We help older Australians feel safe and well-looked after with the aged care they receive.
We do this by ensuring that providers:
- are accountable for the quality and safety of care they give
- follow their obligations under the Aged Care Act 1997.
An independent Commissioner, Janet Anderson PSM, leads our organisation.
Janet reports directly to the Minister for Aged Care, The Hon Anika Wells MP.
Meet our Executive Leadership Team below.
We welcome expression of interest requests for members of the team to speak or present at external events.
Janet Anderson PSM, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner
Janet became our first Commissioner in January 2019.
Janet has over 20 years of experience in health and aged care policy, strategy and planning. Her career has encompassed federal, state and territory agencies.
Janet has held roles with the NSW Health Department and the Commonwealth Departments of Veterans Affairs and Health.
As CEO of the Northern Territory Health Department, Janet led the government’s response to the Royal Commission into child protection and youth justice.
In 2009, Janet received a Public Service Medal for health policy development and reform contributions.
Janet has built on this work as our Commissioner through her aged care sector reform program.
Executive Leadership Team
Dr Mandy Callary, Chief Clinical Advisor
Mandy joined us in July 2024.
Mandy has over 20 years’ experience as a geriatrician – specialising in the medical care, health and well-being of older people.
She has expertise in:
- The assessment and management of frailty - particularly in cognitive disorders and in deprescribing
- Clinical audit
- Models of Care development
- Applied research – particularly in aged and health care service delivery
- Evidence-based clinical practice
- Clinical governance
- The value of lived experience in informing high quality and safe aged care delivery
Mandy has held clinical roles in acute geriatric medicine with SA Health, in geriatric assessment and rehabilitation medicine with Calvary Healthcare and in private practice providing medical care to older people in their own homes and in residential aged care.
Mandy also has 20 years’ experience as a non-executive director with the not-for-profit aged care provider Southern Cross Care (SA NT & Vic) before she commenced work with the Commission.
Mandy continues to work as a clinician within the Division of Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.
Mark le Dieu, Deputy Commissioner Corporate
Mark joined us in June 2024, bringing with him a deep knowledge of APS service delivery as well as a proven track record of establishing and providing corporate systems/support.
Most recently Mark oversaw the Community Grants Hub for the Department of Social Services. The Hub manages around 30,000 grants each year with a combined value of over $10 billion. The grants are mostly across the community and health sector, including aged care.
He has had an extensive career at the SES level in the Australia Public Service (APS), the majority in corporate support or service delivery roles, undertaking senior roles in human resources, business process/systems redesign, change management/reform programs and service delivery.
In the past he has been responsible for all Department of Human Services’ Medicare and Centrelink shopfronts and supporting responses to national disasters and COVID-19.
Mark is passionate about service delivery and how the APS can support communities and those that need assistance.
Mark is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the ANZSOG Executive Fellows Program. He is also a Council member of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, Queensland.
Louise Macleod, Complaints Commissioner
Louise joined us in May 2023. Her extensive experience includes policy development, program management and service delivery in:
- administrative law reform
- investigations
- enforcement
- compliance monitoring
- trauma-informed dispute resolution
- restorative justice.
Louise has held senior positions in the Office of the National Data Commissioner and the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
During her time with the Ombudsman, Louise led the Defence Abuse Response program.
Louise worked with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to support the review of the Parliamentary Workplace: Responding to Serious Incidents.
Earlier in her career, Louise was the ACT District Registrar for the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Louise started public service as an Australian Army officer and was admitted to practise law in the ACT.
Lisa Peterson PSM, Deputy Commissioner, Sector Capability and Regulatory Strategy
Lisa joined us in February 2022.
Lisa has over 25 years' experience leading program design and implementation in:
- aged care
- regional development
- natural disaster emergency response
- technology-based innovation
- advanced manufacturing
- energy
- environment.
As an Assistant Secretary with the Australian Department of Health, Lisa was crucial in the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response.
Lisa was recognised for outstanding service with a Public Service Medal on the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Lisa also led the establishment of the Business Grants Hub, a centre of excellence in program design and administration.
Executive Directors
Ann Wunsch, Approvals and Serious Incident Notifications
Ann has worked with us since 2019. Ann started as our Executive Director, Quality Assessment and Monitoring Operations.
Her extensive experience in the NSW disability services sector includes:
- managing services in non-government agencies
- serving on non-government boards
- providing policy advice to the NSW Government.
Ann’s past roles include general manager of the education and operations divisions of the former Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and its predecessor, the Accreditation Agency.
Ann spent 10 years as a part-time member of the Guardianship and Protected Estates division of the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal.
Ann has been a surveyor for the International Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare (ISQua) since 2010. Ann represented the Commission on the ISQua Accreditation Council until 2022.
Anthony Speed, Quality Assessment and Monitoring
Anthony has almost 30 years of experience in policy design, program delivery and regulation in public sector health and social services.
Before joining us in 2020, Anthony led Aged Care Compliance functions for the Commonwealth Department of Health.
He has worked in health promotion roles in the community sector and served on the boards of several not-for-profit organisations.
Anthony is interested in inclusive care and consumer experience. He is a graduate of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government executive masters program. He is also the senior executive champion for the Commission’s Indigenous Staff Network and Reconciliation Action Plan.
Bronwen Jaggers, Engagement, Education and Communication
Bronwen joined us in August 2024.
Bronwen has over 28 years’ experience in the public sector across strategic communication, corporate governance and program delivery roles.
Working in the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Bronwen delivered a comprehensive redesign and uplift of the department’s stakeholder engagement and communication functions.
Working in the department’s Biosecurity group Bronwen led the department’s communication and media support for a number of biosecurity emergency responses, and more recently, oversaw the implementation of new accountability mechanisms for biosecurity funding.
In earlier roles with the Australian National Audit Office and the Australian Parliament, Bronwen delivered a range of high-profile audit and committee reports, influencing public administration and policy outcomes.
Bronwen has qualifications in journalism and legal studies, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Emma Jobson, Regulatory Strategy and Policy
Emma has significant experience in policy design, program implementation and service delivery in health and social services. Most recently, Emma led the design and implementation of national aged care compliance regulations.
Her more than 10 years of public sector experience includes time as State Manager for the NSW/ACT Office of the Department of Health. In this role, Emma led the implementation of regulation and health care programs across aged and primary health care.
Emma also has expertise in:
- corporate leadership
- organisational redesign
- capacity building
- change management.
Loren de Vries, Senior Practitioner, Behaviour Support
Loren joined us in May 2023. As a nurse practitioner (older person), Loren has years of experience and expertise in supporting older people. This includes people who live with dementia and experience changed behaviours.
Loren brings specialist knowledge and skills in the clinical care of older people. This comes from a combination of formal education, research and clinical experience.
Loren has worked in acute and residential aged care in a range of roles and settings, including rural health. Loren has taught undergraduate and postgraduate students in dementia care. Loren also completed research in Environmental Design and Physical Activity.
Loren is passionate about the care of the older person. People see her as a clinical leader.
Loren has a Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Science (Gerontology and Rehabilitation) and Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner).
Michelle Bampton, Intake and Complaints Resolution
Michelle has over 20 years of experience in government and leadership roles in the ageing and disability sectors.
Before joining us, Michelle worked in several senior leadership positions at the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Her focus was to develop operational guidance and lead transformational change.
Michelle has extensive leadership experience in complaints and quality standards. Michelle also has expertise in person-centred policy and practice.
Michelle led the SA Home and Community Care program and has substantial experience in frontline service delivery.
Peter Edwards, Compliance Management
Peter maintains a strong interest in the relationship between organisational governance and operational design. This includes their influence on the delivery of quality services.
Before joining us in February 2022, Peter held leadership roles at the Australian Financial Security Authority. There, he played a lead role in modernising the regulation of personal property securities and personal insolvency.
Peter has worked in senior regulatory, service delivery and oversight roles across the public sector. At the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, he implemented a national delivery model to improve investigatory functions.
In addition to legal qualifications, Peter has held clinical roles as a registered nurse, midwife and mental health nurse. He is a member of the Institute of Company Directors.
Shelley Castree-Croad, Enterprise Governance and Corporate Operations
Shelley has a passion for governance and a proven record of lifting the performance of highly complex services. Shelley does this through engaging staff, strengthening partnerships, thinking creatively and building leadership capability.
Shelley has extensive executive leadership experience. Before joining us in 2020, Shelley worked as the Chief Operating Officer at Austin Health and Chief Executive Officer at Calvary Health Care Kogarah.
Shelley is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Shelley has served on the Board of the Health Services Association NSW and as an alternate director of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
Shelley has a Master of Health Administration, a Diploma in Professional Studies (Clinical Practice) and an extensive healthcare background in Australia and the United Kingdom.
