Work Health and Safety Board members

Principal, Semicolon Consulting

Jorgen is a plumber by trade and has been engaged in workplace health and safety in various capacities since 1992 when he started work for Queensland’s Workers Health Centre. He has had industry leadership roles as state secretary of the Queensland Plumbers Union and as founding CEO of MATES in Construction - a workplace mental health and suicide prevention initiative for the Construction industry. He comes to the Board with a strong focus that workplace health and safety must be for the whole person involving both physical and mental health and safety. As chair of the Board Jorgen aims to support the Board’s strategic focus in supporting safer workplaces in Queensland.

Jorgen is currently CEO for Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Queensland, Lived Experience Advisor to Suicide Prevention Australia, member of Queensland's Mental Health and Drugs Advisory Council and Suicide Prevention Advisor to Livingworks Education Australia. He holds a Masters of Suicidology, a Diploma in Community Welfare and Development and an Associate Diploma in Labour Studies. He is currently a PhD candidate studying "Male Help-Offering in Suicide Prevention".

Assistant Secretary, Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union

Kate is the Assistant Secretary within the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU). Kate is a Registered Nurse and has been a QNMU member for 27 years. In 2021, she was elected to the position of QNMU Assistant Secretary. Prior to this, Kate was the QNMU Director of Organising and Professional Services.

Over the past decade, Kate has led and participated in several statewide initiatives to advance the nursing and midwifery professions in areas such as workload management, practice innovation and governance. Currently, she is focused on advocating for the implementation of the QNMU’s Positive Practice Environment Standards in all services where nurses and midwives are employed. Kate has worked in public, private and commercial healthcare environments in clinical management and administrative roles. Kate has held a Nursing Director position in Sub and Post-Acute Service within West Moreton Hospital and Health Service and an Assistant Director of Nursing position in the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office (OCNMO). She is also a graduate of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Global Nursing Leadership Institute.

As an Executive Member of the Queensland Council of Unions, Kate fights tirelessly for the rights of members across all sectors, believing passionately that well-supported nurses and midwives are central to healthier communities. She particularly enjoys working with frontline nurses and midwives to develop, implement and evaluate resource management practices, processes and tools to improve the delivery of safe, high-quality nursing and midwifery.

President, Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union NT/QLD Branches

Royce is currently working for the CFMEU as the Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator. He is an innovative and results driven strategic leader with more than 25 years management experience in a variety of Industry Representative Roles.

He has strategic management expertise covering a wide range of areas including industry advice, policy development, education, training and government relations. Royce also has vast networking connections across a broad spectrum of state and national institutions, with extensive experience in the Building and Construction Industry and a proven ability to develop and implement strategy broadened by internal knowledge of the workings of not-for-profit operations and large enterprise governance.

Royce’s extensive technical experience within the construction industry has seen him chair numerous working parties, reviewing national legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice.

Royce is a member of the Construction Industry Sector Standing Committee.

Executive Officer at the Australian Workers’ Union

Mark has over 20 years’ experience in industrial relations and workplace health and safety in Queensland.

Senior Advisor, Safety & Workers' Compensation Services, AiGroup

Annette holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Health and Safety and has worked in senior WHS roles for almost 25 years. Annette has worked in and consulted to a range of industries including mineral processing, heavy manufacturing, oil and gas, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), government bodies, and the banking and finance sector.

Annette is a member of the Safety Leadership at Work Expert Reference Group that oversees the Safety Leadership at Work Program, Chair of the Manufacturing Industry Sector Standing Committee.

Chief Executive Officer, Waste and Recycling Industry Association of Queensland

Georgina has over 25 years’ experience in the energy, water, waste management and agricultural industries.

Georgina specialises in stakeholder engagement and advocacy and is committed to contributing to sustainable environmental and social outcomes from economic activity and the adoption of new technologies. Georgina contributes to a range of organisations in the resource recovery, agricultural and not-for-profit sectors.

Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Trucking Association

Gary is an experienced Senior Executive and provides strategic and trusted advice across diverse government and industry portfolios locally, nationally and globally.

Gary is a strong advocate for facilitating innovative changes for the road freight industry in Queensland and nationally. Gary has led reform of the Queensland Disaster Management Act, the Australian Road Laws, the introduction of High Productivity Multi-Combination vehicles and the 50km per hour speed limit in residential areas.

In 2009 Gary was awarded the Queensland Trucking Association’s Industry Safety Award, only the second non-industry person to receive this Award of Excellence, for his role in the establishment of the Fatigue Management Pilot leading to the Ministerial Council adoption of fatigue laws as they are known today.

Gary is a Trustee Director of the TWU Industry Superannuation Fund and was appointed to the NTC Heavy Vehicle National Law Review Expert Panel in early 2019.

Deputy National Safety Manager, Ramsay Health Care Australia

Kathy has worked in health care for much of her career, spending 20 years as a Registered Nurse and Midwife but her passion was found in the Emergency Department, where she became aware of the impacts on workers and their families as the result of workplace injuries.

After a six year stint in the Petrochemical industry, which provided an excellent grounding in safety management systems Kathy moved back to the health care sector where she continues to work today combining her love for health care and passion for workplace safety.

Queensland University of Technology

Richard is a Professor in the School of Law at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Prior to this, Richard held positions as the founding Director of the National Research Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Regulation at the Australian National University; and Director of the Socio-Legal Research Centre at Griffith University.

Richard has taught work health and safety law and policy to undergraduates and graduates. His research has focused on the way in which work health and safety regulation is designed and implemented, including how it works in practice. He has completed eight major empirical studies, and authored or co-authored at least five books, and many articles and book chapters, on work health and safety regulation. He has also authored or co-authored research reports and papers for work health and safety regulators and policy makers in Australia and internationally.

Chair, Australian Institute of Health and Safety

Naomi is a transformational leader of organisations – with a focus on stakeholder engagement and values-based decision making. Currently, the Australian Institute of Health & Safety Board Chair and Managing Director of Safe Expectations, Naomi is an experienced not-for-profit and private company director.

Naomi is a Certified OHS Professional with experience across a range of industries including Mining, Engineering, Construction, Transport, Heavy Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Education.

Naomi helps leaders who want to transform their approach to managing risks and make a difference — to cut through the bureaucracy, increase worker engagement, shape culture, and facilitate change that resonates through every level.

CEO, WorkCover Queensland

Commencing as WorkCover Queensland CEO on 1 January 2017, Bruce was previously CEO of Mine Wealth and Wellbeing Super Fund for 11 years and was awarded “Executive of the Year” in 2010 by the Fund Executive Association for his contributions to business and industry.

Bruce is a highly experienced and proven CEO, recognised by industry for delivering sustainable financial performance and customer service excellence in the financial services sector.

Bruce encourages innovation and drives transformational change. Bruce is committed to achieving WorkCover’s vision of being Australia’s leading workers’ compensation insurer by driving the delivery of technologically advanced claims management platforms and outstanding customer experience.