Our board

Dr Michael Bonning
Deputy Chair
Michael is a GP with an interest in Indigenous health, clinical governance and wilderness medicine. He has active research areas in health workforce and training, doctors' health and measuring health outcomes. He has a background in health advocacy and is currently a director of the AMA (NSW) and is a former director of beyondblue, the Federal AMA and a past president of the Australian Medical Students' Association.

Mr Brett Cowling
Director
Mr Brett Cowling has over 15 years of executive management experience in rural medicine and the health sector within Australia and the Pacific. His previous positions have included a ministerial appointment as specialist medical advisor to the minsters of health and mental health on the Aboriginal Affairs Coordinating Council (AACC), executive director for Queensland Health in the Townsville Health Services District, and chair of an International Baccalaureate curriculum facility that led significant strategic change across Melanesia.

Dr Karen Flegg
Director
Dr Karen Flegg is an experienced GP, who holds fellowship of both the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). She has over 12 years’ medical education experience and was a Director of Training with former regional training provider, Coast City Country GP Training. Dr Flegg has served on the boards of the RACGP and WONCA, amongst others. She is also the former CEO of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP).

Assoc Prof Lyn Fragar AO
Director
Adjunct A/Prof Lyn Fragar is a Public Health Physician and Chair of the Hunter New England LHD. She has previously been the Director of the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety and employed as the Area Medical Superintendent overseeing six hospitals in the northwest region. She has also spent considerable time working in Papua New Guinea, initially as a Medical Officer, then as a Provincial Health Officer. In 2002 she received an Officer of the Order of Australia for pioneering service to rural health care and farm safety issues. Lyn's other achievements include being awarded the Rotary International Award for Vocational Excellence in 2002, the Australian Medical Association award for 'The best individual contribution to health care in Australia in 1999', the Lou Ariotti Award for Excellence in Innovative Rural Health Research in 1996 and the Australian Hospital Association National Outreach Award in 1987. She is the immediate past chair of the GP Synergy Board.

Assoc Prof Michelle Guppy
Director
Dr Michelle Guppy is Associate Professor of General Practice at the School of Rural Medicine, University of New England, and conjoint with the University of Newcastle. She is a practising GP in Armidale. Michelle has been involved in rural undergraduate medical education in Armidale since 2003.

Dr Ian Kamerman
Chair
Dr Ian Kamerman has been a rural GP supervisor for over 15 years. He is a director of GP Synergy, and General Practice Supervisors Australia. He is a member of the Board of Hunter New England Local Health District, the Australian Medical Association (NSW) Council and the National Medical Training Advisory Network Executive Council. He is currently chair of ACRRM's Professional Development Committee and NSW PESCI panel. He is an enthusiastic supervisor with an interest in training within a patient centred medical home model and addiction medicine.

Dr Elizabeth Marles
Director
Dr Marles is the Director of the Hornsby - Brooklyn GP Unit and is particularly interested in medical education and Aboriginal health. Liz has previously been a lecturer at the university of Sydney and is a past President of the RACGP. Liz is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and Chair of Therapeutic Guidelines

Dr Sandra Mendel
Director
Dr Mendel is an experienced GP, who holds fellowship of both the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP). She has practised as a rural generalist for more than 20 years in Orange NSW and has been heavily involved in GP training through senior medical educator positions in regional training organisations and recently as the ACRRM Director of Training. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Rural Health with Western Sydney University. Dr Mendel is also the Chair of the Central West Medical Association and past Chair and Director of the NSW Central West Division of General Practice.