Board Directors

Based on the 2020 NBPSA Constitution the NBPSA Board must have three and no more than nine Directors.

A Director's term can run for up to three years with one third of Directors positions being available for nomination each year. At least one Director must be an Ordinary Member based in New Zealand and one must be a Trainee Member.

The Board consists of four specific roles, the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Membership Director appointed from the pool of Directors by election of the members at the Annual General Meeting.

Current Directors

Dr Jane Lesslie

President

Professional history

Dr Jane Lesslie is a community paediatrician, specialising clinically in developmental-behavioural disorders. Jane was actively involved in the NBPSA from its inception. She held the role of Foundation Secretary for the society’s early years, followed by the Vice President role. Jane is now the NBPSA President.

Following an early medical career in general practice, Jane undertook her paediatric training in Perth, WA. She worked within the WA Child Development Service before moving east. She then worked as Clinical Director at the Royal Far West scheme in Manly, NSW. Following a move to Brisbane, Jane spent some years in the Child Development Network both as a consultant paediatrician and as a director. This is a multidisciplinary private practice dedicated to the care of children with developmental and behavioural difficulties. After returning to Sydney, Jane continues to provide clinical services in private practice at Developmental Medicine Consulting. Jane has also participated actively in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, where she spent 7 years on the Specialist Advisory Committee in Community Child Health, first as an Advanced Training Coordinator, and subsequently as Chair of that committee.

NBPSA Board positions

President, 2020 - present, Vice-President, 2019 - 2020, Vice-President 2016 - 2017, Foundation Secretary, 2012 - 2016

Dr Katie Heathershaw

Vice President

Professional history

Dr Katie Heathershaw is a developmental behavioural paediatrician. She trained at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Centre for Community Child Health, later undertaking research and completing a thesis for a doctorate of medicine. Katie founded the Melbourne Children’s Clinic in 2001, the first private, multidisciplinary paediatric clinic of its kind in Melbourne. Katie’s clinical interests include child behaviour problems, developmental and learning disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD, sleep problems of infants and children, and infant distress.

NBPSA Board positions

Vice President 2020 - present, Secretary, 2017 - 2020

“Being on the Board of NBPSA has been a great experience. It’s rewarding to be involved in the workings of the society, developing new skills in leadership and advocacy as well as forming close links with like-minded paediatricians”.

Associate Professor Jill Sewell AM

Professional history

Jill is a senior consultant paediatrician in the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Her interests include early childhood, training in community child health, clinical bioethics, medical education, medical regulation, safety and quality in health care and service delivery, leadership and women in medicine.

Jill is Chair of the Quality and Safety Executive Council, previous chair of the Victorian Clinical Council, and was inaugural co-lead of the Victorian Paediatric Clinical Network. She was on the executive of the International Pediatric Association and has served on various health boards. Jill has been President of the Australian Medical Council and of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

In 2005 Jill was made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to child health. In August 2022 Jill was awarded Life Membership of the NBPSA in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the field of developmental paediatrics, the establishment of the Victorian training program in Community Child Health and contribution to the NBPSA.

NBPSA Board positions

Director 2022 – present

“I am honoured to be invited to serve on the Board of the NBPSA and bring my knowledge and experience of governance in various organisations and my hopes and ideas for a better future for children to add to the mix of experts and advocates on the Board in service to the NBPSA membership.”

Sally McNeilly

Professional History

Sally has post graduate psychology and industrial relations degrees and is an experienced human resources professional with over 25 years working across sport, hospitality, medical services and business acquisitions.

Currently the Executive General Manager People and Culture at Hawthorn Football Club, Sally has responsibility for managing all aspects of HR governance for 300 employees.

She recently left her Board position at Learning for Life (L4L) Autism Centre after 12 years of service. Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband, three adult sons and two nieces.

Board position

Board Director 2022 - present

"I would love to contribute to the growth and professionalism of NBPSA as an important professional body for specialists working in this area. I have a strong working knowledge in HR and Board governance through L4L .”

Dr Kate Rowe

Director (Aotearoa New Zealand)

Professional History

Dr Kate Rowe graduated from University of Otago and trained throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. She also spent a year in Sydney as a child protection fellow at the Children's Hospital at Westmead to complete her FRACP in Community Child Health. She now works as a developmental paediatrician in two public, multi-disciplinary child development services in the Wellington region. This provides a varied workload across initial assessments and long term care for a range of neurodevelopmental and behavioural conditions. She also works for an acute sexual assault service and provides paediatric support for a local ADHD primary care special interest group. Kate's clinical interests include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities, along with child protection - particularly the health and wellbeing of children in and out of home care. She enjoys teaching and supervising advanced trainees.

NBPSA Board Position

Director, Aotearoa New Zealand representative 2021- present

"The NBPSA is a fantastic society and it is a privilege to provide an Aotearoa New Zealand perspective to the board. I bring my integrity and enthusiasm to the position and look forward to growing my leadership skills. Tē tōia, tē haumatia"

Dr Mandira Hiremath

Director

Professional history

Dr Mandira Hiremath graduated from Monash University and completed her paediatric training at Monash Children’s, the Royal Children’s Hospital and Djerriwarrh Health Service. She now works as a general paediatrician at Djerriwarrh Health Service in outer metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Through this service she is involved in multidisciplinary autism assessments for children from preschool to teenage years, the Pathway to Good Health Clinic, neonatal services and assessment and management of a variety of developmental-behavioural paediatric concerns. Mandira’s clinical interests include adolescent and young adult medicine, autism spectrum disorder and the impact of trauma on child development.

NBPSA Board position

Director 2020 - present

“I am excited about this opportunity of representing the ECC group on the NBPSA board. Being an ECC myself I hope to contribute to the establishment of a strong support system for my peers including providing avenues to network, readily available learning resources and exploration of career pathways.”

Dr Elise D'Abaco

Director (Trainee)

Professional History

Dr. Elise D'Abaco is an FRACP advanced trainee in general paediatrics and community child health. She completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 2015. She has worked as a paediatric trainee for 5 years, across a number of inner city, outer metropolitan and rural hospitals. Elise completed a Masters of Paediatric Medicine at the University of Sydney, and has a longstanding interest in developmental and behavioural paediatrics. In 2021 she will continue to pursue this passion through undertaking the position of Community Child Health Fellow at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

NBPSA Board Position

Director (Trainee member) 2021- present

SP Communications Committee 2019-ongoing

‘Through my involvement in the SP Communications Committee, I have gained insight into NBPSA achievements, particularly in supporting paediatricians as a professional body. I am looking forward to working with the Board to advance the new 2021-2023 Strategic Plan and providing the trainee perspective'