Our Leaders

Adam Horsburgh has been the Chief Executive Officer of Austin Health since June 2020. He has extensive health sector management experience in Victoria, as well as in the UK National Health Service (NHS).

(On 12-month leave of absence, effective October 2024). Penny is recognised as an influential public sector leader and has held many leadership positions, most recently as Chair of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System from February 2019 to March 2021.

Ellen is Chief People Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and holds qualifications in law, business and change mangement.

Helen is a member of the Orygen Board and an Emeritus Professor. She is a retired psychiatrist and public health physician with national and international experience in mental health research and its translation, and service provision. She is an appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and is included in the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

Frances is a NHMRC Fellow, Director of Technology, Innovation and Translation at the NHMRC PREMISE Centre for Research Excellence and Co-Director of the Mental Health Hub of the University of Newcastle’s Priority Research Centre in Brain and Mental Health. She is the interim Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at the University of Newcastle.

Ben is a consulting and social impact leader with over 25 years of experience in regulatory analysis and stakeholder engagement, strategy, customs and trade, tax and business change.

Mike is the Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Professor Patrick McGorry is the Executive Director of Orygen, Professor of Youth Mental Health at The University of Melbourne, and a Director of the Board of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation (headspace). His work has played a critical role in the development of safe, effective treatments and innovative research into the needs of young people with emerging mental disorders, notably psychotic and severe mood disorders. He has also played a major part in the transformational reform of mental health services to better serve the needs of vulnerable young people.

Sarah spent more than 25 years in legal practice, including 20 years as a partner in the Intellectual Property Group of a large commercial law firm, and also held management roles with responsibilities for recruitment, training, performance assessment and pastoral care.