Evolution of the Care Economy Summit 2026

Millie Muroi is the economics writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, where she covers workplace relations and writes a weekly economics column. She has worked in Canberra’s press gallery as an economics correspondent and in the Sydney newsroom as a banking and financial services reporter. She also worked as a graduate economist at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA.

Dr Sutherland is Director of the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research and Professor of Health Services and Policy at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health.

He leads policy and health services research focused on health care funding and how health services contribute to variations in patients’ health outcomes. Dr Sutherland works closely with health services researchers, decision-makers and clinicians and regularly provides advice to provincial governments and Health Canada on health system funding policy. 

Dr Fisher is Director of Research and Policy at the Nuffield Trust, a leading United Kingdom health think tank, and works as a general practitioner in the National Health Service. 

She is an experienced mixed methods-researcher and policy analyst with a strong interest in health system financing and policies that support high-quality primary care. Dr Fisher publishes and presents widely, sits on multiple national advisory committees and regularly contributes to print and broadcast media. She is also co-founder of Next Generation GP, a national leadership program for early-career general practitioners. 

Dr Fisher has previously held roles as a Harkness Fellow in the United States, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation and Fellow at the University of Oxford. She is Honorary Professor of Health Policy and Primary Care at Queen Mary University of London and works to improve health and care in the United Kingdom through evidence‑led policy.

Professor van Gool is IHACPA’s inaugural Health Economist. He is professor of health policy and systems at the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, University of Sydney. Kees has extensive experience in international, national and regional health policy research. He has quantitative skills in micro-economic modelling and has established a strong track record in using linked data. Kees has previously worked at the University of Technology Sydney and the OECD.

Sarah Neville, Ph.D. is a Senior Harkness Fellow in Heath Care Policy and Practice, spending twelve months at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022–23. She is the Executive Director, Pricing and Analytics at IHACPA, and an adjunct Associate Professor at the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data at the University of Sydney. Sarah has worked in the Australian health system for over a decade, setting the price of hospital services to make hospital funding more transparent and equitable. 

Sarah is passionate about the power of statistics to inform evidence-based policy, both in Australia and internationally. Her interests lie in health funding systems, particularly innovative funding models, as well as women in STEM leadership.

Associate Professor Huckel Schneider is a health systems and governance researcher with over 15 years’ experience in health systems research and education. 

She is Deputy Director at the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data where she leads the Health Systems and Governance theme. Professor Huckel Schneider is also a Senior Adviser at the Sax Institute and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the George Institute.

Professor Hall is Distinguished Professor of Health Economics in the Business School at the University of Technology, Sydney. 

She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Jane has worked across many areas of health economics, including funding and financing issues, and is a member of IHACPA’s Pricing Authority. She has experience across a range of health policy issues in Australia and internationally.

Dr Hoogerbrug (MBChB, FRNZCGP, CHIA, Senior Harkness Fellow) is Clinical Informatics Director at Health New Zealand and an award-winning general practitioner with over a decade of clinical experience across primary care, secondary care, Primary Health Organisations, District Health Boards and the Ministry of Health.

His work spans frontline care in underserved communities and national leadership in quality, safety and digital health, giving him direct insight into Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system reforms. At Health New Zealand, Dr Hoogerbrug supports a portfolio of more than 40 national products across screening, immunisation, primary care and public health response.

Dr Hoogerbrug’s current work includes artificial intelligence governance and deployment, with published research on human–AI interaction in clinical settings. A Senior Harkness Fellow, he researched health care leadership and innovation at Stanford University. He also hosts Clinical Changemakers, a podcast featuring global health care leaders.

Dr Laverty is Chief Executive of not-for-profit disability organisation Aruma, one of Australia’s largest National Disability Insurance Scheme providers. 

He has previously held senior leadership roles as Secretary General of the Australian Medical Association, Chief Executive of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and Chief Executive of Catholic Health Australia. Dr Laverty is a member of the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority’s Aged Care Committee, a Board Director of international aid agency Caritas and a Council Member of the University of Canberra. 

Dr Laverty has also served as a Board Director of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Health Direct and the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission, and as a Chair of the New South Wales Heart Foundation. He holds a doctorate focused on board director contributions to hospital and aged care outcomes.

Dr Bowen is Director General of WA Health and a physician with extensive experience across all aspects of health service delivery. She is passionate about person-centered care and delivering excellent health care to the people of Western Australia. 

Prior to her appointment as Director General in May 2024, Dr Bowen served as Chief Executive of North Metropolitan Health Service and Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Subiaco Hospital.   

Throughout her career, Dr Bowen has demonstrated leadership across public and private health sectors, holding notable positions, including Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Capital Territory, Executive Director of Fremantle Hospital and Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia. In these roles, she advanced healthcare standards, fostered medical education and led innovative research and community services.

Professor Pervan is IHACPA’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this appointment, Michael held positions as Secretary of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Natural Resources and Environment, and Communities Tasmania. He holds positions as Professor of Health Services, University of Tasmania and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives. Michael is a Churchill Fellow and was previously National Councillor at the Australian Health and Hospitals Association, and a board member of the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance. Michael is currently the co-chair of the Board of the Commonwealth Leadership Institute. 

As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania, Michael was responsible for designing and implementing major health sector and organisational reforms. He has represented Western Australia and Tasmania at the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council of which he was also a Chair, and has served on numerous national forums on health system reform, health workforce and mental health over the past 3 decades.

Professor Wilson is Co-Director of the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney. A public health physician, his career includes senior positions in the NSW and Queensland Health Department, and senior advisory roles to the Commonwealth Department of Health including as immediate past chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

Ms Shaw is a New South Wales Health executive with more than 15 years’ experience leading community‑based health services.

As co‑founder and General Manager of Australia’s first virtual hospital, she has driven innovation in service design and delivery and helped shape strategy for virtual hospital care. Ms Shaw holds a master’s degree in health administration and is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the International Centre for Future Health Systems at the University of New South Wales.

Ms Shaw has co‑authored peer‑reviewed publications across a range of areas, including virtual hospitals and virtual care, sexual health and HIV, child and family health and COVID‑19.

Dr Wright is a general practitioner, health economist and health services researcher based in Sydney, Australia. Michael combines clinical practice with strategic appointments and academic research analysing the effects of health policy on the quality and performance of primary care. Michael is the President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Associate Professor at the International Centre for Future Health Systems at the University of New South Wales and is in clinical practice in Woollahra. Michael’s previous appointments include Chief Medical Officer of Avant Mutual, Chair of RACGP’s Reference Expert Committee on Funding and Health System Reform, and Board Chair of Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network.