Senior Management Team
Mr Mark Dykgraaf, Chief Executive Officer
Mark is a health professional with more than 20 years senior management and executive experience in both public and private sectors in the NSW and ACT health systems. He has a diverse background and experience across subacute, aged and community services programs. Mark holds a Bachelor of Business, Graduate Certificates in Intensive Care Nursing, Advanced Nursing and Diabetes, as well as General Nursing. Mark has held various senior roles at St John of God Hospital (Goulburn), Canberra Hospital, Calvary Public, and Far West Local Health District in Broken Hill.
Ms Mandy Pusmucans, Director of Nursing / Chief Nurse
Mandy is a registered nurse with additional qualifications in rural health and business management. Following a working life that commenced in Gippsland, Mandy worked in Melbourne hospitals, rural Victoria and then on to remote Australia, which included living and working in both remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia and the main centre of Alice Springs. Mandy’s work has focused on social justice and equity of access for rural and remote communities, with particular focus on Aboriginal Australians. Mandy has been both an executive officer and then Board member of the Council of Remote Area Nurses Australia, a participant on the Council of the National Rural Health Alliance, and a member of the Royal College of Nursing Australia.
Dr Divyanshu Dua, Director Medical Services (FRACP, FAGE)
Dr Divyanshu ‘Divy’ Dua is Director of Medical Services at the Central Gippsland Health Service. Additionally, he is a visiting medical oncologist at the Latrobe Regional Health Service. He also holds the clinical dean position with the Monash Rural, Sale campus.
A consultant medical oncologist and Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). Dr Dua trained in Internal medicine and Medical oncology in Australia as part of FRACP before completing a clinical fellowship in drug development, early phase trials and thoracic malignancies at the Guy’s Hospital, London (UK), and the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (UK). Thoracic malignancies – including lung cancer, mesothelioma and thymoma – continue to be of special clinical interest to Dr Dua. He also has particular interest in the treatment of Genitourinary malignancies – especially prostate cancer, malignant melanoma, CNS tumors and breast cancer. Dr Dua has also involved in clinical research in the field of geriatric oncology “cancer in the older people” services as part of his role as medical oncologist.
Dr Dua has published several articles in peer reviewed international journals. He is actively involved in teaching and research through his current affiliation with the Monash rural medical school. His past academic affiliations include the Australian National University, Canberra. University of Adelaide, Flinders University, Monash Rural school of Medicine in Australia and King’s College London.
Ms Kelli Mitchener, Director Quality & Learning Services
Kelli is a registered nurse with a passion for quality, risk and governance. She began her nursing career in Melbourne spending 13 years in Intensive Care at Austin Health. During that time Kelli also gained experience through project roles; in clinical governance, resuscitation, quality improvement, rapid response systems and service development. Kelli moved into a variety of roles related to trauma, simulation and exercise training, and process redesign including time at the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner, the Department of Health and Human Services and NSW Health. Kelli is a specialist reservist in the Royal Australian Air Force and deployed to Afghanistan in active operations. Kelli has a Bachelor of Science (Nursing), a Diploma of Critical Care Nursing, a Master of Enterprise, and is a member of the Australian College of Nursing.
Ms Rachel Strauss, Director Community & Allied Health Services
Rachel has 40 years of health experience, spending the first 10 years in clinical nursing in both rural and metropolitan hospitals in SA before moving to community nursing. Rachel worked as an antenatal educator, health promotion clinician and family violence counsellor working with vulnerable women, children and male perpetrators of violence. Rachel also worked as a part time lecturer with TAFE SA delivering Certificate IV training in Community Services and Aged Care and was a Ministerial appointment on the SA Council of Safety and Quality for 3 years. For the past 25 years, Rachel has worked in senior management and executive roles in Community Services, Prison Health and Primary Care settings in SA and Gippsland developing high performing multidisciplinary teams/services. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Nursing & Midwifery, Certificate in Critical Care, Graduate Certificate Conflict Management (theory only), DHS South Australia Health Care Management and Influential Leadership program.
Ms Caron Mallet, Director Aged Care Services
Caron is a dedicated professional with a strong background in project and business management, and a passion for promoting safe and effective care/services through sustainably growing and managing resources, promoting quality metrics, performance measures and clinical standards. Prior to accepting the position of Director, Caron acted in the role for 12 months, prior to which she held the position of Nurse Unit Manager at Wilson Lodge – one of our aged care facilities. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing from Charles Darwin University and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management from Griffith University.
Mr Robert Strickland, Director Corporate Services
Robert has more than 20 experience in corporate services and senior executive roles in government, not for profit and private organisations across a broad range of industries including, primary health care, power generation, mining, construction, and port logistics industries. Robert is a Certified Practicing Accountant with CPA Australia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as holding a Bachelor of Business. Prior to his appointment at Central Gippsland Health, Robert held executive level roles with YFS Ltd, Western Health Alliance Limited (trading as Western NSW PHN), Marathon Health Ltd, Golding Contractors Ltd, Gladstone Ports Corporation, and Loy Yang Power.