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 the Chair of the Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee and a member of the Finance and Risk Management 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 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.

Kerry Whitelaw

Kerry is a lecturer at the UWA and a Clinical Advisor with Ahpra. Her career spans community and GP pharmacy, national examining, and through her role with Ahpra, assessment of prescribing competencies in podiatry. Kerry is excited by the evolving landscape of professional practice and the opportunities it brings for pharmacists, while also recognising the challenges that come with change. 

As a PSWA Board member, Kerry brings a collaborative and strategic approach to leadership. She is committed to championing innovation, advancing research opportunities and fostering a sense of belonging among members. By celebrating achievements and sharing our collective and historical wisdom, she believes we can sustain a strong, connected and forward-thinking workforce that honours the profession’s history while preparing for the future.

Kerry is a member of the Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee and the Governance Sub-committee.

 

Sub-committees of the Board

Governance Sub-committee

Gavin McKay, David McKnight, Teresa Di Franco (Chair), Richard Smirk (Board Chair)

Performance Review and Remuneration Sub-committee

Gavin McKay, David McKnight (Chair), Richard Smirk (Board Chair)

 
 

Finance and Risk Management Sub-committee

Joanne Cruickshank, Celia Sansom (Chair), Richard Smirk (Board Chair). Absent - Gavin McKay

Engagement and Communications Sub-committee

Rosie Earl, Richard Smirk (Board Chair), Joanne Cruickshank (Chair), Celia Sansom, Teresa Di Franco.

Absent - Bridget Cleary, Jemma Rossi, Grace Orr-Young

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)