RACS Council: guiding strategy and standards in surgery

The RACS Council guides the strategic direction of the College and brings our mission – to improve access, equity, quality and delivery of surgical care that meets the needs of our diverse communities – to life.

Council unites nine specialties as one profession, ensuring our work reflects the breadth and diversity of surgery across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It is foremost in member representation and guides strategy and policy across standards, research, advocacy, education and training to promote better care for the communities we serve.

Members of the Council are elected and co-opted to represent all nine surgical specialties, across all Australian regions and Aotearoa New Zealand. A number of boards and committees report to the Council and are responsible for the diverse work of the College.

Council elections and updates

Find the latest information about Council elections, appointments and other Council news. 

Shape RACS’ next century: Council nominations are open 

Contribute your experience, perspective and ideas to the College and the surgical profession at a milestone moment in our history. Nominations for the 2026 Council elections are open. 

Find out more.

Office bearers

Phil Morreau

President and Chair of Council and Council Executive
Dr Phil Morreau
AoNZ Specialty-elected Councillor
Paediatric surgeon

 

Christine Lai

Vice President
Dr Christine Lai
SA Fellowship-elected Councillor
General surgeon

 

Richard Wong She

Censor-in-Chief
Dr Richard Wong She CNZM
AoNZ Fellowship-elected Councillor
Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon

 

Mark Ashton

Chair, Professional Standards and Fellowship Services Committee
Professor Mark Ashton
VIC Specialty-elected Councillor
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

 

David King

Chair, Health Policy and Advocacy
Dr David King
SA Fellowship-elected Councillor
Vascular surgeon

 

Andrew Ellis

Chair, Global Health
Dr Andrew Ellis OAM
NSW Orthopaedic surgeon

Office holders

Gregory Keogh

Chair, Court of Examiners
 Dr Gregory Keogh
NSW Specialty Elected Councillor
General surgeon

 

Richard Bradbury
 
Chair, Committee of Surgical Education and Training
 Dr Richard Bradbury
NSW Fellowship Elected Councillor
General surgeon

 

Roxanne Wu

Chair, Professional Standards
 Dr Roxanne Wu
QLD Specialty Elected Councillor
Vascular surgeon

 

Deborah Bailey
Chair, ASC Conference & Events
 Professor Deborah Bailey
QLD Fellowship Elected Councillor
Paediatric surgeon

 

Pecky De Silva
Chair, Prevocational and Skills Education Committee
 Dr Upeksha (Pecky) De Silva
NSW Fellowship Elected Councillor
Vascular surgeon

 

Henry Woo

Chair, Fellowship Services
 Professor Henry Woo
NSW Fellowship Elected Councillor
Urologist

 

Matthew Clark

Chair, Professional Development
 Associate Professor Matthew Clark
AoNZ Fellowship Elected
General surgeon

 

Andrew Cochrane

Chair, Research, Audit and Academic Surgery
 Associate Professor Andrew Cochrane AM
VIC Specialty Elected Councillor
Cardiothoracic surgeon

 

 Ailene Fitzgerald
Chair, SIMG Assessment
 Dr Ailene Fitzgerald
ACT Fellowship Elected Councillor
General surgeon

 

Fellowship elected councillors

Will Blake

Dr Will Blake
VIC Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon

 

Nicola Hill

Dr Nicola Hill
AoNZ Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgeon

 

Helen Mohan

Dr Helen Mohan
VIC General surgeon

 

 Peter Moore

Dr Peter Moore
TAS Orthopaedic surgeon

 

Payal Mukherjee

Professor Payal Mukherjee
NSW Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgeon

 

Ros Pochin

Dr Ros Pochin
AoNZ General surgeon

Specialty elected councillors

Julia Crawford

Dr Julia Crawford
NSW Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgeon

 

 Mark Davies

Dr Mark Davies
NSW Neurosurgeon

 

 Susan Liew

Associate Professor Susan Liew
VIC Orthopaedic surgeon

 

Hin-Wai Yap

Dr Hin-Wai Yap
QLD Urologist

Co-opted councillors

Teagan Fink

Dr Teagan Fink
RACS Trainees' Association representative

 

Ming Yew 

Associate Professor Ming Yew
WA General surgeon

 

Hemi Patel 

Dr Hemi Patel
NT Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgeon

Invited observers

Dr Su Mei Hoh

Dr Su Mei Hoh
Younger Fellows representative

Principal advisers to Council

John Quinn

Dr John Quinn AM
Executive Director for Surgical Affairs Australia

 

Sarah Rennie 

Dr Sarah Rennie
Surgical Adviser Aotearoa New Zealand

 

Guy Maddern

Professor Guy Maddern
Surgical Director of Research & Evaluation