Our Governance
Leadership & Governance
The Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC) plays a national leadership role across Australia’s specialist medical colleges. Our work is guided by our reformed governance structure with a representative College Council and a separate Board of Directors supported by a small agile team of staff, positioning us to act strongly as a trusted advisor and influential voice across the health sector.
CPMC Board
The CPMC Board is the governing body responsible for the organisation’s fiduciary, legal, and strategic oversight. It ensures the sustainability and accountability of CPMC and translates Council advice into strategic action.
The Board comprises between 7 and 9 directors and may include:
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The Chair and either a Chair-Elect or Immediate Past Chair
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Up to 2 Presidents and Up to 2 Past Presidents of member colleges
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Up to 2 CEOs from member colleges
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Up to 2 Independent Directors
*Not all categories may be represented at any given time.
The Board’s responsibilities include:
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Approving the organisation’s strategy, budget and policies
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Supporting the CEO and ensuring organisational performance
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Overseeing governance, compliance, and risk
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Upholding the mission, values, and purpose of CPMC
Board Members
Chair
A/Prof Sanjay Jeganathan
Clinical Associate Professor Sanjay Jeganathan is based in Australia. He presently holds the professional positions of Radiologist at Perth Radiological Clinic, and Consultant Radiologist at two other Perth hospitals.
He is also an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Curtin University Medical School.
His qualifications include MBChB, M.MED, FRANZCR as well as post-fellowship training in Breast MRI. Clinical Associate Professor Sanjay Jeganathan has held hospital appointments as a Radiologists in Australia and New Zealand.
Chair-Elect
A/Prof Kerin Fielding
Associate Professor Fielding was the first woman in New South Wales to become an orthopaedic surgeon and is only the third woman to undertake the role of president of RACS.
For nearly 20 years, Associate Professor Fielding has held positions as chair of the Clinical Surgical Training Council at the Health Education and Training Institute of New South Wales.
She has also been involved with the Early Management of Severe Trauma course at RACS for more than two decades, and is a long-time RACS councillor, chairing the Scholarship and Grants committee, the SIMG committee and the professional standards committee.
Board Director
Prof David Story
Dave Story is Professor and Foundation Chair of Anaesthesia at the University of Melbourne; and Head of the University Department of Critical Care. His main research interest is clinically and cost-effective approaches to reduce perioperative risk, complications, disability, and mortality. He also does translational work in acid-base disorders; environmental impact research and is a consumer investigator in diabetes care.
Dave is a staff anaesthetist at the Austin Hospital where he provides perioperative care for most procedural specialties including liver transplantation. His academic and ANZCA roles include supporting students, trainees, and fellows in pursuing research, education, and leadership.
Board Director
Prof Jennifer Martin
Professor Martin is a physician and academic healthcare leader with skillsets and experience in complex regulatory and performance environments in both health and education. She leads two independent multidisciplinary high-profile National research programs informing clinical practice and healthcare policy around optimised use of medicines, has 20 years’ experience on specialist Government committees guiding Trans-Tasman pharmaceutical policy, was a long-serving member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Policy and Advocacy Committee – setting strategy on a number of social policies affecting people’s health, until she became a Board Director of the RACP and President-Elect (2022-24).
Board Director
Dr Helen Parsons
Dr Helen Parsons CSC past President and Fellow of the Royal Australasia College of Medical Administrators (RACMA).
Helen has worked in rural and urban health service settings in the public sector, Correctional Health Services, Immigration and the Australian Defence Force. She currently works as District Director Medical Services at Nepean Blue Mountains LHD and has responsibilities for medical administration across tertiary, regional and rural hospitals.
Board Director
Dr Rod Martin
Rod has been a Rural Generalist for nearly 20 years. He is the President of ACRRM and he continues to teach medical students, as well as serving as a VMO in Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, and Emergency Medicine, and as a Practice Associate of Health on Rusden. Most recently, he and wife Deborah have co-founded Observa Care, a Remote Patient Monitoring service company focused on addressing rural and remote health needs.
Rod has enjoyed serving on many College committees, has been examined by the College and has been an examiner for over 15 years. He has been on Council as the NSW representative on Council for nearly ten years over the span of five Presidents. He teaches and contributes to many of the courses offered by ACRRM and has been active in building curriculum areas including palliative care and continues to assist the College in developing a new Rural Point of Care Ultrasound course.
Board Director
Dr Nicole Higgins
Nicole is the past president of RACGP, an organisation which represents 43,000 general practitioners around Australia. She is an innovative, strategic, and collaborative leader with strong governance experience, gained through various directorships and national chairperson roles.
Nicole is a GP and practice owner in regional Queensland. As a medical educator and supervisor, she values continuity of care, relationships, and teaching.
Nicole is the Convenor of the RACGP Future Leaders Program and chairs the Supervision and Medical Education Committee. She has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Management as a regional entrepreneur. Nicole is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the London School of Economics and Politics.
CPMC Council
The CPMC Council brings together the Presidents (or nominated representatives) of Australia’s specialist medical colleges. It serves as the key advisory and collaborative forum for CPMC, offering high-level expertise and guidance on issues impacting specialist medical education, professional standards, clinical training, and national health policy.
The Council:
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Advises on strategic, clinical, training, and policy issues
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Identifies and discusses emerging challenges across specialties
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Builds shared positions and recommendations across colleges
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Provides guidance to inform the direction of the organisation and its engagement with government, regulators, and the public
Council Members
