Health Justice Australia CEO to step down

Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, founding CEO of the national centre of excellence for health justice partnership Health Justice Australia will step down from her role at the end of January 2024.

Boyd-Caine was appointed in 2016 to set up the national centre with the support of a small but committed network of legal assistance, health and funding innovators committed to improving access to legal help through the healthcare settings that people are already accessing.

“When I took on this role, I made a personal commitment to establish an organisation whose strategy and impact were strong enough to flourish beyond any key personnel. I’m incredibly proud that Health Justice Australia is now at that point. Health Justice Australia is a thriving national charity with a strong and high-performing team whose diverse skills and capabilities are influencing research, generating practice-led evidence, building capability to collaborate across otherwise-siloed systems and reshaping policy and service environments to better address the problems that hold people in disadvantage.

“Strategic relationships with a growing number of philanthropic organisations and increasing influence in government are enabling Health Justice Australia to make a unique contribution. Building on the strong foundations laid through its first eight years, Health Justice Australia will commence the work to develop its next strategy in 2024. Overseeing all this is an exceptional board invested in supporting Health Justice Australia’s impact, including through a planned recruitment to expand its membership.

“I have been planning my succession with the board for 18 months. Now, with the opportunity to develop and implement the next stage of Health Justice Australia’s strategy, there could not be a better time to bring in a new leader. The board will commence recruitment in the coming days. I look forward to announcing my own next step shortly.”

Health Justice Australia’s Board Chair, Michael Broadhead, said that Dr Boyd-Caine’s leadership has positioned the organisation as a trusted intermediary, willing to do the hard work required towards achieving systems level change.

Broadhead said, “Health Justice Australia’s success today is a testament to Dr Boyd-Caine and we thank her for her incredible commitment and contribution as founding CEO. From shaping a strong strategic direction to leading and supporting a talented team and establishing operational foundations, she has put Health Justice Australia in a position to scale our impact as we look to the future.”

Suzie Forell, Health Justice Australia Research Director, and Lottie Turner, Health Justice Australia Partnerships Director, will jointly act as co-CEO while a permanent replacement is recruited for Dr Boyd-Caine.

Image credit: iStockphoto.com/cagkansayin