Our team and functions
Learn more about our team, governance and strategic priorities.
Our Chief Executive
Mark Dykgraaf
Beginning his career as a Registered Nurse, Mark brings extensive leadership experience across health and aged care services, having most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Central Gippsland Health in Victoria.
Mark has a deep understanding of regional and remote health service delivery, and he previously served as our Interim Director of Clinical Services at Far West LHD. His career spans senior executive roles at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce and Canberra Hospital and Health Services, where he delivered improvements in patient flow, emergency care, elective surgery, and mental health services. He has also held leadership roles in Medibank Health Solutions, St John of God Health Care, Baptist Community Services, and ACT Division of General Practice, demonstrating his commitment to integrated care, operational excellence, and staff engagement.
His diverse background equips him to lead FWLHD with a strong focus on patient-centred care, governance, and collaboration with communities across the District.
Our Executive Team
Jodie Miller
Director of Clinical Operations
Melissa Welsh
Director, Allied Health Integrated Community Services
Apsara Kahawita
Director Finance and Corporate Services
Dr Sarah Wenham
Director Medical Services
Wendy Gleeson
Executive Director Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Governance
Corina Kemp
Director Aboriginal Health and Community Relations
Julie Manoel
Director Nursing and Midwifery, General Manager Broken Hill Health Service
Melissa Cumming
Director Cancer and Palliative Care Services
Nicholas Minns
A/General Manager Remote Health Services
Samantha Waterfield
Our team
Our 785 staff work across departments and functions including:
- People and Culture
- Nursing Midwifery and Clinical Governance
- Medical Services
- Clinical Operations
- Allied Health, Integrated Community Services
- Finance and Corporate
- Aboriginal Health and Community Relations
- Cancer and Palliative Care Services
- District and Remote Health Services
- Mental Health Drug Alcohol, Violence and Neglect Services
Our board
The Far West Local Health District Board has overall responsibility for the strategic direction and operational efficiency of our services and facilities. The Board communicates regularly with local and State public health stakeholders. Read more about the functions of the Board.
Our 10-member Board brings together a wealth of experience and local knowledge, to make sure our decisions meet the needs of our local communities.
Sally Pearce
BCom, JD
Board Chair
Sally’s senior executive roles have spanned the public and private health sectors and tertiary education. She is focused on transformative change, increased efficiency and achieving strategic objectives through collaboration. Appointed to the FWLHD Board in 2019, Sally has more than 10 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer and Finance Director across a range of health services. Sally was appointed as Acting Board Chair in July 2023 and Board Chair in January 2024.
Dr Lilon Bandler
MBBS, MHPol, FRACGP
Lilon Bandler is Director for the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network Ltd and a member of the Macquarie University Humanities and Social Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee. She is employed as a doctor for the Matthew Talbot Hostel Primary Health Clinic in inner-city Sydney. She joined the FWLHD Board in 2018.
Mariette Curcuruto-Dunlevy
LLB (Hon), LLM
Mariette has a strong social justice ethic, dedicating her career to improving the lives of others. A previous president of Silverlea Early Childhood Services which supports disability or developmental delay; and is on the board of Advocacy Law Alliance. Mariette was the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Far West Community Legal Centre and the Broken Hill Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service. Mariette is a previous resident of Broken and joined the FWLHD Board in 2016.
Wincen Cuy
A lifetime resident of the Broken Hill district, Wincen is a passionate community leader with a strong focus on promoting the region. He served as the city’s Mayor from 2009-2016. He is the Managing Director of Silver City Tours and a Managing Partner of Helloworld Travel Broken Hill. Wincen joined the FWLHD Board in 2016.
Justin Files
BHSc (Mental Health), AdvDip Bus Admin
A Barkindji man from Far West NSW, Justin is an accomplished Healthcare Manager with 20 years of experience in local Aboriginal health. He specialises in the management of innovative complex community-based Aboriginal health models that are flexible and sustainable whole-of-community approaches to care. Justin joined the FWLHD Board in 2022.
Stephen Hegedus
Stephen has a strong consumer focus with many years of experience in the health sector and is a committed community member and successful advocate for local healthcare access within the Wentworth, Curlwaa, Dareton, Coomealla and Buronga region.
Previously a member of the Far West LHD Two Rivers Health Advisory Council, Stephen has a strong connection to the community he lives within. Stephen is Chair of the Sunraysia Lifeline Project/Lifeline Loddon Mallee Committee and was previously President of the Wentworth District Ambulance Service and a Member of the Patient Based Care Working Party.
Stephen was appointed to the FWLHD Board in 2025.
Pam Tucker
A resident of Broken Hill, Pamela is qualified in business management and has more than 45 years of experience in the local multi-resource industry. She is actively involved in the Broken Hill community and is a Board Member of Foundation Broken Hill which facilitates employment opportunities and encourages social development. Pamela was appointed to the FWLHD Board in 2022.
Our reports and performance
The Far West LHD Board holds a public meeting each year, and publishes a Year In Review (PDF 7.36MB) report and financial statements.
Our Board and Chief Executive check our performance against our FWLHD Service Agreement 2025-29 (PDF 568.15KB) and make sure we are delivering services within an agreed budget, based on our Strategic Plan 2021-2026 (PDF 11.76MB).
FWLHD Budget Facility Files for FY25/26. (PDF 1.97MB)
FWLHD 2025-2026 Funding and Performance Supplement (PDF 714.41KB).
For more information about the roles, responsibilities and procedures of local health districts, visit local health districts on the NSW Health website.
See the Far West Local Health District Corporate Governance Attestation Statement for 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. (PDF 3.59MB)
See the NSW Health Annual Report for details about our activities over recent years, as well as those of the Ministry of Health and other Local Health Districts.
See the Health Promotion Annual Report 2020-2021 for an overview of what was achieved in Health Promotion (HP) across Far West LHD (FWLHD) and Western NSW LHD (WNSWLHD) during that time.
The FWLHD Privacy Management Annual Report 2022-2023 is produced by the Far West LHD in accordance with annual reporting requirements regarding privacy matters.
The FWLHD GIPA Annual Report 2024 is produced by the Far West LHD in accordance with annual reporting requirements.
Board meeting minutes
See below for Far West LHD Board meeting minutes from recent years. For more information or previous meetings, contact the Board Secretary on (08) 8080 1526.
Gifts of Government Property and Statutory Acts of Grace registers
Gifts of Government Property
The NSW Health Gifts of Government Property register is maintained to meet the requirements of the Treasurer's Direction TD21-04 'Gifts of government property', which specifies the circumstances in which a gift of government property may be made, ensures gifts are made in accordance with specified values and associated principles, and that agencies maintain a record of gifts made.
All NSW Health entities are required to certify the accuracy and completeness of the contents of this register. Where a NSW Health entity is not named within the register, it should be taken that the entity did not make any gifts of government property, greater than $10,000, during the period.
Statutory Acts of Grace
The NSW Health Statutory Acts of Grace register is maintained to meet the requirements of the Treasury Circular TC22-01 'Statutory Act of Grace Payments', which specifies the circumstances in which a payment may be made, explains the power to delegate and requires GSF agencies to maintain a record of the payments made.
All NSW Health entities are required to certify the accuracy and completeness of the contents of this register. Where a NSW Health entity is not named within the register, it should be taken that the entity did not make any statutory acts of grace payments during the period.
The registers can be found on the NSW Health website: Gifts of Government Property and Statutory Acts of Grace registers