New CEO appointed to Family Planning Australia

Leading reproductive and sexual health service Family Planning Australia has appointed Sue Shilbury as Chief Executive Officer.

Starting in the role this week, Sue brings more than 32 years' experience in the NSW and Victorian public health sectors to the role and has held a range of executive leadership roles in hospitals, health and community services.

Sue has a passion for ensuring people from diverse backgrounds and communities have equitable access to healthcare and social and community services.

"Driving policy changes to improve access to care and services for the disadvantaged is something I really want to focus on as the new chief executive at Family Planning Australia. This organisation has a proud history of working with the under-served. I'm instep with growing the kind of care we offer the community and making sure these essential services are as equitably available as possible," Sue said.

"Offering low and no-cost care to patients who need it is a foundational value of Family Planning Australia. We know this helps improve access to essential reproductive and sexual health services."

As well as its many clinic services focusing on traditional healthcare like contraception and STI checks, Family Planning Australia has a range of services such as vasectomy, colposcopy, pregnancy choices and education program. These are available at the major health hub in Newington and across NSW.

"This diverse focus ensures we not only meet the needs of clients who have always relied on Family Planning for their reproductive and sexual healthcare but also that we respond to changes over time and meet new needs that are emerging among our clients," Sue said.

"I'm passionate about continuing to grow this important work and seeing some exciting efforts come out of diverse teams which people may not always associate with our dayto-day work. We have huge scope to build on already excellent efforts in areas like research, international programs and education."

Sue's appointment came after a robust recruitment campaign following the retirement of her predecessor, Adjunct Prof Ann Brassil. Sue served on the board of Family Planning Australia as a non-executive Director from 2014 to 2017.

Family Planning Australia began with a team of volunteers in 1926 and opened its first birth control clinic in Martin Pl, Sydney, in 1933. It evolved into a more professional organisation with a shift from volunteers to paid staff in 1960.

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