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13 Oct 2021

New Head of Quality and Strategic Initiatives appointed

  • VCCC Alliance

Lisa Somerville GAICD joins the VCCC Alliance staff team

Strategic, system level thinking and an inclusive mindset are some of the qualities that our new Head of Quality and Strategic Initiatives will bring to the table when she starts in November.

Lisa Somerville GAICD, formerly Director Allied Health and Chief Allied Health Officer at Alfred Health and Adjunct Associate Professor at Latrobe University, is a strong addition to the VCCC Alliance Senior Leadership team. In this role she will help guide a complex network of stakeholders, programs and staff to help achieve our goals and improve outcomes for patients with cancer.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Lisa to the VCCC Alliance,” said Professor Grant McArthur, Executive Director. “Lisa’s skills and knowledge from 25 years’ experience working in public health roles across Australia and the United Kingdom, combined with her passion for diversity, inclusion and equity that she has applied in her previous roles, make her a great fit for the work we are doing as well as the culture of the alliance.”

Lisa recently graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and was appointed to Yea District Memorial Hospital Board in June 2021. 

At Alfred Health, Lisa led the Vulnerability initiative which encompasses a culture change and capability building for all staff related to disability, family violence and social model of care.  She has also led some large scale workforce projects across Alfred Health and Victoria and was the Executive Sponsor for the Ambulance Victoria and Alfred collaboration on the STRIDE (falls response) project, Senior Program Advisor for the Victorian Assistant Workforce Model (VAWM) and AHA implementation program. 

Lisa says she is really looking forward to working with the VCCC Alliance team.  “I am looking forward to being involved in exciting work and supporting the VCCC Alliance in achieving the purpose of making a difference to people experiencing cancer care.

 I am particularly excited about the opportunity to progress the work to reduce the disparities in outcomes of people affected by cancer.”

Lisa’s Quality and Strategic Initiatives portfolio directly oversees a team of six full and part-time staff, with areas of work including the equity program, consumer engagement and oversight of program management, systems, evaluation, stakeholder management and reporting. She will also co-lead the Collective Impact portfolio with Avalee Weir, Head of Communications and Community.

Lisa will commence with the VCCC Alliance on Monday 8 November 2021. 

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