Our people

Amanda Singleton, Mid., RN, MHlth&MedLaw.

Amanda is an experienced Registered Nurse and Midwife with over 35 years in clinical practice, health service leadership, and professional regulation. She has worked across rural and metropolitan settings in both public and private health services, with a strong background in midwifery care, clinical governance, and workforce wellbeing. Amanda has served as Chair of the Victorian Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, contributing to regulatory oversight and professional standards. She currently serves as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria (NMHPV), leading initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of nurses and midwives across the state.

Fiona Whitecross, RN, MHS(Mgt), FACMHN.

Fiona is currently the Director of Nursing and Operations with responsibility for clinical governance, workforce strategy, and operations for bed-based services at the Royal Melbourne Mental Health Service. As the Board Chair for the Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria (NMHPV), she brings senior nursing and mental health leadership, with over 25 years of experience across acute inpatient, bed-based, and community mental health services and a strong commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of nurses and midwives across Victoria.

Fiona has worked across a range of clinical and service settings, supporting individuals experiencing psychological distress and promoting recovery-focused, compassionate care. Her professional practice is grounded in advocacy, early intervention, and the importance of safe, supportive workplaces for health professionals.

As a Board Director and Chair of NMHPV, Fiona contributes a clinician’s perspective to governance and strategic decision-making, with a particular focus on workforce wellbeing, mental health literacy, and reducing stigma around help-seeking. She is passionate about creating systems and cultures that enable nurses and midwives to thrive both personally and professionally.

Fiona is recognised for her expertise in service redesign, quality and safety, workforce reform, and the implementation of evidence-based models of care. Her leadership is grounded in compassionate, recovery-oriented practice and informed by contemporary mental health legislation and professional standards. She holds postgraduate qualifications in mental health nursing and health services management.

Sonia Miller, RN, NP-MH, MHSc, MACA Level 4 Clinical Psychotherapist, FACMHN.

Sonia is a Nurse Practitioner (NP) specialising in mental health with over 35 years’ experience in general and mental health nursing. She brings extensive expertise in mental health advanced clinical practice, clinical service development, quality management, clinical supervision and leadership, and education. Working in private practice as an NP and Clinical Psychotherapist, who specialises in child, adolescent and family mental health, Sonia has also served as the Chair of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses’ National Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Special Interest Group since 2014.

Leanne Shea, RN, Dip PMAN, AdvDip Bus Mgt.

Leanne is the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at Grampians Health, with over 40 years of experience across nursing and midwifery, including more than 20 years in senior public sector leadership. A values-driven executive, she brings deep expertise in clinical governance, workforce strategy, education, and quality and safety across regional and metropolitan health services.

Known for her approachable leadership style, Leanne is a strong advocate for nurses and midwives, prioritising wellbeing, resilience, and strong governance. She is committed to amplifying regional and rural voices in health policy and supporting a sustainable, high-performing healthcare workforce.

Joanne Suggett, RN, MMH, FACMHN.

Jo is a senior mental health nurse at Western Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Services with over 30 years’ experience in public mental health services. Her clinical experience includes nursing leadership in quality improvement consultancy, clinical governance and key clinical improvement projects which impact on quality of consumer care.  Clinical interests include in improving physical health outcomes of people diagnosed with mental illness and has published on premature mortality of people with mental illness.

Jo was previously the Vice Chair for the Victorian Branch of the ACMHN until 2024 and a member of ACMHN International Mental Health Nursing Conference, Scientific Committee 2023 - 2025. Jo holds a Master of Mental Health and is recognised as a Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (FACMHN) — a professional honour reflecting her sustained contribution to mental health nursing and leadership. She is respected for her commitment to evidence-informed practice, workforce wellbeing, and excellence in mental health care delivery.

Allan Townsend, RN.

Allan is a Registered Nurse with extensive experience in the Victorian public health system and a strong background in advocacy and workforce representation. More recently, Allan has worked as an Industrial Relations Organiser with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), supporting nurses and midwives across a range of settings.

In his industrial role, Allan has provided advice and representation on employment conditions, workplace rights, and industrial matters, advocating for safe staffing, fair conditions, and professional respect for nurses and midwives. His combined clinical and industrial experience gives him a practical, frontline-informed understanding of the challenges faced by the nursing and midwifery workforce.

Allan is committed to strengthening the profession through advocacy, fairness, and support for nurses and midwives at both an individual and system level.