Leadership Team
Clare Mullen – Executive Director
Clare joined HCC in September 2018 and took on the role of Executive Director in May 2023. Her passion for consumer advocacy comes from her own experience of an adverse event in the UK and how difficult she found it to get answers for herself when she was seen to be challenging “the system”.
Clare’s background is in change management and communications in the health and social care sector in the UK and Australia. At the WA Department of Health she worked with Health Networks, Activity Based Funding and Management and in the safety and quality team. At the WA Primary Health Alliance she was the Operations Manager for Perth North Primary Health Network. In the UK, she worked on a national frontline leadership program in the National Health Service which brought frontline staff and consumers together to work on improving health services in their local area.
She is passionate about creating opportunities for people who use the health system and people who work in the health system to work together to improve health outcomes. She is trained in change management, project management, facilitation and Gestalt therapy.
Clare oversees HCC’s involvement in The WELL Collaborative – a forum which brings together consumers and people with lived experience, with clinicians, academics and policy makers to change and improve how we talk about and manage healthcare for people with overweight and obesity.
Outside of HCC, she Chairs the national Weight Issues Network, a consumer-led advocacy group for people impacted by weight issues, and is Chair of the Medical Advisory Board at Curtin University. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Australian Centre for Value-Based Healthcare. In her spare time, she loves listening to podcasts, watching British crime dramas, and doodling with thread.
Connect with Clare on LinkedIn
Sally Harrison – Development Manager
Sally is a marketing, communications and business development professional with extensive experience helping organisations grow their brands, attract new clients and identify strategic opportunities across corporate and not-for-profit sectors.
She spent 15 years in the finance industry, working in institutional and retail investment in London and at Macquarie Bank in Australia, before transitioning to the not-for-profit sector in 2012. Since then, she has held roles with Mission Australia, Centacare, EON Foundation, and Kiind (formerly Kalparrin).
At Health Consumers’ Council WA, Sally focuses on building and nurturing key partnerships, identifying new business opportunities and supporting initiatives that drive sustainable growth.
Having supported family members through complex health and aged care systems, Sally understands firsthand how critical the right guidance and support are in navigating these often complicated and frustrating processes, particularly when patients and their loved ones are at their most vulnerable.
Passionate about empowering health consumers and their families, she finds it deeply rewarding to work alongside a small but dedicated team committed to helping people understand their rights, access essential care and confidently advocate for themselves and their families.
Sally holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland and is a proud mum of two.
Samantha – Advocacy Manager
Sam first came to HCC in February 2019 as a social work student on placement within the advocacy team, and was later offered a permanent position within the team. In late-2021 Sam started as the Acting Senior Advocate, and formally moved into the role in 2022. Previous to Sam’s experience at HCC, she spent nine years working in the disability field as an education assistant and a community support worker. Through Sam’s experience, she recognises the importance of having the consumer at the heart of the situation, and brings with her a strong sense for social justice.
Tania Harris – Advocacy and Engagement Manager, Aboriginal and Disability Engagement Lead
Tania is an Aboriginal woman originally from Queensland. Prior to coming to the Health Consumers’ Council, Tania worked on various Aboriginal programs from ear health to parenting support. She has a special interest in the areas of disability and young people, and how their engagement and empowerment in the health system can be supported and encouraged from an early age. In addition to her role as Engagement Manager, Tania is also covering the role of Advocacy Manager while Samantha is on maternity leave.
Individual Advocacy Team
Chrissy – Senior Advocate
Chrissy is passionate about being master of your own health. Ensuring people know their rights and what tools are available in our healthcare system can improve their journey through the WA health system. Chrissy enjoys supporting consumers while they navigate challenges in the health system.
In 2011 Chrissy joined HCC. Before this she was advocating for people with Hepatitis C and drug/alcohol issues, ran a successful natural therapies clinic called Head for Health Natural Therapies for 7 years, completed general nursing training, and assisted people with an intellectual disability to become more independent. She also is a mum and grandmother.
Chrissy believes healthy eating and keeping active is the cornerstone to health. She cycles almost every day, swims, and loves to dance.
Jenni – Senior Information and Advocacy Officer
Jenni has been with Health Consumers’ Council since 2018, working in a range of roles across the organisation. She is passionate about supporting health consumers and helping people navigate the healthcare system.
Before joining Health Consumers’ Council, Jenni worked in the not-for-profit and medico-legal sectors in roles including victim support, housing support, domestic and family violence support, paralegal, and medico-legal claims management. Drawing on her experience in both the community and legal sectors, she enjoys working alongside consumers to help them understand their options, overcome barriers, and feel more confident when engaging with health services.
Kerrie – Senior Advocate
Kerrie joined HCC in August 2017. After working for 9 years for the medical health industry as a laboratory technician, she gained knowledge of the physical ailments that affect patients in the hospital system. Driven by a passion for helping others, a career change saw her achieve a degree in social science, specialising in counselling. Kerrie is dedicated to supporting people with their health and well-being and has a strong desire to help vulnerable people in the community.
As a member of the advocacy team, Kerrie can use her knowledge of both the medical health industry, and her mental health profession to assist consumers to navigate the healthcare system. Kerrie is passionate about self-care for herself and others. She believes that keeping a healthy balance of eating well, exercise, enjoying the great outdoors, and spending quality time with family and friends is the foundation of her own well-being.
Corporate, Communications and Development Team
TA – Communications & Marketing Coordinator
TA is the Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the Health Consumers’ Council WA. She leads the organisation’s marketing and digital communication work. She shares clear, accurate and accessible information with health consumers across Western Australia. She manages content creation, website content, social media activity, e newsletters and campaign planning. She also supports the promotion of advocacy, engagement and fee for service projects.
She brings experience in strategic communication, content creation and community focused marketing. She holds a BA in Graphic Design and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration. She is motivated by seeing the impact of HCCWA’s advocacy on people’s lives and by working with a team committed to fair and consumer centred health care.