Palliative Care ACT is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Directors following our recent Annual General Meeting. Maryann Quagliata and Alyssa Van Groningen join the Board, bringing with them a depth of expertise across public policy, health, governance and strategic leadership, along with a shared commitment to strengthening palliative care and support for the ACT community.

Maryann Quagliata

Maryann Quagliata joins the Board with extensive senior executive experience across the Australian Public Service and the not-for-profit sector. She is currently a Strategic Advisor at the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance, where she works closely with government and industry stakeholders and oversees a substantial national project portfolio.

Over more than 15 years as an Assistant Secretary and General Manager in the Commonwealth Government, Maryann led major policy and program initiatives across Education, Skills, Industry and Environment. Her achievements include contributing to the establishment of the Australian Skills Quality Authority and the VET Student Loans Program. Maryann also served as a Chief Risk Officer for over three years, providing leadership across audit, security, governance, integrity and project management functions. Her strong governance and risk background will be a valuable asset to the Board as Palliative Care ACT continues to grow and evolve.

Alyssa Van Groningen

Alyssa Van Groningen is a public health professional specialising in health economics, evidence-based policy and public health research. She currently works in the Office of the Chief Health Economist at the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, where she advises on economic evaluation and strategic policy across national health priorities.

Alyssa holds a Master of Public Health from Harvard University and has worked across social policy, health system reform and public health research in both Australia and the United States. Her experience includes research and teaching roles at Harvard, work on value-based primary care initiatives for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and senior policy roles within the Australian Government, including in First Nations health and during the COVID-19 response in remote communities. Alyssa is a proud Canberran and a former accredited suicide crisis counsellor with Lifeline Canberra, and she remains deeply committed to advancing health equity through ongoing research and policy work.

Looking Ahead

Palliative Care ACT warmly welcomes Maryann and Alyssa to the Board and looks forward to the expertise, insight and leadership they will contribute to our organisation and mission. We also extend our sincere thanks to the outgoing Board members, who served with dedication and commitment for more than twelve years, and whose contributions have helped shape the organisation we are today.

We look forward to the next chapter of governance and leadership as we continue working to improve palliative care and support for people, families and carers across the ACT.