Dr Yvonne Luxford is a senior health and community sector executive with extensive experience in organisational leadership, governance, policy, advocacy and service development. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of Perinatal Wellbeing Centre, an accredited mental health service providing tailored support to families experiencing perinatal mental health challenges, and are a strong advocate for improving the mental wellbeing of local families and strengthening community and health-sector responses.

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One of her favourite aspects of the role is the opportunity to collaborate with other like minded organisations in seeking to improve the care and support available to expectant and new parents.

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Yvonne’s governance experience includes serving as President of the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT, Vice President of the Public Health Association of Australia, President of Oncology Massage Australia, Treasurer of the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care, and Chair of the eHospice International Management Committee. She has also served as a Director of Community Mental Health Australia and held senior leadership roles with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, including leading its Faculty of Public Health Medicine and Policy and Advocacy team.

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Yvonne has contributed to numerous government and sector governance and advisory bodies, including the Close the Gap Steering Committee, Independent Hospitals Pricing Authority Subacute Care Working Party, National eHealth Transition Authority Stakeholder Reference Forum, Advance Care Planning on eRecords National Committee, National Aged Care Alliance, National Standards Assessment Program Steering Committee, and the Integrated Care Framework – Dementia Project Expert Advisory Committee.

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As CEO of Palliative Care Australia, Yvonne was responsible for campaign development and management of Australia’s annual National Palliative Care Week, and was honoured to win the International Association of Business Communicators’ highest award, the Golden Quill alongside the campaign firm.

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A highlight of Yvonne’s advocacy journey was being invited to address the World Health Assembly in Geneva on behalf of Alzheimer’s Disease International regarding the palliative care resolution, which represented the culmination of three years of international and domestic negotiation, working closely with international colleagues. The resolution was passed unanimously, and the Member States filled the United Nations building with spontaneous applause at its success.

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Her broader sector leadership includes significant work in Indigenous suicide prevention, including as Executive Officer of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project and co-author of Solutions That Work: What the evidence and our people tell us. She has also played a national role in perinatal mental health advocacy, education and awareness, including collaboration across major sector organisations and with government.

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A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Institute of Community Directors Australia, they maintain a strong focus on contemporary governance practice, accountability and effective organisational leadership.