Our Board Members
Chairperson
John de la Torre
Managing Director Home loan Centre
John de la Torre owns and operates a diversified financial services operation based in the Australian Capital Territory. The business covers finance, real estate, property management and development, conveyancing and financial planning.
With over 20 years experience in the finance industry, John has extensive experience at Chief Executive Officer and board level and holds unrestricted public practice certificates in accounting and law. John is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
John has served as a director of the Real Estate Institute – ACT and Havelock Housing Association.
Deputy-Chairperson
Deborah Rolfe
Partner, Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Deborah was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Australian Capital Territory and as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1986.
Since then, she has been employed as a barrister and solicitor in the private and public sectors in Canberra and is currently a partner with Maliganis Edwards Johnson, Barristers & Solicitors.
Deborah specialises in personal injury litigation, which encompasses workers compensation, motor vehicle accidents and medical negligence. She is a member of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, ACT Women Lawyers’ Association and ACT Heart Foundation.
Deborah is married to a local businessman, is the proud mother of 3 young men and balances her work and family commitments with participation in local and national charity and community events.
Professor Nicholas Glasgow
(BHB, MBChB, MD, GradCertHigherEd, FRNZGP, FRACGP, FAChPM) is Dean, Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Medicine Biology and Environment and Dean, Medical School at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.
His clinical disciplines are general practice and palliative medicine. He has held appointments with the University of Auckland, the University of the United Arab Emirates, the University of Sydney and The Australian National University. His doctoral thesis examined the interface between primary and secondary care in a rapidly developing country. His research interests include asthma and respiratory health, chronic disease care, health system research including health workforce, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He has twice been a Harvard Macy Scholar.
Notwithstanding an increasing and high administrative and service load, he continues to publish regularly with 2 Book Chapters, and over 65 research and scholarly papers. He is regularly invited to speak at international meetings on matters related to primary health care and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Prior to taking up the Dean’s role in 2008, he was appointed as the Foundation Professor and Director of the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute at The Australian National University in 2003. The research agenda of the Institute focused on health services research and the nexus between research evidence and policy formulation.
Professor Glasgow has served on a number of Australian Government committees including the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (core member), the Australian Health Information Council, and the Asthma Expert Advisory Committee.
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Veronica Croome
Chief Nurse, Health Directorate
Veronica (Ronnie) Croome commenced as the ACT Health Chief Nurse in February 2009.
Ronnie's nursing career commenced in 1973 at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney where she trained in general and intensive care nursing. She went on to work in a variety of education and management positions, spending time at Westmead, Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Hospitals.
Ronnie had a timely break from her career to try her hand at small business ownership. Managing a busy delicatessen 7 days a week while challenging, did not fulfil her life long ambition to be a nurse leader. So after 4 years she returned to Royal North Shore Hospital where she managed first, the Intensive Care Units and then the Division of Medicine. She went on to become the Director of Nursing at Gosford Hospital, a position she held for 7 years.
Prior to her move to the ACT, Ronnie worked as the Area Director of Nursing at Northern Sydney Central Coast Health. She has several qualifications in management and public health as well as a strong clinical background in acute care.
Linda Muir
A/Director (Sports Development), Australian Sports Commission
Linda joined the Australian Sports Commission in December 2008 and is responsible for providing leadership in inclusive practices and participation growth within the Australian sport system and in actively advocating the enduring values of fair play, equality and respect for all participants.
Linda was previously the Development Manager of the Ainslie Football Club where she was responsible for the management of the junior club, including the development of pathways for all players, and was successful in implementing teams in the inaugural AFL Youth Girls competition.
Linda is currently a Director of AFL Canberra and is the first woman ever appointed to the Board.
She has held numerous board and committee positions including: Chair of the AFL Canberra Junior Operations Committee, Chair of the Pacific School Games Basketball Working Party, Member of the ACT Academy of Sport Technical Advisory Panel, Director of the 6th Australian Masters Games and Chair of the Canberra Capitals Basketball Pty Ltd.
Linda was captain of the Canberra Capitals team for several years. She has also played over 200 games in 10 seasons in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). Linda has toured internationally with sporting teams many times, including representing Australia at the World Junior Basketball Championships in Colorado Springs, USA.
Jacquelyn Richards
Organisational Psychologist, Executive Partner Richards Consulting, Associate Consultant Effective People
Jacquelyn is an Organisational Psychologist, Executive Partner in Richards Consulting and Associate Consultant with Effective People. She has been active in commercial consultancy and academia for the last 20 years. She has taught units in Sociology and Marketing and short course programs for both the Australian National University and the University of Canberra.
During her time as consultant, Jacquelyn has facilitated and written over 65 strategic and corporate plans and conducted over 30 area/organisation reviews. She also specializes in negotiation training, facilitation, personal and team development, and workplace counseling and mediation.
Jacquelyn has also enjoyed considerable success in one:on:one coaching of Senior Executives. This is aimed at providing feedback on interpersonal skills, individual goal setting and performance objectives.
Jacquelyn has a background in dance and has choreographed a number of local musicals including Buddy, the Wedding Singer, Chess and Fame. Last year she won the Canberra Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography in Fame.
She is a Board Member of the Q Theatre and a Canberra Area Theatre Award Judge.
Maria Efkarpidis
Director, Rock Development Group
Maria is a well known Canberran, heavily involved within the Greek Community of the ACT. Maria is on the Board of the Greek Australian Pre-School and Childcare, and is also a Director of the Pontian Club – which was founded by her late father, Mr Tom Efkarpidis.
Maria is an ambassador for Earth hour, dedicated to helping children live healthy and active lives and is a keen Philanthropist, supporting several charities within the ACT. She helped establish the Tom Efkarpidis Foundation with her brother John and sister Susie, to celebrate the legacy of their late father Mr Tom Efkarpidis. The foundation has a special focus of helping children in the ACT.
As a Director of the Rock Development Group –a Canberra Family Business whose portfolio includes eight properties with a value in excess of $100 million– Rock aims to develop properties that are visually stunning, environmentally outstanding and engage the community. Their latest project, loop is the sustainable urban renewal project surrounding the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets. loop will create new commercial, retail and residential spaces in the heart of Belconnen. It will also utilise sustainable technologies such as geothermal heating, cooling and ventilation systems, large scale solar microgeneration systems, rain and waste water recycling systems and electric vehicle infrastructure.
Tony Lafferty
Director, Paediatrics, Canberra Hospital
Dr Tony Lafferty is the Clinical Director of Paediatrics, and a Paediatric Endocrinologist. Having obtained his medical degree graduating with distinction from University of Otago, he trained in Paediatrics and then Paediatric Endocrinology at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne before spending 2 years as a Clinical Associate in the Developmental Endocrinology Branch, NICHD, NIH in Bethesda, Maryland.
He returned to Melbourne in 2000 as a visiting NIH Fellow and Senior Lecturer at Monash University before accepting a position at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth in 2001. He moved to Canberra in 2005 where he has continued his clinical and research interests in obesity, children's diabetes and growth disorders, and aspects of paediatric endocrinology, and has lectured undergraduate and post graduate health trainees.
He succeeded Assoc Prof Graham Reynolds in 2008 as Clinical Director of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Tony Henshaw
Independent Corporate Director and contributor to volunteer/not-for-profit initiatives
Tony Henshaw has recently retired after a career in the information technology business spanning more than 35 years, culminating in managing the Asia Pacific operations of major international IT vendors. His career includes work for the Australian Government, Australian listed and unlisted software developers and Telstra.
Tony has a strong background in the development of IT and telecommunications in Australia. He was a member of the Federal Government's Industry Research and Development Board for 5 years, including acting as chair of the Board for 12 months. This Board is charged with administering the Government's Industry R&D grants and tax incentive programs. He has also been active in the development of Australian software companies as an advisor to CSIRO and mentor to start-up companies.
In retirement, Tony has moved to a combination of volunteer/not-for-profit activities and a small number of company directorships. He is a volunteer with Indigenous Community Volunteers, advising on business planning and corporate governance. He has recently accepted a pro-bono role as a Governor of the ANU Endowment for Excellence - the ANU's philanthropic fund.
Lee Martin
Deputy Director-General, Canberra Hospital and Health Services
Lee Martin commenced his role as Deputy Director General of the Canberra Hospital and Health Services earlier this year. Previously he was part of the Department of Human Services, leading the Clinical Innovation Unit in Victoria. During this time Lee lead the National Medication Breakthrough Collaborative, and the Victorian Collaboratives on Patient flow, Sub Acute Care, Blood Matters, Intensive Care, and innovation programs to deliver new ways of working.
He then went on to become Director of Improvement at Austin Health, Director of Access and Improvement at Southern Health.
Lee also held executive roles as Executive Director of Access and Improvement at Melbourne Health, and then Executive Director of Operations at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.