and acting Area Manager managing 78 nursing FTE. In August 1993 he became Principal Investigator, Casemix Episode of Care project collecting data from over 1100 patients in two hospitals to develop a formula for identifying episodes of acute care. He was then seconded to the position of Exec Assistant to the Medical Director at SCGH and duties included review of waiting list and inpatient data and systems, liaising with Hollywood Hospital re contracts for elective surgery, discretionary works/capital equipment priority determination and development of funding proposals.
He was a Flight Nurse Specialist at Meekatharra Base and transferred to Jandakot in 2000 as a Flight Nurse Specialist and acting Senior Flight Nurse Specialist for Meekatharra. In 2002 he was appointed to Flight Nursing Coordinator.
Graham worked in Bunbury as Nurse Unit Manager Critical Care covering the Emergency Department and the High Dependency Unit of the Bunbury Regional Hospital. Graham returned to RFDS as Director of Nursing and Primary Health Care in April 2006.
Additionally Graham is active in developing opportunities for growth in the Primary Health area while managing the challenges around service delivery. Additional services have been provided in the Fitzroy Valley area in response to demonstrated need and equity issues. Further areas for development include establishing dental/oral health programs and use of indigenous health workers in RFDS primary health clinics.
Lesleigh Green
Director Public Affairs
Lesleigh was appointed the inaugural Director of Public Affairs in December ’07, following a long career in media, public relations, marketing, fundraising and sponsorship in Australia and overseas.
She has run her own communications, marketing and television production businesses and has held senior management positions at the University of Western Australia, the WA Museum system and the RAC. Earlier, she worked in media at several Australian newspapers and television networks.
Lesleigh is well known for her involvement as the Media and Public Relations Manager for Australia 2’s winning America’s Cup challenge in 1983 and subsequent winning Cup campaigns for former rival, Dennis Conner, in 1987 and ’89.
A former ‘Pilbara girl’, Lesleigh was attracted to the RFDS because “for the first time, in doing the work I love to do I feel I am actually contributing to something that makes a tangible difference to people’s lives.”
Peter Northover
Director of Regional Services
In 1998 he was appointed General Manager and Secretary of the Western Australian Section with responsibility for all fundraising, marketing and public relations functions throughout most of the State.
Prior to being appointed as the Director of Regional Services for RFDS Western Operations on 1 July 2007, Peter spent the previous twelve months working closely with the CEO of Western Operations on the structural reform program that ultimately led to the creation of a single operating entity in WA and the dissolution of both the Western Australian and Eastern Goldfields Sections.
Peter has been married for 32 years and together with his wife Sue, has three children. He was in the Royal Australian Air Force Active Reserve for 12 years and was an Honorary Aide de Camp to the previous Governor and current Governor General, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, for 5 years.
Peter enjoys football, gardening and golf and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Western Australia.
Jean Byrne
Human Resources Manager
Jean was appointed to the Acting Human Resources Manager role in January 2008. Born in Ireland Jean immigrated to Australia in 1996 where she then decided to start studies within the human resources field. Jean holds a current post graduate qualification in Human Resources Management.
Prior to being appointed to this role Jean had worked for a range of industries from Fast Moving Consumer Goods to Agriculture where Jean has been able to adapt her management and human resources skills to the industry she is working with. Prior to joining RFDS, Jean worked in HR for Smith’s Snack Foods for three years.
Director of Aviation
This position is currently vacant
Last Updated: 31/03/2008