Michele Smith

Michele Smith OAM is a seasoned leader with over 38 years of experience across the healthcare sector, encompassing hospitals, primary care, aged care, and disability services, with deep and active networks in both Australia and New Zealand. Her extensive leadership spans private, non-profit, and government settings, equipping her with a robust understanding of geographic diversity and highly regulated environments. Michele’s strategic and commercial acumen is evidenced by her success as a highly commercial CEO, where she significantly drove growth and revenue in the private hospital sector, led large complex Government Local Health Networks and drove digital transformations, including expanding telehealth and virtual care services across Australia. A Fellow of the AICD, Michele’s governance approach is deeply informed by her connections to rural and Indigenous communities, ensuring that diverse perspectives are integrated into boardroom decision-making. With her foundation as a Registered Nurse and Fellowship with the Australasian College of Health Service Managers, she is a passionate advocate for patients, clinicians, and the workforce, she ensures that governance decisions prioritise those directly impacted. Her commitment to clinical excellence is further underscored by her roles in clinical governance, including chairing the Clinical Governance Committee at The Healthy Communities Foundation Australia and serving on the Clinical Governance Committee for over a decade at the Country Health SA Health Network. Beyond healthcare, Michele is a recognised leader in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, particularly focusing on social impact. Using her operational empathy, she blends financial performance with ethical responsibility, ensuring that governance decisions lead to positive community and workforce outcomes.