The Commissioner and Executive Team

Sue Dawson: Commissioner

Sue Dawson was appointed to the position of Health Care Complaints Commissioner in December 2015, for a five year term. In October 2020 Sue was reappointed for a further 5 year term.

Prior to this appointment Sue had occupied senior roles in the NSW and Commonwealth public sectors, including as the head of the Australian Government’s School Funding Reform Taskforce, Executive Director, Income Support, Department of Education and Workplace Relations, Deputy Director General of the NSW Department of Community Services and Deputy Director General, NSW Cabinet Office. She also has extensive experience in the non-government sector.

Sue trained as a social worker, an urban planner and a lawyer and her formal training in public sector policy and service delivery includes completion of the Executive Fellows program at the Australia New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). Her public sector roles have focused on developing policies, programs and regulatory solutions that tackle the things that matter to the community in a meaningful and efficient way.

Her passion is to promote collaboration within and between organisations, to deliver practical and innovative solutions and with the overarching consideration of delivering better outcomes for the community.

Tony Kofkin: Executive Director, Complaint Operations.

Tony Kofkin is the Executive Director of Complaint Operations at the Health Care Complaints Commission and his career at the Commission commenced in 2010. Tony leads the Complaint Operations Division which comprises the Assessment and Investigation Branches.

Tony previously held senior law enforcement positions in the United Kingdom, including Area Commander roles with responsibility for the delivery of all local policing services, and Detective Chief Inspector positions as the head of Public Protection, Specialist Crime and Counter Terrorism Departments. Whilst working at the National Centre for Policing Excellence, Tony played a leading role in the development of national guidelines on the management of volume crime investigations and the fast track prosecution of volume crime offences. Tony also headed a number of international strategic policing partnerships with law enforcement agencies in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Tony has extensive operational and leadership experience in delivering outcomes that protect communities and improve public safety.

Larisa Michalko: Director of Proceedings and Director, Legal Services

Larisa Michalko commenced in the role of Director of Proceedings and Director of Legal Services in June 2020.

Larisa brings to the Commission significant prosecutorial, advisory, and policy experience, having worked in roles across a range of State, Territory, and Commonwealth Government agencies.

Larisa has extensive experience in prosecutions, having worked at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as a Trial Advocate, prosecuting matters before the Local and District Court of NSW. Larisa has also worked as a trial prosecutor in the Northern Territory and as a prosecutor in the Australian Capital Territory.

Prior to her appointment with the Commission, Larisa was the Director, Criminal Law Specialist at the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. In that role, Larisa was responsible for the provision of expert criminal law advice to the Attorney General and Departmental Executive on a range of criminal law matters and also worked on a number of significant criminal law reforms, including those arising from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Larisa has also worked in roles at the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office, the then Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations, and for a Commonwealth House of Representatives Committee Secretariat.

Larisa holds a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws (Honours Class 1) from the University of Sydney, as well as a Master of Laws (with Merit) from the Australian National University.

Jane Probert: Director, Resolution and Customer Engagement

Jane Probert commenced in the role of Director, Resolutions and Customer Engagement in October 2018.

Jane has previously held senior roles in NSW Government. Prior to commencing at the Commission Jane was the Director of Resolution Services at the Dispute Resolution Services, in the State Insurance Regulatory Authority. Prior to this she held roles in the Supreme Court of NSW and the Law Society of NSW.

Jane is a trained lawyer and mediator. She has considerable experience as both a lawyer and leader in implementing significant organisational reform.

Jane also holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Legal Reserve and is a committee member of the Solicitors Benevolent Society.

Royce Michael Lee: Director, Technology and Systems Transformation

Royce Michael Lee is Director, Technology and Systems Transformation at the Health Care Complaints Commission, and has previously held senior technology leadership positions at UNSW, Qantas, and GrainCorp. He is the Vice President of peak cycling organisation Bicycle NSW, is on the Board of Advisors of the CIO Executive Council, and is on the Ethics Committee of the Australian Computer Society.

Royce completed a master's degree in business and technology at the Australian Graduate School of Management, and holds certifications in Enterprise Architecture, IT governance, and IT service management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Senior Member and Certified Professional of the Australian Computer Society, and is a Justice of the Peace in the state of NSW.

Peter Eaton, Director of Corporate Operations and Chief Financial Officer

Peter Eaton commenced in the role of Director, Corporate Operations and Chief Financial Officer in October 2020.

Peter has previously held senior roles in NSW Government and the private sector. Prior to commencing at the Commission Peter was the Director of Finance at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, one of 15 Local Health Districts operated by NSW Health. Prior to this he was Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary at Thorn Group Limited.

Peter is a member of CPA Australia and has undertaken the Senior Executive Program at London Business School. He has extensive experience leading finance teams, project delivery and risk management.