Our Executive Team includes the Health Service Chief Executive and a group of eight Executive Directors who are each responsible for a key area of our service.
Ms Paula Foley
Interim Chief Executive
Paula is an accomplished health professional and senior clinician with 29 years of experience in hospitals and health service.
She has held many leadership roles within Queensland Health and most recently was Chief Operating Officer – Mater Health, South Queensland, responsible for overseeing public and private hospitals.
Prior to that, Paula worked at Metro South Hospital and Health Service, where she was the Director of the Clinical Improvement Unit, Director of Nursing and Deputy Surgical Stream Lead from 2011 to 2021.
Paula holds a Master’s in Project Management/Clinical Redesign, a Bachelor of Science (Organisational Psychology) and a Bachelor of Health Science-Nursing.
She has been awarded Hospital and Health Service Board Chair Awards, including Empowering People, Excellence in Patient-Centred Care, Shaping our Future and Innovative Strategies in Improving Patient Access to Elective Surgery.
Ms Terry Johnson
Executive Director Rural Services
Terry has extensive executive management and leadership experience within Queensland Health across a diverse range of service settings including large tertiary facilities, community services, mental health, aged care and rural health services.
Her health career began in her home town of Brisbane where she spent many years within the former Prince Charles and Royal Brisbane Hospital Districts. She accepted a secondment to Central Queensland in early 2000 where she developed a passion for rural health and has been working in rural settings ever since.
Her study interests initially lay in the science field with her pursuing a degree of Bachelor of Applied Science.
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Dr David Farlow
Executive Director Research & Innovation and Associate Professor/Clinical Dean and Acting Chief Medical Officer
David first arrived in the Mackay HHS in 1984 with a passion for rural and remote medicine. He was a rural generalist for 25 years with credentialing in procedural Obstetrics, Anaesthetics and Surgery and Executive Officer Whitsunday Health Service.
David then moved to the role of Executive Director Clinical Services for MHHS from 2007-2015. He reduced direct patient care over the last 6 years and now has no “hands on” clinical practice. After taking a 12 month sabbatical in New Zealand with his family in 2015, he moved into a joint role between MHHS [Research/Innovation/Medical Workforce] and James Cook University [Clinical Dean Mackay School].
His expertise and experience includes undertaking a range of investigations, Service reviews and consultancies for QH. His community achievements include an Australia Day Shire Award in 2008 for his outstanding contribution to the community and a Queensland Health Leadership in Health Services Award in 2007.
In addition to his executive, clinical and community work, David is foremost a family man who enjoys fishing and golfing.
Mr Simon Costello
Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Simon is a Goori (Aboriginal man) from Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) and is a Traditional Owner from the Quandamooka Nation, which takes in the Moreton Bay area of south-east Queensland.
Simon grew up in Slade Point from the age of seven. He completed his primary and secondary schooling and a Diploma of Education at Mackay before moving to Cairns with his family in 2001 to pursue a career in health. Prior to coming back to Mackay, Simon held the Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services and an Executive Board of Directors in the Treasurer role for Wuchopperen Health Service.
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