Governance

Leading our College

RANZCOG is governed by a nine-member Board who are the directors of the College. The Board manages the financial, legal and business operations of the organisation and is supported in its activities by the Council and a range of committees.

BOARD

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

Our guiding principles

CONSTITUTION

REGULATIONS

CODE OF CONDUCT

Portrait of Dr Debbie Nisbet against a purple background

Council and committees

The RANZCOG 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 Board, the Immediate Past-President, one Māori Fellow, the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health Committee, the Chair of He Hono Wāhine, 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 RANZCOG 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 RANZCOG Council


Members of Council
PresidentDr Gillian Gibson
Vice-PresidentA/Prof Boon Lim
Dr Susan Fleming
Dr Nisha Khot
Board DirectorDr John Regan
Dr Michael Rasmussen
A/Prof Jared Watts
Board Director, Associate Procedural or Advanced Procedural member (or equivalent)Dr Martina Mende
Board Director, IndependentMs Julie Hamblin
Councillor resident in Australian Capital TerritoryDr Elizabeth Gallagher
Councillors resident in New South WalesA/Prof Amanda Henry
Dr James Brown
Dr Mark Ruff
Prof Thierry Vancaillie
Councillor representing Māori Fellow resident in Aotearoa New ZealandDr Angela Beard
Councillors resident in Aotearoa New ZealandDr Emma Jackson
Dr Per Kempe
Councillors resident in QueenslandDr Elisha Broom
Dr Kathryn Saba
Dr Samantha Scherman
Councillors resident in South Australia or Northern Territory (to represent both places)Dr Kasia Siwicki
Dr Magda Halt
Councillor resident in TasmaniaDr Frank Clark
Councillors resident in VictoriaDr Jenny Dowd
Dr Pallavi Desai
Dr Marilla Druitt
Dr Victoria Carson
Councillors resident in Western AustraliaDr Anna Clare
Dr Uchechukwu Nwangwu Ijeneme
Councillors representing Regional FellowsDr Adam Bush
Dr Romany Erwin
Immediate Past-PresidentDr Benjamin Bopp
Chair, Trainees CommitteeDr Sophie Doherty
Chair, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Health CommitteeDr Marilyn Clarke
Chair, He Hono WāhineDr Leigh Duncan
Community RepresentativeTessa Kowaliw
Representatives (non-voting)
Dean of EducationProfessor Ian Symonds
Dean of Research and PolicyProfessor Cynthia Farquhar
NASOG RepresentativeA/Prof Gino Pecoraro
Subspecialties Committee Representative(shared by Subspeciality Committees Chairs)
Trainee Committee Representative
(Deputy Chair, Australia)
TBC
Trainee Committee Representative
(Deputy Chair, New Zealand)
TBC
College staff (non-voting)
Chief Executive OfficerVase Jovanoska
Manager, Executive Office & AdvocacyBec McPhee
Lead, Executive Office & AdvocacyAlex Jackson

Committees and working groups

The functions and activities of the RANZCOG Board and Council are supported by around 50 committees and working parties, which meet regularly and make recommendations to the RANZCOG Board on a range of matters pertaining to women’s health.


Elections

Want to get involved with the leadership of your College?

Consider participating in future elections — watch this space for more updates.

Current elections

The casual vacancy call for nominations for the election of the RANZCOG Councillor resident in South Australia for the remainder of the term of the Thirteenth Council, to take office from election until November 2025, will open at 10:00am AEDT on Wednesday 21 February 2024.

The call for nominations will close at 12:00pm AEDT on Wednesday 13 March 2024.

The casual vacancy election will be conducted in accordance with the following:

Number of Positions to be Elected

One (1) RANZCOG Councillor resident in South Australia

If you have any queries regarding this election, please contact:

Laura Le, Governance & Legal Officer
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au

Previous elections

Results

Election for RANZCOG Subspecialty Committees
Gynaecological Oncology (CGO) Subspecialty CommitteeDr Cecile Bergzoll
Dr Nisha Jagasia
Dr Monica McGauran
Dr Kristen Moloney
Dr Shih-Ern Yao
Maternal Fetal Medicine (CMFM) Subspecialty CommitteeDr Wendy Carseldine
Dr Laura Gerhardy
Dr Margaret Harpham
Dr Peter Muller
Obstetrical and Gynaecological Ultrasound (COGU) Subspecialty CommitteeDr Ahmed Al-Amin
Dr Helen Kaganov
Dr Karen Mizia
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (CREI) Subspecialty CommitteeDr Kate Burston
Dr Jinny Yuting Foo
Dr Elizabeth Glanville
Dr Michele Kwik
Dr Raelia Lew
Urogynaecology (CU) Subspecialty CommitteeDr Fay Lin Chao
Dr Zhuoran Chen
Dr Lauren Ferris
Dr Todd Ladanchuk
Dr Lin Li Ow

Election for Associate Procedural Members and Certificants Committee (APMCC)
Intrapartum Care (Procedural) Associate (Procedural or Advanced Procedural) RepresentativeDr Stephanie Breen
Dr Louise Manning
Dr Kylie Sterry
Shared Care Associate (Procedural or Advanced Procedural) RepresentativeDr Ka-Kiu Cheung
Dr Felicity Constable

Election for RANZCOG State & Territory Committees and Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) CommitteeDr Roopendra Banerji
Dr Sarah Bombell
Dr David O’Rourke
Dr Danica Vress
New South Wales (NSW) State CommitteeDr Victoria Bennett
Dr Bevan Brown
Dr Marc Heyning
Dr Swetha Kumar
Dr Lilach Leibenson
Dr Karen Mizia
Dr Hugh Porter
Dr Vasukhi Sivagnanam
Dr Louise White
Queensland (QLD) State CommitteeDr Sajeeva Abeysundera
Dr Sabratnam Ganeshananthan
Dr Leigh Grant
Dr Tammy Maxwell
Associate Professor Thangeswaran Rudra
South Australia (SA)/Northern Territory (NT)
State & Territory Committee
Dr Megan Halliday
Dr Dharmawijaya Lekamge
Dr Kate Martin
Dr Rebecca Mitchell
Dr Heather Waterfall
Tasmania (TAS) State CommitteeDr Vaishali Bhalerao
Dr Mohamed Patel
Victoria (VIC) State CommitteeDr Bharat Gavankar
Dr Jeanette Henderson
Dr Samuel Newbury
Dr Rachel O’Dwyer
Dr Kimberley Sleeman
Western Australia (WA) State CommitteeDr Christopher Gunnell
Dr Mike Kamara
Dr Lauren Kite
Dr Han-Shin Lee
Dr Yoska Lindsay
Te Kāhui Oranga ō NukuDr Diana Ackerman
Dr Emma Deverall
Dr Jane Fielder
Dr Anand Gangji
Dr Jade Lodge
Dr Judy Ormandy

Election for RANZCOG Trainees’ Committee
FRANZCOG ACT Trainee RepresentativeDr Wendy Hodge
FRANZCOG NSW Trainee RepresentativesDr Sophie Doherty
Dr Fiona Li
FRANZCOG Aotearoa New Zealand Trainee Representative (North Island)Dr Steven Knights
FRANZCOG Aotearoa New Zealand Trainee Representative (South Island)Dr Vanessa Bowden
FRANZCOG QLD Trainee RepresentativesDr Melissa Acreman
Dr Divya Viswanathan
FRANZCOG SA/NT Trainee RepresentativeDr Sarah Linthwaite
FRANZCOG TAS Trainee RepresentativeDr Carly Sands
FRANZCOG VIC Trainee RepresentativesDr Jessica Gollow
Dr Estelle Blair-Holt
FRANZCOG WA Trainee RepresentativeDr Ashleigh Anderson
CWH/PTP/APTP Trainee RepresentativeDr Joscelyn Gan
PTP/APTP Trainee RepresentativesDr Monique Bihari
Dr Evelyn Konstantopoulos
Dr Priyanka Vaidya
Specialist International Medical Graduates RepresentativeDr Ramandeep Kaur

Timetable

As mandated by the Constitution, Regulations or Election Policy, the timetable for the 2023 election year is outlined below.

Please note that all elections were conducted prior to the commencement of the RANZCOG Thirteenth Council in November 2023, with listed completion dates subject to casual vacancy elections.

Body/PositionCommencementCompletion
PresidentJanuaryMarch
BoardAprilMid-May
CouncilMayJuly
State and Territory Committees (x7)
and Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku
JulySeptember
Subspecialty Committees (x5)JulySeptember
Associate Procedural Members and Certificants CommitteeAugustSeptember
Trainees CommitteeAugustSeptember


Policies and procedures

View all College policies and procedures.


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, People, Wellbeing and Facilities

Daniel is responsible for leading the People, Wellbeing and Facilities department at RANZCOG. His career encompasses experience within community health, and the NFP and commercial sector. Daniel is a member of the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) and holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management).

Mel Pietsch

Executive Director, Communication and Engagement

Mel currently oversees the State and Territory offices and the communication, publications, marketing and website activities at the College. She has over 15 years’ experience working in the public sector where she developed a strong understanding of the medical training system and medical workforce. Mel has a Certificate III in Financial Services and is currently undertaking a Certificate in Business Leadership.

Catherine Cooper

Executive Director, Aotearoa New Zealand and Global Health

Catherine leads the Aotearoa New Zealand Office of RANZCOG and the Global Health Unit, working closely with Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku, He Hono Wāhine 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 RANZCOG 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).


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 RANZCOG 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.

Complaints Pathway Support

The RANZCOG Governance Unit will provide potential complainants guidance to navigate different complaint pathways offered by the College in the following policies when considering or exploring pathways to making a complaint:

Complaints Policy

Informal complaints

Formal complaints

Independent External Reviewer Policy

Frequently asked questions

Our FAQs are here to help!

What advice does the Complaints Pathway Support provide?

Complaints Pathway Support assists individuals by providing guidance on how to navigate the College’s complaint procedures and policies, helping them make informed decisions when considering or exploring the process of lodging a complaint.

How do I contact the Complaints Pathway Support?

Please contact:

Ms May Raguine
Email: governance@ranzcog.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9412 2911

Am I obligated to lodge a complaint after contacting Complaints Pathway Support?

No, this is obligation-free guidance available to members of the College and trainees, including Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) on the pathway to Fellowship or certification in a Subspecialty of obstetrics and gynaecology.

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 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.


Contact

For general governance enquiries, please contact:

Email: governance@ranzcog.edu.au

If you have any queries in relation to RANZCOG election processes, please contact:

Phone: +61 3 9412 2920
Email: elections@ranzcog.edu.au

ADDRESS
Djeembana
1 Bowen Crescent
Naarm (Melbourne)
Victoria 3004 Australia


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