About the Board

Adjunct Associate Professor Billie Sankovic
Chair

Adjunct Associate Professor Billie Sankovic has extensive leadership experience spanning the government, community and academic sectors. Her work has focused on driving equitable services and outcomes for communities across the spectrum of priorities impacting wellbeing, from health, child protection, ageing, violence, and social cohesion, to housing, services and infrastructure.

As the current CEO of Western Sydney's social development council, Billie leads and shapes service delivery and social policy across a region of 2.6 million people and an industry investment of more than 3 billion. Recently as City Commissioner, she led whole of government planning for the delivery of housing, services and infrastructure for the Western Parkland City of South Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains. Previously as a senior executive in local government and for the NSW Government, Billie led transformational and whole government strategies and programs to improve accessible baseline services and quality of life.

South western Sydney is Billie's home. She grew up, raised her family and lives in the district. She has a deep connection and commitment to the area and its people and lived experience as a resident and health consumer.

Billie holds a Master of Human Services Management and Policy with distinction and a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours). Her research interests centre on public policy and service systems for equity, inclusion and cohesion as enablers of prevention and early intervention.

Mr John Roach

John has had over 41 years of experience working within the NSW Public Service. Throughout his career his interest has been in improving financial management at an operational and executive level and developing commercially focused approaches to the delivery of corporate services and public infrastructure. John has held senior financial positions across NSW Government in transport agencies and as Financial Controller of the 2000 Olympic Coordination Authority. Most recently, John held the position as Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Secretary, Financial Services and Asset Management for NSW Health before his retirement in 2018. Along with his appointment to the ABMDR Management Board, John’s other governance roles including Chair, HealthShare NSW, and board member of Health Infrastructure NSW.

Professor Jill White AM, RN, RM, MEd, PhD, MHPol

Professor White is a Professor Emerita of the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sydney. Professor White has held the role of Dean of the Faculty and prior to that Dean of Faculty of Nursing Midwifery and Health at the University of Technology, Sydney. Retiring in 2018, she is now an independent consultant in the areas of health education, regulation and policy. She has worked globally in nursing including at World Health Organisation and International Council of Nurses in Geneva. She was a Fellow of the University Senate of the University of Sydney, and a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Other board roles have included inaugural Chair of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council, Nursing Now! Campaign and the Nursing Now Challenge.

Associate Professor Deepak Bhonagiri

Associate Professor Deepak Bhonagiri is a Senior Specialist in Intensive Care and the District’s Critical Care Clinical Stream Director, providing leadership across Anaesthetics, Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care, chronic pain, and organ and tissue donation. He led the District’s COVID-19 Clinical Advisory Group, providing expert clinical and network advice through the pandemic. Associate Professor Bhonagiri is a researcher with a keen interest in virtual models of care to provide consistent value-based care to outer metropolitan, rural and regional populations.

Associate Professor Vince Roche

Associate Professor Vince Roche has served as a rural general practitioner for nearly four decades, particularly in the Southern Highlands and has been a visiting medical officer at Bowral & District Hospital for over thirty years. A passionate advocate for equity in healthcare, he also has just finished seven years on the Board of the South Western Sydney Primary Health Network and is Chair of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice, a role he has held for the past sixteen years.

Mr Shamil Samji

Shamil is an accomplished financial services leader with over a decade of experience spanning banking, superannuation, wealth management, and investments. With extensive experience leading high-impact projects and cross-functional teams, he has successfully navigated complex business landscapes, driven transformation initiatives, and shaped long-term strategic outcomes.

Throughout his career, Shamil has worked across corporate, technology, and financial sectors, leading major initiatives in digital transformation, customer experience, and regulatory governance. His ability to bridge the gap between business objectives, operational execution, and stakeholder engagement has made him a trusted leader in driving sustainable growth and innovation.

With a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach, Shamil is committed to delivering the best possible health outcomes for the people of south western Sydney.

Ms Annette Lamb

Annette is a Ngunnawal woman with ties to Wiradjuri.

She lives on the land of the Dharawal people in Southwest area of Sydney, she is a mother and a grandmother of 4.

Annette has held corporate executive positions with Aboriginal Employment Strategy & NSW Aboriginal Land Council and is employed as the Snr Manager Aboriginal Employment with Transport for NSW.

Annette has been influential as an advisory member of numerous Aboriginal advisory committees for Local Government Councils, Sydney Health District, Southwestern Area Health District, Redfern Waterloo Authority, NIAA, Close the Gap & Yarpa Aboriginal Employment & Procurement, and Southwestern Sydney Employment Taskforce establishing a specialist Southwestern Sydney Aboriginal Employment Taskforce subcommittee.

Annette represented as an Australian delegate at 2017 at United Nations for the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples she was nominated and awarded Campbelltown Woman of the Year2022 and is NSW Government Reconciliation Advisory Committee member and had delivered key notes at numerous conferences about diversity employment and engagement.

She worked closely with National Indigenous Australians Agency to establish employment programs for the new Yarpa Indigenous Business & Employment Hub for the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, supporting infrastructure employment and procurement across NSW.

Annette has worked in the employment industry for over 34 years specialising in Aboriginal Employment.

Ms Annamaria Wood OAM

With a career spanning more than 46 years, Annamaria Wood has dedicated her life to supporting individuals living with disability and their families. Beginning with a nursing background in the disability sector for 20 years, she provided direct care and support across Liverpool, Fairfield, Macarthur, and the Sutherland Shire through Disability Resource Services.

For 26 years, Annamaria served as Chief Executive Officer of Disability Macarthur Family Support and Care (formerly Macarthur District Temporary Family Care), an organisation supporting families in crisis and people with disability in the Macarthur region for over 26 years. Under her leadership, the organisation expanded its reach and strengthened essential programs for children, adults, and vulnerable families.

Her tireless advocacy and commitment to inclusivity have made a lasting impact on countless lives. In recognition of her service, Annamaria was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day 2025 Honours List.

Now semi-retired, Annamaria continues her service to the community as a relief officer for local MPs in Campbelltown and Camden.  Her dedication to equity, compassion, and community support continues to inspire and guide her work.