20 Hospital CEOs and Leaders in New South Wales

Last updated: 9 August 2026

Hospital CEOs and senior health executives make decisions that reach far beyond a boardroom. They shape how care is organised, how teams work under pressure and how a health service earns trust from patients, families and communities. In New South Wales, that work happens across metropolitan districts, regional networks, specialist hospitals and private providers, each with a different mix of scale, geography and need.

This is a practical directory of 20 current hospital CEOs and senior leaders in New South Wales, spanning metropolitan districts, regional networks, specialist hospitals and private providers. Each entry names the person's current role and organisation so the list stays a useful, current reference.

There is no ranking here. A hospital leader working across a large city district is carrying a different responsibility from a leader serving a remote community or a specialist cancer network. The value of the list is in seeing the range of leadership problems, not in pretending they can be placed on one ladder.

One theme runs through the group: clarity matters before speed. Leaders have to make the trade-off visible, say what good looks like and make ownership clear enough that people can act. That is practical leadership, especially when the work is complex and the consequences are human.

Why Hospital CEOs Matter

Hospital leadership is a test of practical clarity. The executive has to hold safety, access, workforce, finance, infrastructure and public trust together, while still helping people understand the next decision. That does not mean having every answer. It means making the real tension discussable, saying what good looks like and giving the right people enough ownership to move.

The leaders below work in very different settings, so the list is deliberately not a ranking. It is a way to notice patterns: clinical credibility often matters, regional leadership requires local judgement, and large systems need simple language if people are going to act together.

20 Hospital CEOs and Leaders in New South Wales

1. Alison Zecchin

Chief Executive, Western Sydney Local Health District

Alison Zecchin is Chief Executive at Western Sydney Local Health District. Commenced as Chief Executive in June 2026 after serving as General Manager of Royal North Shore Hospital from 2018 to 2026, with more than 35 years in NSW Health. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her move from a major hospital general manager role into district leadership makes the link between frontline operations and wider system stewardship especially visible. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

2. Anthony Schembri

Chief Executive, Northern Sydney Local Health District

Anthony Schembri is Chief Executive at Northern Sydney Local Health District. The Northern Sydney Local Health District identifies him as Chief Executive in its 2025 to 2026 transition work for Northern Beaches Hospital joining the public health system. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His leadership sits at the intersection of service continuity, public accountability and a major change in hospital ownership. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

3. Anna McFadgen

Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney

Anna McFadgen is Chief Executive Officer at St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney. The network leadership page identifies her as CEO, accountable for St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Sacred Heart Health Service and the correctional health service. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. The network model shows how a hospital CEO role can span acute care, community-facing services and care for people in complex settings. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

4. Brad Astill

Chief Executive, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

Brad Astill is Chief Executive at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District. Appointed Chief Executive in 2025 after serving as Chief Executive of Far West Local Health District, with the role covering the Nepean redevelopment and Blue Mountains planning context. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His background reflects the breadth of leadership required when a district has both major capital works and geographically dispersed communities. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

5. Brett Goods

Chief Executive Officer, Adventist HealthCare and Sydney Adventist Hospital

Brett Goods is Chief Executive Officer at Adventist HealthCare and Sydney Adventist Hospital. The hospital’s current quick reference guide identifies him as CEO of Adventist HealthCare, with more than 30 years of hospital leadership experience. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His long hospital leadership tenure offers a useful example of continuity, institutional memory and the daily discipline of keeping care human while systems grow. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

6. Cathryn Cox PSM

Chief Executive, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network

Cathryn Cox PSM is Chief Executive at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. The network’s 2025 annual review identifies her as Chief Executive and reports on the network’s current service and capital priorities. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Children’s hospital leadership makes the responsibility of coordinating clinical care, families, research and long-term public value particularly clear. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

7. Deb Willcox AM

Chief Executive, Sydney Local Health District

Deb Willcox AM is Chief Executive at Sydney Local Health District. The district’s executive page identifies her as Chief Executive from 2024, following senior roles including Chief Executive of Northern Sydney LHD and General Manager of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her career shows how leadership credibility can be built across both hospital operations and district-wide responsibility. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

8. Emma Field

Chief Executive, Murrumbidgee Local Health District

Emma Field is Chief Executive at Murrumbidgee Local Health District. Appointed Chief Executive in May 2026 after serving as Executive Director Service Delivery; the district describes a portfolio covering base, district and community hospitals and virtual care. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her appointment highlights the leadership challenge of making a large regional footprint feel connected rather than fragmented. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

9. Jill Wong

Chief Executive, Mid North Coast Local Health District

Jill Wong is Chief Executive at Mid North Coast Local Health District. The current leadership page identifies her as Chief Executive and describes responsibility for seven hospitals, 13 community health centres and about 5,000 staff. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her remit makes visible the practical work of leading across hospitals, community services and rural access at the same time. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

10. Jonathan Holt

Chief Executive Officer, St John of God Burwood and Richmond Hospitals

Jonathan Holt is Chief Executive Officer at St John of God Burwood and Richmond Hospitals. Commenced as CEO in May 2025 after 22 years in health and 18 years in senior leadership, including a general manager role in mental health. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His path shows how strong hospital leadership can combine operational experience with a deep understanding of the patient groups a service exists to support. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

11. Leisa Rathborne

Chief Executive, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Leisa Rathborne is Chief Executive at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Appointed Chief Executive in January 2026 after around 30 years in health, including senior roles at Health Infrastructure, St George Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her experience connects hospital operations, system infrastructure and district leadership, a useful reminder that good executive work is rarely confined to one lane. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

12. Margaret Bennett OAM

Chief Executive, Southern NSW Local Health District

Margaret Bennett OAM is Chief Executive at Southern NSW Local Health District. The district’s current team page identifies her as Chief Executive and records earlier CEO experience at Northeast Health Wangaratta and senior regional leadership across multiple services. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her career reflects the importance of building one connected service across communities that are separated by distance, not by need. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

13. Margot Mains

Chief Executive, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District

Margot Mains is Chief Executive at Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. The current executive team identifies her as Chief Executive; she has held the role since 2014 and previously led health services in South Australia, New Zealand and central Australia. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her long tenure offers a useful case study in the patient, cumulative work of leading a district through changing priorities. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

14. Mark Dykgraaf

Chief Executive, Far West Local Health District

Mark Dykgraaf is Chief Executive at Far West Local Health District. The current district team identifies him as Chief Executive, following CEO experience at Central Gippsland Health and other rural and remote services. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Far West leadership makes the trade-off between central support and local decision-making impossible to ignore. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

15. Mark Spittal

Chief Executive, Western NSW Local Health District

Mark Spittal is Chief Executive at Western NSW Local Health District. The current team page identifies him as Chief Executive, with three decades of health leadership across New Zealand and NSW. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His remit demonstrates why regional leadership depends on clear ownership, consistent standards and enough local judgement to respond to place. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

16. Michael Boyer AM

Chief Executive Officer, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse

Michael Boyer AM is Chief Executive Officer at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. The organisation’s current profile identifies him as CEO, appointed in 2023 after serving as Chief Clinical Officer at the specialist cancer hospital. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His clinical and executive background shows the value of keeping professional expertise close to the decisions that shape a complex hospital. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

17. Scott McLachlan

Chief Executive, Central Coast Local Health District

Scott McLachlan is Chief Executive at Central Coast Local Health District. The current executive leadership page identifies him as Chief Executive and describes his public and private health leadership experience across Central Coast hospitals. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. His role shows the balancing act between the discipline of a large health system and the distinct needs of local communities. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

18. Sonia Marshall

Chief Executive, South Western Sydney Local Health District

Sonia Marshall is Chief Executive at South Western Sydney Local Health District. The current NSW Health disclosure directory identifies her as Chief Executive; official biographies describe a 30-year NSW Health career beginning in intensive care nursing. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her progression from clinical care to district leadership is a practical reminder that executive authority is strongest when it stays connected to the work. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

19. Tracey Maisey

Chief Executive, Northern NSW Local Health District

Tracey Maisey is Chief Executive at Northern NSW Local Health District. The current leadership page identifies her as Chief Executive, with previous leadership in New Zealand district health boards and Health New Zealand; the district covers 12 hospitals and 20 community health centres. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her experience across health systems is relevant to the hard work of translating strategy into consistent care across a large coastal region. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

20. Tracey McCosker PSM

Chief Executive, Hunter New England Local Health District

Tracey McCosker PSM is Chief Executive at Hunter New England Local Health District. The current team page identifies her as Chief Executive, after more than 30 years in NSW Health and previous leadership as Chief Executive of NSW Health Pathology. Read the official profile for the current role context.

What makes this role worth watching is the leadership problem underneath it. Her career shows how system-level experience can help a leader hold clinical quality, workforce and operational scale together. In a setting where pressure can make every issue feel urgent, the useful question is what this leader is helping people make clear, own and act on next.

What These Leaders Show Us

The first pattern is that hospital leadership is bigger than one building. District CEOs carry networks of hospitals and community services, while specialist and private providers connect clinical care with research, partnerships and long-term sustainability. The job is to make the whole system feel connected without pretending every site has the same needs.

The second pattern is the value of visible ownership. People can tolerate hard decisions more easily when they understand who owns the decision, what good looks like and what will happen next. That is why the strongest leadership habits are often quite plain: name the trade-off, bring the right voices into the room and make the next move small enough to start.

The third pattern is that credibility is built over time. Many of these leaders have moved between clinical work, hospital operations, system roles and community leadership. That variety matters because hospital executives need to understand both the detail of care and the conditions that allow teams to do it well.

How to Use This List

Use the directory as a starting point for better questions, not as a scorecard. Leadership appointments in health can change quickly, so the official profile linked in each entry is the best place to confirm a role if you are contacting a specific hospital or district. If you are leading a team in healthcare, use the examples to ask what needs to be clearer, what ownership is missing and what a useful next move would look like in your own setting.

FAQs

Who is the most senior hospital leader in New South Wales?

There is no single hospital leader who sits above every hospital in the state. NSW Health is organised through districts, networks and specialist services, while private and independent hospitals have their own governance structures. This list keeps the scope clear rather than forcing different roles into one hierarchy.

Are these leaders ranked?

No. This is a recognition list, not a ranking. Names are arranged alphabetically by surname, and each entry stands on its own rather than being compared against another.

Can you help a healthcare leadership team?

Yes. Consult Clarity helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. The work is practical rather than motivational, with clear options and written next steps for teams that want stronger trust, ownership and belonging.

Related Reading

For a related look at clearer leadership practice, read the Working Genius FAQ and this guide to a strategy and leadership consultant. If your team needs help turning ideas into action, start with a written team offsite enquiry.

Conclusion

Hospital CEOs and senior leaders are often asked to carry complexity without passing all of it on to their teams. The practical response is not to hide the complexity. It is to make the tension clear, connect the decision to the people it affects and give the next step a real owner.

That is the leadership habit worth taking from this list: clarity creates movement, and movement creates trust.

About the Author

Jonno White is the founder of Consult Clarity and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. His work is practical rather than motivational: something people can use on Monday morning, not a feeling that fades by Friday.

If you would like to explore support for your leadership team, email jonno@consultclarity.org or use the team offsite enquiry.