Board Directors

Based on the 2020 NBPSA Constitution the ASDP Board must have three and no more than nine Directors.

A Director's term can run for up to three years with one third of Directors positions being available for nomination each year. At least one Director must be an Ordinary Member based in New Zealand and one must be a Trainee Member.

Current Directors

Dr Katie Heathershaw

President

Professional history

Dr Katie Heathershaw is a developmental behavioural paediatrician. She trained at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Centre for Community Child Health, later undertaking research and completing a thesis for a doctorate of medicine. Katie founded the Melbourne Children’s Clinic in 2001, the first private, multidisciplinary paediatric clinic of its kind in Melbourne. Katie’s clinical interests include child behaviour problems, developmental and learning disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD, sleep problems of infants and children, and infant distress.

Board positions

President 2023 -present, Vice President 2020 - 2023, Secretary, 2017 - 2020

“Being on the Board of ASDP has been a great experience. It’s rewarding to be involved in the workings of the society, developing new skills in leadership and advocacy as well as forming close links with like-minded paediatricians”.

Dr Louise Butler

Vice President

Professional History

Louise graduated with an MBBS (hons) from University of Qld in 1998, and subsequently with MPH in 2011.

Louise is a community paediatrician in Brisbane. She is involved in multidisciplinary clinical care, as well as program development, clinical and professional supervision, education and research within the Child Development Program, Childrens Health QLD. Her interests include complex comorbidity, risk, and resilience; reflective practice; supervision and training; and public health and integrated approaches to care of children.Louise hopes to work with all members of the ASDP to continue to support professional excellence, member wellbeing and a thriving community of practice, as we strive to provide best quality care and support for children with neurodevelopmental difficulties and their families.

Board positions

Vice President 2023 - present

Associate Professor Jill Sewell AM

Director

Professional history

Jill is a senior consultant paediatrician in the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Her interests include early childhood, training in community child health, clinical bioethics, medical education, medical regulation, safety and quality in health care and service delivery, leadership and women in medicine.

Jill is Chair of the Quality and Safety Executive Council, previous chair of the Victorian Clinical Council, and was inaugural co-lead of the Victorian Paediatric Clinical Network. She was on the executive of the International Pediatric Association and has served on various health boards. Jill has been President of the Australian Medical Council and of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

In 2005 Jill was made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to child health. In August 2022 Jill was awarded Life Membership of the NBPSA in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the field of developmental paediatrics, the establishment of the Victorian training program in Community Child Health and contribution to the NBPSA.

Board positions

Director 2022 – present

Finance Committee member - 2023 - present

“I am honoured to be invited to serve on the Board of the ASDP and bring my knowledge and experience of governance in various organisations and my hopes and ideas for a better future for children to add to the mix of experts and advocates on the Board in service to the NBPSA membership.”

Dr Kate Rowe

Director (Aotearoa New Zealand)

Professional History

Dr Kate Rowe graduated from University of Otago and trained throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. She also spent a year in Sydney as a child protection fellow at the Children's Hospital at Westmead to complete her FRACP in Community Child Health. She now works as a developmental paediatrician in two public, multi-disciplinary child development services in the Wellington region. This provides a varied workload across initial assessments and long term care for a range of neurodevelopmental and behavioural conditions. She also works for an acute sexual assault service and provides paediatric support for a local ADHD primary care special interest group. Kate's clinical interests include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities, along with child protection - particularly the health and wellbeing of children in and out of home care. She enjoys teaching and supervising advanced trainees.

Board Position

Director, Aotearoa New Zealand representative 2021- present

"The ASDP is a fantastic society and it is a privilege to provide an Aotearoa New Zealand perspective to the board. I bring my integrity and enthusiasm to the position and look forward to growing my leadership skills. Tē tōia, tē haumatia"

Dr Mandira Hiremath

Director

Professional history

Dr Mandira Hiremath graduated from Monash University and completed her paediatric training at Monash Children’s, the Royal Children’s Hospital and Djerriwarrh Health Service. She now works as a general paediatrician at Djerriwarrh Health Service in outer metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Through this service she is involved in multidisciplinary autism assessments for children from preschool to teenage years, the Pathway to Good Health Clinic, neonatal services and assessment and management of a variety of developmental-behavioural paediatric concerns. Mandira’s clinical interests include adolescent and young adult medicine, autism spectrum disorder and the impact of trauma on child development.

Board position

Director 2020 - present

“I am excited about this opportunity of representing the ECC group on the ASDP board. Being an ECC myself I hope to contribute to the establishment of a strong support system for my peers including providing avenues to network, readily available learning resources and exploration of career pathways.”

Dr Elise D'Abaco

Director (Trainee)

Professional History

Dr. Elise D'Abaco is an FRACP advanced trainee in general paediatrics and community child health. She completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 2015. She has worked as a paediatric trainee for 5 years, across a number of inner city, outer metropolitan and rural hospitals. Elise completed a Masters of Paediatric Medicine at the University of Sydney, and has a longstanding interest in developmental and behavioural paediatrics. In 2021 she will continue to pursue this passion through undertaking the position of Community Child Health Fellow at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

Board Position

Director (Trainee member) 2021- present

SP Communications Committee 2019-2024

‘Through my involvement in the SP Communications Committee, I have gained insight into NBPSA achievements, particularly in supporting paediatricians as a professional body. I am looking forward to working with the Board to advance the new 2023-2028 Strategic Plan and providing the trainee perspective'

Avalee Weir

Director

Professional History

Avalee Weir is an experienced senior executive and a natural communicator. She is a writer, storyteller, brand-builder, strategic thinker and leader with extensive experience across the consumer, corporate and not-for-profit sectors, gained over a 25 year career in the UK and Australia.

She is currently Senior Communications Director for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, Australia's leading independent funder of ovarian cancer research, and voice for advocacy and awareness, working to drive step-change for a cancer that has seen little improvement in outcomes in decades.

Previously she headed the communications team for the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance (VCCC Alliance), a major public health alliance of 10 major Victorian medical research, clinical and academic institutions working together to improve cancer outcomes for all Victorians. Prior to that she led communications for major philanthropic institution, The Ian Potter Foundation, and held management roles at several leading PR agencies and for The Body Shop International.

Avalee is passionate about using the power of strategic communications to deliver results and drive change. As a trusted member of senior leadership teams for the past 15 years, she is a creative problem solver with a track record of success achieving business and organisational goals, as well as developing strong, cohesive teams and working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders.

Board Position

Director 2024 - Present