Dr Yvonne Luxford

Chief Executive Officer, Palliative Care Australia (PCA)

As CEO of Palliative Care Australia, Dr Yvonne Luxford interacts and collaborates with all levels of government, health professionals, service providers and advocacy bodies in an effort to achieve high quality health care which is accessible and culturally appropriate.

Yvonne has particular interests in Indigenous health, chronic disease prevention, and equity of access to healthcare. Her previous roles include Manager of Policy and Advocacy for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, SEO of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, and several years as a university lecturer in various health-related subjects. She has qualifications in philosophy and higher education, and her doctoral thesis explored a mixture of policy and medical issues with a focus on child oral health. Yvonne has held positions on various boards and senior committees across sectors including health, higher education, housing and childcare.

Yvonne is keen to assist the development of strong links with other countries, particularly those in the Asia-Pacific region, where access and levels of expertise in palliative care need to be more equitably shared. She also hopes to increase levels of local member engagement and to raise the local profile of the mission and vision of IAHPC.