Assoc. Prof. Helen Cooper
Chief Executive
MBA
As Chief Executive of Eastern Health, Helen leads a comprehensive range of high quality, acute, sub-acute, mental health, residential care and community health services to people and communities.
Eastern Health has services across the largest geographical area of any metropolitan health service in Victoria and is supported by 12,001 staff and 199 volunteers.
Helen was previously the Chief Executive Officer for the Peninsula Care group in Bayside Health. She has also held senior roles with Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Gold Coast Hospital and Queensland Health.
As a Registered Nurse Helen is an experienced health service leader with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry, and is skilled in healthcare, governance, leadership and performance improvement.
Helen has had executive responsibility for many new hospital infrastructure builds leading tender processes, design and operationalisation, including the recently opened $1.16bn Peninsula University Hospital.
She has a Master of Business Administration from Central Queensland University and is a Graduate from the Australian institute of Company Directors.
Helen is an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. Helen is also an experienced Board Director holding Non-Executive Director positions on a number of Boards.
Adj. Prof. Philippa Blencowe
Executive Director - Nursing and Midwifery, Residential Aged Care and Support Services
RN, PostGradcert Health Administration, Master of Nursing
MACN, AAICD
Adjunct Professor Philippa Blencowe is the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at Eastern Health, providing strategic leadership and oversight for more than 5,300 nurses and midwives across the organisation. In addition to this key leadership role, she holds executive responsibility for Residential Aged Care and Non-Clinical Support Services
A Registered Nurse with a strong clinical and administrative background in both England and Australia, Philippa has extensive experience across a range of healthcare settings. Her career has included roles in surgical and coronary care nursing, intensive care management, Hospital in the Home, quality improvement, access and flow, and senior professional and clinical operations leadership.
Philippa is deeply committed to supporting the nursing and midwifery workforce, championing safe, high-quality care, and advocating for patients and their families.
She holds qualifications in Critical Care, a Postgraduate degree in Health Administration, and a Master of Nursing Practice. Philippa is also an Adjunct Professor at Deakin University, contributing to the development of future nursing and midwifery leaders.
Rama Devarajan
Executive Director, Finance & Procurement
BCom(Hon); MBA; ASCPA
Rama has had an impressive career, having worked in several senior finance roles in mining and mining service companies over three decades across the world. His entry into the health sector was as the Chief Financial Officer at Peninsula Health before moving to Eastern Health in 2025. He brings with him a strong skillset in financial management, risk, business strategy, and planning and works closely with the Board and Executive team.
Adj. Clin. A/Prof Alison Dwyer
Executive Director - Clinical Governance, Chief Medical Officer
MBBS MBA MHSM FRACMA FCHSM GAICD
Adjunct Associate Professor Dwyer commenced at Eastern Health in February 2019. Her previous roles have included Chief Medical Officer at Northern Health, Medical Director Quality, Safety and Risk Management at Austin Health and Director Medical Services at Royal Melbourne Hospital. She is a past Board Member of Peninsula Health and Chair of its Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance Committee. Adjunct Associate Professor Dwyer is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) and has a strong involvement in the training of medical administration registrars as a current Supervisor, Preceptor, Examination Censor and previously been Chair of the Medical Administration Workforce Planning Committee. She is also a current ACHS Surveyor and her research interests have focused on junior medical staff wellbeing, engaging medical staff in quality and the role of the Medical Administrator in Health Services.
Toni Gutschlag
Executive Director - Mental Health, Clinical Support and Transformation
EMPA BSW
Toni is an experienced health executive. She joined Eastern Health in 2023 from New Zealand where she’d worked for over 25 years leading national and regional system reform and health service operations. Toni has extensive experience in strategy and performance improvement, emergency and recovery responses, and leading integrated primary, community and hospital care models.
She is responsible for several programs at Eastern Health including, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Statewide Services, Medical Imaging, Pathology, Pharmacy and Transformation.
Rohan Lovell
Executive Director - Infrastructure and Digital
B.B Env (Arch), GAICD
Mr Lovell joined Eastern Health in February 2023 and brings 20 years of senior leadership across health, public, and social infrastructure. His career has centred on strengthening complex organisations through the planning, delivery, and governance of large-scale infrastructure programs that support safe, sustainable, and high-performing services for the community.
Mr Lovell leads the portfolios of Engineering, Asset Management, ICT, Digital Health, Biomedical Engineering, Business Services and Capital Delivery, applying a strategic and collaborative approach to drive organisational transformation, long-term sustainability, and operational resilience. His work emphasises governance, risk management, and performance, ensuring alignment with statewide priorities and delivering outcomes that improve care and community impact.
Rohan is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), holds a Bachelor of Built Environment in Architecture, and tertiary certifications in Risk Management and Project Management. His career demonstrates a consistent ability to deliver complex infrastructure reforms and digital innovation that enhance financial sustainability, enable clinical excellence, and embed long-term value.
Ged Millard
Executive Director - Allied Health, Strategy & Improvement
B.App.Sci (Physio), MClin Ed
Ged Millard has over 30 years’ experience in the health sector, predominantly in public health. She has worked overseas in Canada and New Zealand in acute settings to community based service. Ms Millard also has operational management experience across Allied Health specific teams and broader clinical service teams, including her role as Associate Program Director Specialty Medicine Ambulatory Care at Eastern Health. Her breadth of experience also extends to work in quality systems, improvement and clinical governance roles.
Ms Millard’s education roles are inclusive of clinical and university based instruction, along with course development.
Adj. Clin. A/Prof Evan Newnham
Executive Director, Clinical Operations
MBBS FRACP PhD MBA(Healthcare Management)
Evan commenced at Eastern Health in 2008 as a Gastroenterologist and General Physician, and completed his PhD through Eastern Health’s Clinical School. Evan has held several clinical leadership roles in General Medicine and Emergency Services and supported the early iterations of Clinical Council through the pandemic. He is responsible for the Clinical Operations Directorate supporting the Programs of Medicine, Critical Care and Access, Women and Children, Surgery and Anaesthetics and, Care at Home and Specialist Clinics.
Adam Williams
Executive Director, People and Culture
BCom
Adam Williams is a senior People and Culture executive with more than 20 years’ experience leading People & Culture functions across Australia and internationally. He brings expertise in workforce planning, organisational development, leadership and capability, industrial and employee relations, culture and engagement, and leading complex change in large organisations.
Adam joined Eastern Health following more than a decade with CSL, where he held senior HR leadership roles supporting Australia, Asia-Pacific and Global Operations. Earlier in his career he held HR leadership roles with Visy, Jetstar and Mondelez, building broad experience across complex, large-scale organisations.
As Head of People and Culture at Eastern Health, Adam leads the organisation’s people strategy and workforce agenda, overseeing people operations, organisational development, workplace relations, leadership and capability, workforce planning, occupational health, safety and wellbeing, and communications.