The North West Hospital and Health Service has appointed Christine Mann to the new role of Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
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The new role will be an important but difficult one, setting strategic direction in North West Queensland for Indigenous health, which lags behind the general population on many metrics.
Christine Mann is a proud Aboriginal woman and descendant of the Woppaburra people from Great Keppel Island, but arrived in Mount Isa with her parents at the age of one.
Christine was raised and schooled in Mount Isa and returned here to work in the public service in 2005, where she continues to live with her husband and two daughters.
In 2000, she completed a Bachelor of Social Work at James Cook University.
This led Christine to work in a number of positions in Queensland, interstate and overseas, particularly, in the area of child protection, but also local social work previously at the Townsville Hospital and Health Service.
For the past decade, Christine has worked in public leadership, but prior to joining the public service she worked for Relationships Australia, for a number of years.
Christine says, this opportunity is as much a personal drive as it is professional.
"Within my own family history, I have experienced the ongoing grief, trauma and ripple effects that premature death has on families," Christine said.
"This opportunity means having an influence on strategy and policy and being able to voice the priorities and needs of the communities, in which we work.
"In this new role as Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, I want to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public servants and health clinicians at all levels and all ages.
"I am confident, this is how we will continue to make a combined and collective impact and influence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and yield results in improved health outcomes," she said.
North West Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive, Lisa Davies Jones says Christine is an invaluable asset to the North West HHS.
"Christine brings an extensive wealth of knowledge and experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and is tremendously passionate about achieving health equity," Ms Davies Jones said.
"I look forward to working with Christine and with all staff and Board members to continue on our journey, to improve the access and experience of health services for First Nation's people, across the communities we serve."
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
