RACS executive leadership team and portfolios

John Biviano was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in April 2019. He was previously the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive General Manager of the Fellowship Services and Standards portfolio. 

John has over 30 years’ experience working in the health sector, including working in medical colleges, hospitals and in government. For the past 12 years he has worked in senior executive roles in two of the largest specialist medical colleges in Australasia, with expertise in leadership, strategic policy development, professional standards, and government relations.

While at RACS he has had major involvement in the development and implementation of various sustainability in healthcare initiatives, the indigenous health strategy, and the Building Respect Improving Patient Safety Action Plan. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Masters in Management, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Email: CEO.RACS@surgeons.org
Phone: +61 3 9249 1205

The Operations function ensures the efficient management of the internal operations of the College. The portfolio contains the business resources of the organisation including Governance & Risk (which includes General Counsel); the President’s office; Complaints; Business Transformation, Technology and Data; Finance; Global Health; Foundation for Surgery, and Conference & Events.

Emily Wooden was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2018. She joined RACS in 2018 as the Chief Operating Officer.

Emily’s most recent employer was Catholic Super, where she initially was Executive Officer, Business Transformation and then subsequently, COO. Prior to this, Emily had an extensive career across several specialty areas, sectors and organisations including executive positions with The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Complete Childcare Solutions, International Development Support Services (a commercial subsidiary of Oxfam Australia) and World Vision. A CPA by profession and Chartered Secretary, Emily has experience across many of the COO remits including Finance & Audit, Governance, Legal & Complaints, IT, People and Business Transformation. 

Email: Emily.Wooden@surgeons.org
Phone: +61 3 9249 1194

The Education portfolio is responsible for supporting, shaping and directing the development of world-class curricula to select, train and sustain surgeons to provide the best patient care. Grounded in the clinical education literature, the portfolio supports the delivery of high impact learning outcomes, built on current best practice in, for example, simulation, assessment and evaluative learning cycles.

This is realised through partnerships with stakeholders, Training Boards, hospitals and global technology providers, to ensure the highest standard of safe, respectful and comprehensive surgical care through excellence in training and professional development and continuous education.

The Education portfolio has three teams:

• Education Services: includes Professional Development; Skills Training; Skills Centre; Examinations, and International Medical Graduates Assessment.
• Training Services: includes Surgical Education and Training program (SET); Specialist Training Program (STP); Specialty Training Board Program (STB), and Reconsideration, Review and Appeals.
• Research and Innovation which covers education development and research and Pre-vocational and Online Learning.

Professor Julian Archer was appointed Executive General Manager, Education in late 2018. Prior to this, Julian was a senior clinical academic leader in the UK. He worked as a consultant paediatrician in the NHS and founded the Collaboration for the Advancement of Medical Education Research and Assessment (CAMERA), within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth where he retains an honorary Chair. He was personally funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for nearly 10 years.

Julian has substantial experience leading clinical education research, designing postgraduate medical curricula and has held numerous senior advocacy roles in healthcare education and regulation.

Email: Julian.Archer@surgeons.org
Phone: +61 3 9276 7461

Incorporating the Australian states, territories and New Zealand offices, the Fellowship Engagement portfolio leads and oversees the maintenance and improvement of surgical standards, including continuing professional development for Fellows, and a range of other fellowship engagement activities that benefit Fellows. It also promotes professionalism and standards through communication and advocacy with government and relevant stakeholders.

The portfolio includes Fellowship Services; Professional Standards; Policy & Advocacy; Research, Audit & Academic Surgery (RAAS); State, Territory and New Zealand offices (STANZ) and the Library. 

Etienne Scheepers was appointed to the position of Executive General Manager – Fellowship Engagement in September 2019.  Etienne is a highly experienced leader who has held senior roles such as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director in the government and the not-for-profit sectors. 

Etienne previously worked in New Zealand at the Waikato and Lakes District Health Boards as well as the South Australian Department of Health, Health Workforce Australia, the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development, and the Department for Child Protection. 

Etienne has extensive experience in health workforce reform and while he was at Health Workforce Australia he developed and implemented a national program of health workforce innovation and reform.

Email: Etienne.Scheepers@surgeons.org
Phone: +61 3 9249 1289

This portfolio oversees the people and culture functions and leads change programs to improve organisational culture and learning and development activities for staff. The portfolio also supports leadership and culture change in the surgical workplace amongst Fellows, Trainees and international medical graduates through the Building Respect, Improving Patient Safety initiative.

The portfolio also includes the Marketing & Communications team, which focuses on building the RACS brand and through targeted internal and external communications, and the Internal Services team, which includes reception, facilities, archives and the museum.

The portfolio is managed by Sophie Lukeis who was appointed to the role of EGM, People and Culture in June 2019.

Sophie has more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications, finance and recently in education in schools and universities. Sophie has broad experience across the employee life cycle with a particular interest in cultural change, employee engagement and leadership development.

Email: Sophie.Lukeis@surgeons.org
Phone: +61 3 9249 1197