Board of Directors

Denise Lyons

President

Denise has been a Registered Nurse for more than 30 years and has worked in the Australian health care system for the past 25 years in a range of primary healthcare environments.

After a decade of work in paediatrics wards and emergency departments in the USA, Denise developed a passion for health literacy and prevention. She earned a Master's degree in Health Promotion and found her nursing vocation in General Practice. She has worked in primary care ever since. In 2012, Denise was also endorsed as a Nurse Practitioner.

 

Dr Sharon James

Vice President

Sharon is an experienced rural primary healthcare nurse who works remotely for Monash University as a Research Fellow and Project Manager. Her research is focussed on enhancing primary care and women’s sexual and reproductive health through the development and testing of new models of care to enhance nurses scope of practice and consumer experiences of care.  Her work has been published and presented internationally.

Following a clinical career of 20+ years, Sharon completed her PhD exploring lifestyle risk factor communication between General Practice Nurses and patients during chronic disease management consultations in 2021. Sharon's other research has included exploration of primary healthcare nurses; experiences during COVID-19, preconception and interconception care, and supporting bushfire recovery. Her interconception work has resulted in institutional and international fellowships. As a result of her research leadership, she is part of the Oxford University Primary Care Research Leadership Programme and has received the 2025 Sigma Emerging Leader/Researcher (Oceania) award.

She has worked in rural communities in occupational health, employee health and wellbeing, general practice nursing and academic roles. Her other qualifications include immunisation, project management, public health, occupational health and safety nursing and as a company director. The diversity in primary healthcare practice has informed her research and interests in women’s health, behaviour change communication, preventive care, chronic disease management, models of care and nursing roles in primary health care settings.

 

Lisa Chalmers

Board Director

Lisa Chalmers is the Director of Health & Wellbeing at Barker College, bringing over 30 years of nursing experience across diverse primary health care settings. In her current role, Lisa leads a whole-school approach to wellbeing, fostering a holistic, inclusive, and health-focused environment for both students and staff.

Raised on a wheat and sheep farm in rural Victoria, Lisa developed a lifelong commitment to equitable, community-based health care. Her deep understanding of the challenges faced by rural and urban communities alike aligns strongly with APNA’s vision for the future of primary health care in Australia. Lisa holds a Master of Public Health and is a passionate advocate for primary health nurses, with a particular focus on elevating the role of School Nurses. She is dedicated to advancing excellence in primary health care and ensuring nurses are valued, visible, and respected within the broader health system.

Since joining the APNA Board in July 2022, Lisa has actively contributed to strategic planning, policy development, and governance, helping to shape APNA’s direction as the leading voice for primary health care nurses nationwide.

 

Stephanie Dowden

Board Director

Stephanie is a Nurse Practitioner, educator, and health service leader with more than 30 years’ experience in paediatrics, primary health care, education, policy and service innovation. 

She is the founder and director of NursePrac Australia and the Just Kids Health Clinic, leading innovative nurse practitioner-led models of care for children and families across Western Australia. Stephanie has held leadership, governance and advisory roles through state, national, and international organisations including the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, the Academy of Child and Adolescent Health, WA Primary Health Alliance, and World Health Organization guideline development groups.  

A finalist in the 2024 Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers, she is passionate about advancing innovative models of care that improve health access for individuals, families, and communities. Stephanie joined the APNA board in May 2026. Her vision is for a strong, visible, and well-supported primary health care nursing workforce, where nurses are empowered to work to their full scope of practice and play a central role in improving equitable health outcomes for all Australians. 

 

Chris Helms

Board Director

Associate Professor Chris Helms is a nurse practitioner, health executive, researcher and policy leader committed to advancing nursing practice, leadership and health system reform in Australia. He holds a PhD in Nursing, through which he established the nurse practitioner metaspecialty framework, contributing to the development of nurse practitioner practice and identity within the Australian health system. He also holds a Master of Science in Nursing as an Adult and Gerontology Nurse Practitioner from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Chris maintains an active clinical practice in Canberra, providing comprehensive primary health care across the lifespan. He assesses, diagnoses and manages a wide range of conditions, including acute presentations, chronic disease, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, blood-borne viruses and complex care. He is an experienced S100 HIV prescriber and performs minor surgical procedures.

Alongside his clinical work, Chris has held senior leadership and advisory roles contributing to national nursing and health policy, including as a Practitioner Member of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and advisor to the MBS Review Advisory Committee and Services Australia’s Professional Services Review. His contributions have been recognised through awards including Nurse Practitioner of the Year and the inaugural APNA Rosemary Bryant Award.

As a Director of the Australian Primary Healthcare Nurses’ Association, he brings clinical credibility, academic expertise, governance capability and a strong policy perspective, with a focus on enabling nurses to work to their full scope.

 

Angela How

Board Director

Angela is a proud registered nurse, leader and nursing advocate. Angela has postgraduate qualifications in Clinical Redesign and Clinical Education and significant experience working in both primary health and hospitals in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Angela is currently the Manager of Evidence Translation and Innovation at Brisbane South PHN which involves driving strategic responses to primary health reform and policy changes. Her responsibilities include designing evidence-based programs that emphasise person-centred continuity of care, facilitate team-based approaches and provide wrap-around services to those with the highest need.

Angela brings a passion for continuous improvement and strong advocacy for the nursing profession, combined with a deep understanding of the primary care strategic and operating environment and an enthusiasm for positive disruption to shape primary health nursing for the future.

 

 

Tim Lane

Board Director

Tim Lane, B.Com, FCA, is a Partner at Accru Hobart, where he advises clients across Tasmania on business strategy, financial performance and long-term value creation. With extensive experience in the financial services sector, Tim works closely with organisations and professionals to help them clearly understand their current position and implement practical strategies to achieve sustainable growth.  

Tim’s career spans senior roles in both Australia and internationally, including experience with Ernst & Young in Eastern Europe and as Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Genesys Wealth Advisers. He joined Accru Hobart in 2008 and has since developed a strong reputation for advising on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, due diligence and strategic planning across a range of organisations.  

He has particular expertise in the financial planning and professional services sectors, assisting practitioners with business valuations, succession planning, transaction management and complex commercial matters.  Tim is a Chartered Accountant (Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce. He is committed to supporting organisations to build strong, sustainable outcomes through sound governance, strategic clarity and disciplined financial management. 

 

Allyson Warrington

Board Director

Allyson is an experienced senior executive and non-executive director. She has a diverse set of skills in leadership, corporate governance, service delivery, fiscal management, change management, marketing and communications, strategy, risk, compliance, and policy development.

Allyson joined Community Based Support, a Tasmanian aged care and disability services provider as Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary in December 2019. Previously she spent over seven years as CEO of General Practice Training Tasmania, overseeing strategies to ensure healthy Tasmanian communities through accreditation of general practices, hospital terms, training of GP registrars and supervisors and workforce distribution and planning.

Allyson’s non-executive director roles span over 25 years, most recently six years as a Director of Primary Health Tasmania (Chairing the Governance Advisory Committee), and Chair of the Board of Cancer Council Tasmania. Her experience in regulation and compliance includes nine years on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, at which time she Chaired the Finance Governance and Communications Committee, as well as being nominated as a member of the AHPRA Finance Audit and Risk Committee. Allyson’s current directorships are as Chair of the Tasmanian Pharmacy Authority and Member of the Independent Communications Committee for the Commonwealth Government Department of Finance.

Allyson has spent a significant period of time during her career in senior roles in membership organisations/associations including CPA Australia, City Heart Business Association, Australian Mines & Metals Association and RACT.  She brings a wealth of member and client service delivery experience. Allyson is a 26TEN Coalition Member and and occupies a position on the Tasmanian Council of Ageing Australia.

She holds a Bachelor of Business and Company Directors Course Diploma, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and is former President of the Australian Marketing Institute (Tas) and Public Relations Institute of Australia (Tas).