Executive Team Members

Nigel Fidgeon   MHA, BN, GAICD, FRCNA, AFCHSE
Chief Executive Officer

Nigel has extensive executive management experience in leading and managing change across the public and private health sector at both the strategic and operational levels. This has included strategic design and planning of services, organisational development, redesigning and implementing new models of care and building organisational capacity through collaboration and partnerships with a variety of organisations. As the Chief Executive Officer for the former Nurses Board of Victoria Nigel was also actively involved in the national regulatory reform process for the Health Professions to create a national regulatory system that was implemented on 1 July 2010.
Nigel holds a Master of Health Administration, a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) along with educational experience gained at the Wharton School of Business at the University Of Philadelphia, USA. Nigel is a Graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing Australia, a Wharton Fellow and an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Management.

Paul Newland BA, Grad DipCrim
General Manager, Counselling, Youth and Family Services

Paul has held the position of General Manager, Counselling Services since joining MCHS in 2006. Paul has extensive experience gained over 24 years working with young offenders and Youth Alcohol and other Drug treatment. Additionally, Paul has over 16 years of direct management experience.
Paul holds a BA with majors in Psychology and Sociology, a Grad Dip in Criminology and a Certificate of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies.

Antoinette Mertins BBSc, PDipHRM, AFCHSE
General Manager, Clinical and Carer Services
Antoinette has extensive leadership and senior management experience working in the public sector across a diverse range of organisational forms at operational and strategic levels.  This has included extensive experience in promoting interorganisational collaboration across health and primary care sectors to operationalise integrated health care in community based settings, strategic and service planning, and development, management of diverse community and primary care services, and development of new models of community based care.  Antoinette is committed to the use of population health approaches to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
Antoinette is currently completing a Professional Doctorate in Public Health.  Antoinette holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Research Methodology and a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences (Psychology).  She is an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Management.

John Orr B.Bus(Accounting), CPA

General Manager, Corporate Services

John has a Bachelor of Business in Accounting and Post Graduate qualification in Information Technology.  He has been a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) for over 25 years and has predominately worked in the not for profit sector in diverse areas including education, welfare, home care and the  arts.