For ten years, Fiona Strang has led HealthWISE with people at the centre. From her very first day as CEO in June 2015, Fiona set out to build a transparent and inclusive organisation with collaborative leaders who maintained a good sense of humour.
“I hope I’ve been the kind of leader who’s led with kindness and compassion, and have said yes more than no to people’s ideas,” she said. The courage to try new things and step outside of comfort zones was vital, and Fiona worked to ensure money never overshadowed our people or our purpose.
After 27 years with different forms of the organisation and a long and rewarding career dedicated to rural health, Fiona is finally closing this chapter; retiring to enjoy a well-earned break and spend more time with her family.
“I think I want to leave while people still enjoy me being the CEO rather than leave when people are wishing I would go,” she laughed.
“When I joined the organisation, I said that I wanted to see it through its first ten years. I feel that if an organisation survives that long, it has the potential to survive forever.”
Fiona didn’t set out to build a career in health. A creative with a detail orientated mind, she first imagined herself as an architect or museum curator.
“Even now, I think I would just like to spend my day putting pots together in a museum or being on some archaeological dig. I don’t want to dig – I just want to put things together,” she said.
When a dean of architecture told her to study interior decorating instead and her museum work experience consisted of a week bottling redback spiders in the basement; Fiona was at a loss of what to do. Her sister suggested speech pathology because of her interest in children, and the rest is history.
On her graduation, Fiona was offered two jobs – one in Brisbane, and another in Moree. On the advice of her tutor, she set out for the country town, where she could carve her own path.
“It was one of those sliding door moments. What would my life have been like if I’d chosen the other job?” she said.
It was also in Moree where she began taking on new challenges beyond clinical work, assisting local hospitals with accreditation.
She embraced change again as the program manager for the Barwon Division of General Practice. Ten months in, she took on uncharted territory as the new CEO.
“I learned a lot!” she said.
“That ended up being 15 years of great, great times and a good organisation. Quite a few people who work in HealthWISE worked for the division also.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as government decisions led to big changes. The division amalgamated with two others to form a Medicare Local covering the NSW footprint we have today – a decision that lasted only three years. When Fiona was appointed CEO of one of the new service entities created on the dissolution of Medicare Locals, she took the opportunity to shape a team that shared her values of person-centred care.
“When I came into HealthWISE, I wanted it to be a transparent and open organisation. That’s also the type of leadership I wanted to project. I also wanted a team of leaders that would work together and make decisions together,” she said.
Building a culture of inclusivity and care, Fiona championed a staff-led health and wellbeing group and the formation of a Belonging Plan to ensure everyone feels safe and accepted.
She’s worked to help staff thrive with a mentoring program, and has celebrated milestones like the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Inclusion Framework and reaching bronze tier in the Pride in Health + Wellbeing Equality Index.
“I’m very proud of the programs and services that we deliver that have a significant impact on the people within our communities. I’m proud of the work that has been implemented to ensure staff feel valued. We look after their physical and mental health and ensure that they can have work-life balance as much as possible,” she said.
Growing up in Warwick, Fiona is a country girl at heart and has a deep understanding of the challenges rural communities face and the benefits of locally led solutions.
“I’m passionate about rural health, passionate about the quality of health care that you can receive in a rural area,” she said.
As the battle against city-centric thinking and funding that favours quick fixes over retaining local workforces increases, Fiona sees the need for stronger rural voices on the political stage. In recent years, HealthWISE has increased its efforts to advocate for our communities, taking part in parliamentary inquiries on nation building, equitable community mental health delivery, and the Thriving Kids initiative for children with developmental delays.
As she prepares to hand over the reins to executive manager of strategy, Sally Urquhart, Fiona takes satisfaction in leaving an organisation that is structurally sound and full of people with leadership potential and fresh perspectives.
“I think it’s a good watershed moment in the life of the organisation for it to be handed over,” she said.
Having worked with Sally for almost 20 years, Fiona’s certain HealthWISE will be in good hands as we begin our second decade in 2026.
“My advice is: when you put people – whether they be clients (who are why we’re here) or staff (which is your biggest asset) – at the centre of all decisions, great things happen,” Fiona said.
With a focus on preventative health and building local care teams, Sally is excited to take on new opportunities in the shifting landscape of health care. She’s seen for herself the value of kindness in health professionals, and is eager to hear new ideas.
“The thing that makes me proud is when people thrive in their jobs,” she said.
For Fiona, retirement will bring time for family, simple pleasures like gardening and coastal walks, and a chance to explore the Dorrigo community that she now calls home.
When you put people - whether they be clients (who are why we're here) or staff (which is your biggest asset) - at the centre of all decisions, great things happen.
