Committee Chair
From 2013-2020 Megan served as Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner. In this role, she focused solely on the rights and interests of children, and the programs, policies and laws that impact on them. As Commissioner, Megan conducted a number of focused investigations into human rights issues for children, including: self-harm and suicide; the impact of domestic violence on children; the treatment of children in custody; and the needs teen parents and their children. She also monitored and reported on Australia’s performance in promoting the rights of children in line with its international obligations, and led the development of national principles for child safe organisations.
Previously, Megan was the NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People and has had an extensive career in senior leadership positions in child protection and out of home care, disability, juvenile justice and early childhood services, including in the ACT. Megan was also the CEO of the Australian Council for Social Service for a number of years.
Megan holds post graduate qualifications in Psychology, Social Policy and Education, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is currently working in research and consultancy roles, undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney and serving as a Director on a number of government and non-government Boards.
Paediatrics
Dr Judith Bragg has considerable clinical experience, training and expertise in forensic medical assessment of children who have been abused or who are at risk of abuse. She also has considerable clinical experience regarding perinatal mental health. For 25 years she worked at the Child at Risk Health Unit until 2020 and worked as a clinical lecturer at ANU Medical School. Dr Bragg currently provides consultation and clinical supervision to ACT Health Community Paediatrics and the Perinatal Mental Health Team.
Child Forensic Medicine
Dr Catherine Sansum – Forensic Medicine, Child at Risk Health Unit, The Canberra Hospital. Dr Sansum holds the position of Staff Specialist at The Canberra Hospital in the area of Clinical Forensic Medicine (Adult) and in paediatric forensic medicine at the Child at Risk health Unit. She has worked as a doctor in the ACT for the past 26 years, initially in paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology, general practice and then specialising in forensic medicine. Dr Sansum is a Clinical Lecturer at the Australian National University Medical School and is a member of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society and the Sydney Forensic Medicine and Science Network.
Child Protection
Morag McArthur was the foundation Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University. As a social work academic within the School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University, Morag has over 30 years of teaching and research experience. She has taught both undergraduate and postgraduate students research methods, public policy and social theory. Morag has worked with Commonwealth, State and Territory Government departments, non-government and community organisations on a wide range of research and evaluation projects. These projects are aimed specifically at improving policy and practice that affect children, young people and their families. Morag is a Board Member of Families Australia.
Director-General (Community Services Directorate)
Catherine Rule is the Director-General of the Community Services Directorate in the ACT Government. Catherine has held this role since September 2021. Prior to joining the ACT Public Service, Catherine worked in senior leadership roles in the Commonwealth Public Service. From February 2020 to August 2021, Catherine was the Deputy Secretary, Disability and Carers in the Department of Social Services (DSS). In this role Catherine was responsible for policies and programs providing targeted supports and services for people with disabilities and carers. This included policy related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Before joining DSS, Catherine was the Deputy Secretary, Programme Design at Services Australia (previously the Department of Human Services) from May 2018 to February 2020. She had responsibility for programmes including families, child support, redress, older Australians, participation, disabilities and other welfare payments and initiatives. From July 2015 to May 2018, Catherine worked at the Department of Health (Health) in several First Assistant Secretary roles. At Health, Catherine had responsibility for the Aged Care Reform Taskforce, and prior to that the Medical Benefits Division.
From February 2006 to July 2015, Catherine held a range of senior executive positions at the then Department of Human Services and Centrelink. In these roles, Catherine had responsibility for disabilities, participation, strategic policy, fraud and compliance and a range of government payments.
Catherine has also worked extensively in the sports industry, including almost 10 years in anti-doping in sport and teaching undergraduate students in sports administration. Catherine has a Masters of Arts from the University of Windsor in Canada, post-graduate qualifications in management psychology, and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Canberra.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologist Dr Freebairn holds the position of Manager, Knowledge Translation and Health Outcomes, Epidemiology Section, Health Improvement Branch, Population Health Division, ACT Health Directorate. She has expertise in population health informatics, epidemiological analysis, reporting and use of data to inform policy and program planning, with a focus on maternal and perinatal health, children's health and health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Dr Freebairn is a member of the ACT Maternal and Perinatal Mortality Committee. She has worked with health services in both the ACT and NSW since 1997 in a number of roles, including clinical psychology, health services planning and epidemiology. Her current work continues to focus on maternal and child health including diabetes in pregnancy and childhood overweight and obesity.
Paediatrics
Dr Mary Burke has practiced as a paediatrician in NSW and the ACT for over 25 years. Dr Burke is the Senior Staff Specialist- Developmental and Behavioural Medical Service- Canberra Health Services, where she provides medical services in the assessment and management of neuro-developmental and behavioural paediatrics and child protection. Dr Burke is also a lecturer, teacher, clinical supervisor and examiner of Child Health students at the ANU Medical School. Additionally, she is a clinical supervisor for paediatric trainees with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Dr Burke aims to improve access to healthcare, policy and practice that affect children, young people and their families.
Children and Young People Commissioner for the Australian Capital Territory
Jodie Griffiths-Cook is the Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). She is currently leading an ambitious work program centred on using advocacy, oversight and engagement to facilitate positive change within the services and systems that respond to the needs of people whose situation or condition makes them potentially vulnerable. Jodie is a Psychologist who began her human services career in front-line service delivery working with children, young people and adults experiencing vulnerability. Prior to coming to the ACT, Jodie worked in various government and non-government leadership roles in Queensland where she gained extensive experience in policy development, project management, program design and practice improvement culminating in being appointed as the Public Advocate for Queensland in August 2012. With over 25 years’ experience in human services, a strong interest in social justice, and a commitment to upholding and advancing human rights, Jodie is a passionate advocate for systems change that facilitates effective individual outcomes and contributes to a sustainable and cohesive human services sector.
Officer in Charge of Judicial Operations, ACT Policing (Police Officer with experience in working with children and young people and families)
The Officer in Charge (OIC) of Judicial Operations is a senior and operationally experienced sworn police officer with a full appreciation, knowledge and experience in working with children and young people and families. The OIC Judicial Operations will provide the necessary high-level strategic and operational advice in support of the functions of the ACT Child Death Review Committee, and has sufficient operational authority to also task other areas of ACT Policing where necessary.
Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People
Ms Barbara Causon is a Wiradjuri woman, whose family come from South West NSW. Ms Causon built a successful career in the Australian Public Service (APS) and has a strong track record in Indigenous affairs and service delivery. Prior to retiring from the APS, she worked in numerous positions throughout her 34-year career in National, Regional and Remote roles. Ms Causon was instrumental in the development of a number of programs and strategies aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities, including staff. In 2010 she was awarded the Public Service Medal for her work with Indigenous communities. Ms Causon is a Director on the Board of Carers ACT and recently completed a two-term appointment on the ACT Expert panel on Disability. Ms Causon has retired from the APS and Chaired the Our Booris, Our Way Steering Committee that undertook a review of out-of-home care arrangements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. She is now Chairing the Our Booris, Our Way Implementation Oversight Committee.
Consultant Neonatologist
Dr Dyson is a Consultant Neonatologist who works at the Canberra Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is the Chair of the ACT Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Committee which has the dual goal of accurately reporting perinatal and maternal death in the ACT (according to Australian and ACT requirements) and identifying areas of clinical practice improvement to reduce and minimize perinatal deaths. She has a Master of Clinical Epidemiology and an interest in Clinical Practice Improvement.
Dr Phillips is one of Australia’s leading experts in the morbidity and mortality of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Islander populations. Dr Phillips is a research fellow, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health program at the Australian National University Research School of Population Health. Dr Phillips has an undergraduate degree in optometry, a first-class honours degree in psychology, and a PhD in epidemiology on the topic of Aboriginal mortality in an urban cohort.
She has worked extensively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as an optometrist and as a researcher, and has spent decades working in community-controlled organisations. Dr Phillips has experience in designing and leading major complex research projects in epidemiology, public health, optometry and psychology to understand health service needs and ensure appropriate resourcing.
Deputy Director-General (Education Directorate)
Ms Simmons is the ACT Education Directorate Deputy Director-General who is responsible for the delivery of high-quality education services across the ACT public schooling sector. She commenced this role in September 2021. She is an experienced senior educator having held many senior education and public service positions in the NSW Department of Education spanning a career of more than 30 years.
Ms Simmons worked as a music teacher in schools for many years before she moved to the NSW Department of Education, where she held various roles, including School Education Director, Executive Producer of the School Spectacular and Executive Director of School Services. Although she has been an education leader for many years, her early career experiences continue to drive her decision making. She remains committed to promoting and advocating for opportunities for student access to learning experiences in the creative and performing arts.
Prior to taking up the role of Deputy Director-General Education in the ACT, Ms Simmons had been working as a private consultant providing advisory services on strategy and stakeholder engagement to national entities and non-government organisations, and leadership mentoring to leaders and emerging leaders in education.