Our Board
The Board of the Pharmaceutical Society of Western Australia comprises the following members —
Richard Smirk – Chair
Richard is a community pharmacist and former pharmacy proprietor with 30 years practice experience and is currently a full-time Clinical Advisor, Pharmacy for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) based in the Perth office with over 9 years’ experience in health regulation. He is a Pharmacy Board of Australia examiner and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Richard is an ex-officio member of the Governance Sub-committee, Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee, the Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee and the Engagement and Communications Sub-committee.
Celia Sansom - Deputy Chair
Celia is a community pharmacist who has practised in Australia and overseas in the area of implementation of professional service models. She has previously served as the Manager of Training Programmes at PSWA co-ordinating the intern training programme. Celia is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Celia is the Chair of the Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee and a member of the Engagement and Communications Sub-committee.
Gavin McKay
Gavin is a community pharmacist and proprietor of Dove’s Pharmacy and TWC Alexander Heights. Gavin is currently the managing director of Sanax Medical and First-Aid, a W.A. based business that is actively involved in supplying products to the Commercial and Forensic Science sectors. He is also a founder and director of Ballardong Medical Pty Ltd, an Indigenous owned First-Aid and Medical products and training supply business.
Gavin is a member of the Governance Sub-committee and the Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee.
Joanne Cruickshank – Co-opted Board Member
Joanne is a community pharmacist and past pharmacy proprietor. She also has over 25 years experience as a Director of private companies and superannuation funds specialising in commercial and residential property investment and share portfolio management. Joanne has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and was co-opted as a Board member at the November 2018 meeting in accordance with the Constitution.
Joanne is a member of the Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee and Chair of the Engagement and Communications Sub-committee
Teresa Di Franco
Teresa has had extensive involvement in the profession as a past president of the WA Branch of PSA, the PSWA Early Career Pharmacist Working Group and through facilitating diabetes education events. Teresa was the winner of the 2016 PSA WA Young Pharmacist of the Year. Teresa is a Credentialled Diabetes Educator and is a co-owner of Pharmacy 777 East Victoria Park and Perth Diabetes Care. Teresa will be an asset to the Board and brings experience in governance and the perspective of a community pharmacist to the Board.
Teresa is Chair of the Governance Sub-committee and a member of the Engagement and Communications Sub-committee.
David McKnight
David is the Chief Pharmacist for the Royal Perth Bentley Group with responsibility for Royal Perth and Bentley hospital pharmacy departments. From 1997 David spent 17 years at St John of God Subiaco Hospital where he was both Deputy Chief Pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator.
David is passionate about ensuring pharmacists and technicians are front and centre of all health care conversations wherever there are medicines and patients, whilst also being willing to explore and create new roles.
David is Chair of the Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee and a member of the Governance Sub-committee.
Sub-committees of the Board
Governance Sub-committee
Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee
Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee
Engagement and Communications Sub-committee
Board Protocol
The Board of the PSWA has developed a protocol that outlines the responsibilities, expectations and rights of members of the Board in terms of their performance and conduct.
The protocol also describes matters of governance and outlines the role of the chairman in leading the Board.
The Board has adopted this powerful document that binds all current and future members of the Board in both letter and spirit —
The constitution hereunder was adopted at the Society’s annual general meeting in October 2021
Constitution and Rules of the Pharmaceutical Society of Western Australia (Incorporated)
