Brisbane North PHN welcomes new Board Chair and Director after 2025 AGM

Following the Brisbane North PHN Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday 5 November, the PHN Board farewells the wealth of experience and knowledge of two long-standing directors and welcomes the fresh perspective of another.

Ms Jane Schmitt, Ms Kathy Campbell, Dr Kelly Lai, and Professor Jody Currie are joined by returning director Dr Jared Dart and incoming director Ms Sharon McAvoy.

The PHN gives heartfelt thanks to retiring directors Dr Jennifer Schafer and Mr Mark Henley.

In a changing of the guard, the board has appointed Ms Jane Schmitt as the new Board Chair. Jane will draw upon her significant experience in senior executive roles and board governance across several sectors including health, sport, energy, and education. She brings expertise in advocacy, strategy and policy development, governance, stakeholder engagement, and corporate affairs.

The following board positions for 2026 were confirmed:

• Board Chair – Ms Jane Schmitt

• Deputy Chair and Chair Governance, People and Culture Committee – Dr Jared Dart

• Chair Community Advisory Committee and Chair Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee – Ms Kathy Campbell

• Chair Clinical Council – Dr Kelly Lai

Farewell to Dr Schafer

Dr Schafer has served on the board for six years and has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of the PHN over that time. She has served in many roles, including as Deputy Chair of the PHN, Chair of the Clinical Council, and Board Chair since 2022.

Her time as Board Chair has demonstrated how the PHN helps address systemic issues and fill service gaps to deliver better health outcomes.

“As a GP on the ground, you can see the needs in your community,” Dr Schafer said. “But while you’re busy caring for individuals and families, you don’t have the ability, time or resources to tackle the bigger issues.

The PHN has been grateful for her leadership and focus on building relationships with our staff, members, stakeholders and commissioned service providers to improve’ health and wellbeing across our region.

CEO Libby Dunstan said that Dr Schafer has had a profound and lasting impact. “Jen has led with integrity and compassion, maintaining a steadfast commitment to delivering the best outcomes for our community,” she said. “She is guided by a desire to make things better for the people of the region and has had a strong focus on building and maintaining strong partnerships and relationships to support the work of the PHN.”

Farewell to Mark Henley

We also farewell Mr Mark Henley and thank him for his significant contributions. Mr Henley has served on the Board since November 2016, and has been the longstanding Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee. While always driving a strong focus on governance, Mr Henley has also brought a deep commitment to improving outcomes for all people living in the region, a strong focus on the social determinants of health and a commitment to improving outcomes for people experiencing disadvantage.

In addition to serving on Brisbane North PHN’s Board, both Dr Schafer and Mr Henley also served on the Joint Board Committee which provides governance to the Health Alliance of Brisbane North PHN and Metro North Health.

Welcome to Sharon McAvoy

We also welcomed Sharon McAvoy to the PHN as Board Director. Ms McAvoy is an accomplished board director and executive leader with over 25 years of experience spanning human services, information technology, local government, energy and education.

At board level, Sharon offers deep expertise in governance, financial management, and risk oversight, complemented by strengths in strategy, digital transformation, and cultural awareness.

Year in Review celebrates the PHN’s achievements

Following the 2025 AGM, we have published our annual Year in Review to celebrate the PHN’s significant achievements and milestones over the past financial year. It highlights the ways in which we work with strategic partners and stakeholders to deliver the best possible health outcomes for our community.

Read the 2024–25 Year in Review to learn more about the services we commission and their impact on the community.