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Keynote speakers

Opening Keynote Speaker

Dr Bethan Richards

Chief Medical Wellness Officer/Director, SLHD WellMD Centre
Head, Department of Rheumatology, Royal Prince Afred Hospital
Deputy Director of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney Local Health District

Dr Bethan Richards is the Head of the Department of Rheumatology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney and Deputy Director of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. In 2019, following her return from Stanford, Bethan had the honour of being appointed as Australia’s first Chief Medical Wellness Officer as well as Sydney Local Health District’s inaugural MDOK Centre Director.

Throughout her career, Bethan has had extensive experience and a passion for designing and implementing mentoring, teaching and medical wellbeing programs. Following a successful pilot, her MDOK wellbeing program has been rolled out to over 3000 doctors in Sydney Local Health District and is now in the process of being extended to all 14,000 staff as “MyDistrictOK”. 

Hear Dr Bethan Richards speak:

 

Kurt Aaron Orator

Professor Fiona Wood - AM, FRCS, FRACSProfessor Fiona Wood - AM, FRCS, FRACS

Director, Burns Service of Western Australia (BSWA)
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital
Winthrop Professor, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia
Co-Founder, Fiona Wood Foundation (formerly The McComb Foundation)

Fiona Wood has been a burns surgeon and researcher for over 30 years. Professor Wood’s greatest contribution and enduring legacy is her work with co-inventor Marie Stoner, pioneering the innovative ‘spray-on skin’ technique (Recell), where today the technique is used worldwide.

In October 2002, Fiona was propelled into the media spotlight when the largest proportion of survivors from the 2002 Bali bombings arrived in Perth where Fiona led the medical team at Royal Perth Hospital to save many lives.

Fiona was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003. In 2004 she was awarded the Western Australia Citizen of the Year award for her contribution to Medicine in the field of burns research. Fiona was then named Australian of the Year for 2005. She is an Australian Living Treasure. Fiona is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science.

Fiona is married to fellow surgeon Tony Kierath and is mother to four boys and two girls.

Hear Fiona Wood speak:

Last updated 11 August 2023
Last reviewed 11 August 2023