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.
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.
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 (Health and Community Services Directorate)
Kareena Arthy was appointed Director-General of Health and Community Services Directorate in December 2025.
She was previously Deputy Director-General Economic Development, CMTEDD for eight years. In this role Kareena lead five portfolios reporting to three Ministers and successfully delivered the Government’s priorities in business and economic development, tertiary education, tourism, sport, arts, venues, events and major infrastructure. This includes the delivery of the Canberra Switched On strategy, the establishment of the UNSW Canberra campus and the Canberra Cyber Hub, and the delivery of business support grants to 12,000 small businesses during the COVID pandemic.
Prior to joining the ACTPS, Kareena was a senior executive in several Commonwealth and State/Territory departments including Chief Executive of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. Kareena brings to the role extensive policy advisory, change management, program management, regulatory, cross-jurisdictional and stakeholder management skills and experience. She is also a strong advocate for staff mental health having led, as CMTEDD’s Mental Health Champion, the development of the directorate’s first mental health sector plan.
Kareena has a Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honours) from the University of Queensland and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologist Dr Freebairn holds the position of Manager, Knowledge Translation and Health Outcomes, Epidemiology Section, Health Improvement Branch, Population Health Division, ACT Health and Community Services 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.
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 Criminal Investigations, ACT Policing (Police Officer with experience in complex crime, coronial matters and working with children and young people and families)
The Officer in Charge (OIC) of Criminal Investigations is a senior and operationally experienced sworn police officer with a full appreciation, knowledge, and experience in the investigations of serious and complex crime, in working with children and young people and families, and has oversight of coronial matters. The OIC Criminal Investigations provides 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.
Executive Branch Manager- Health and Community Services Directorate - Committee Adviser
Christopher Simpson is a proud Aboriginal man from Queensland. Chris is currently the Executive Branch Manager, Aboriginal Service Development in the ACT Government leading partnerships and relationships with the ACT Community Controlled sector. Chris has over 24 years’ experience in the public service, during this period he has worked on a broad range of Indigenous policy and programs across various government departments. Chris is committed to ensuring programs are designed to be culturally safe and optimise outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Chris has a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and is currently completing a Master’s in Public Administration. Chris has received many awards for his passion and hard work including the Secretaries NAIDOC Award in 2017, 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, he is also a recipient of the Australia Day Medallion for his efforts in improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians. Alongside his desire to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Chris is also an active member of the community and frequently invests his time in other social causes such as raising money and awareness for people living with a disability in Canberra.
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.
Executive Branch Manager - ACT Education Directorate - Committee Adviser
Tej Kaur is a clinical psychologist with leadership experience and have a long standing career in ACT Public Service across key human service Directorates. In the positions she has held, she has established specialist services and led large teams of allied health professionals in a climate of increasing demand, engaging in policy and program roll out whilst having a good understanding of the pollical landscape. As an Executive Branch Manager of the Engagement and Wellbeing Support Services she designed models of service, co-ordinated high risk matters, rolled out commonwealth initiatives, election commitments, policy reviews and ongoing business improvements. Her work has consistently demonstrated her ability to think analytically, identify the strategic objectives, and translate these into an operational context. Having managed operational areas for many years, she has a strategic focus that understands client needs and seeks to improve outcomes.