Penny Hackett BEc LLB (Hons), GAIDC has worked as a lawyer in the financial services and banking industries for over 25 years and is presently legal advisor to a funds management and corporate finance business with a focus on corporate governance and compliance. Penny has professional qualifications in governance and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Penny has been heavily involved in the not-for-profit sector over the last 10 years particularly the areas of public education funding and student capacity in NSW public schools and is also involved in a peak body for resident’s groups lobbying local, state and federal government on a range of issues affecting her local community. Penny devoted much of 2017 to the campaign in support of the NSW VAD Bill.

Life Member of Dying with Dignity NSW
Board Member from 27 February 2017
President from 17 March 2018

Penny Hackett

President from 17 March 2018

Shayne Higson was a photographic artist who usually expressed her opinions through her visual art. However, following the death of her mother from brain cancer in 2012, she became a passionate and vocal supporter of dying with dignity law reform. In the 2013 Federal election Shayne ran as the lead NSW Senate candidate for the newly formed Voluntary Euthanasia Party (VEP). She was the driving force behind the formation of the NSW branch of the VEP in 2014 and ran as their lead candidate in the 2015 and 2019 NSW elections. Shayne also ran for the Senate in the 2016 Federal election and as a candidate in the Wentworth by-election in 2018.

Shayne joined Andrew Denton’s lobbying organisation Go Gentle Australia to help with the 2016 South Australian campaign. In 2017 Shayne left Go Gentle Australia to focus all her energy on the NSW campaign in support of the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill.

Life Member of Dying with Dignity NSW.
Board Member from 3 August 2016.
Vice-President from 27 May 2017.
CEO from 1 July 2022.

Shayne Higson

CEO from July 2022. Vice-President from 27 May 2017 – June 2022

Reverend Geoffrey Usher is a retired Unitarian minister, a former teacher and professional actor. Geoff served on the Committee of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NSW for several years during the 1980s before his work took him to England.

Geoff returned to live in Sydney in early 2011 and is an Associate Minister of the Spirit of Life Unitarian Fellowship and a committee member of the NSW Dickens Society.

Board Member from 20 April 2013

Reverend Geoffrey Usher

Board Member from 20 April 2013

Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Jacka BA (Auck), BSc (Auck), PhD (Syd) is a retired Professor of Communications (UTS Sydney) where she is currently an Emeritus Professor. For most of her working life she was an academic, initially in the field of Philosophy and later in Media and Communications. She also has several years of experience working in media policy and regulation for the Commonwealth Public Service.

In 2013 Liz provided research support and advice to Cate Faehrmann MLC when she presented the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill in the NSW Upper House. Liz devoted much of 2017 to the campaign in support of the NSW VAD Bill.

Life Member of Dying with Dignity NSW
Board Member from 5 April 2014

Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Jacka

Board Member from 5 April 2014

Fiona Jackson BA Comm., Adv Grad Dip Counselling & Psychotherapy is an experienced fundraiser and marketer who has worked in both London and Sydney with clients including Alzheimer’s Research UK, ActionAid, World Vision, Barnardos, Cure Brain Cancer, Muscular Dystrophy UK and Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. Fiona is the Head of Marketing at CareFlight.

Fiona is passionate about having choice at end of life and is committed to law reform to achieve this goal.

Board Member from 21 September 2015

Fiona Jackson Walker

Board Member from 21 September 2015

Deborah (Debbie) Ditchfield BA (UNSW) worked in the real estate industry for many years, both in sales and as an educator. For the last two decades, Debbie has worked in the complementary health industry in various roles, including marketing, sales and administration.

Debbie is passionate about many causes including protection of the natural environment, renewable energy, the over-use of plastic and, of course, the right of a human being to be treated with respect and dignity during the final leg of their journey through life.

After volunteering at polling booths for the Voluntary Euthanasia Party in the 2015 State and 2016 Federal elections, Debbie recognised that many people felt strongly about this issue and that the biggest hurdle was converting public support into votes by politicians for a voluntry assisted dying bill. Debbie has joined our board in the hope that she can help make a difference in this important campaign, so that we can have choice in NSW before too long.

Life Member of Dying with Dignity NSW.
Board Member from 17 April 2018.

Deborah Ditchfield

Board Member from 17 April 2018

David Pieper got involved with Dying with Dignity after playing a major role in campaigning for marriage equality in Australia. He has been passionate about the right to voluntary euthanasia since childhood when his mother asked that if she were ever diagnosed with bowel cancer, she would like him to help her end her life. His mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer in her 50s, and subsequently died a long painful death from it. David is committed to ensuring that that other people have the choice to avoid the suffering his mother endured. David stood as an upper house candidate for Voluntary Euthanasia Party in the last NSW Election. In his professional life David led community-based campaigning for access to the cure for hepatitis C in Australia.

Board Member from 27 April 2019

David Pieper

Board Member from 27 April 2019

Stephanie is an honorary professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney with a clinical and academic background, initially as a registered physiotherapist, then as an academic health sociologist and academic manager. She Chairs the Central Coast Group of Dying with Dignity New South Wales

Stephanie Short has served on the Board of Directors of the Community Health Association of NSW, and as Company Director for KU Children's Services (which operates over 130 early childhood services across Australia), and as a Senior Advisor on the Design, Reform and Implementation of Health Practitioner Regulation across countries to the World Health Organization in Geneva.

Dr Short currently serves on the Boards of the International Sociological Association Research Committee on Sociology of Professional Groups, the Central Coast Community Women's Health Centre and the Hunter New England & Central Coast Primary Health Network.

Stephanie has particular expertise in sociology, ethics and health, health policy analysis, strategic thinking and health workforce.

Stephanie Short

Board Member from 23 April 2022

After more than 10 years working in wineries, award winning restaurants and building successful brands and businesses, Heath moved into not-for-profits. Over the past 15 years he has worked in fields of mental health, child care, disability, respite, aged care, LGBTIQ+ health, and community development projects. In recent years he worked at a national peak body, running national programs and advising governments on health and aged care policy.

Before joining the Board, Heath worked with DWD as our Community Campaign Organiser in the lead up to the passing of the 2021 VAD Bill.

Currently Heath works with a Primary Health Network running programs to create efficiencies and improvements to both the public and private health systems.

Heath Reed

Board Member since 23 April 2022

Dr Gavin Pattullo  MBBS (Hons) FANZCA FFPMANZCA

Gavin is a practicing Consultant Anaesthetist and Pain Medicine Physician on the Lower North Shore of Sydney.  Early in his consultant career he completed a Pain Medicine Fellowship under a world-renowned leading expert in Pain Medicine, this was followed by an additional two-year Fellowship in Anaesthesia with the University of Toronto (Canada), and then 15 years in the role of Director of the Acute Pain Service at Royal North Shore Hospital (Sydney).  He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and regularly provides educational presentations.  Gavin introduced a number of Australian firsts in anaesthesia and pain medicine practice while championing many others to optimise patient care which subsequently became widely adopted across NSW and Australia.

Gavin brings his own experience of the need for VAD for a loved one.  For him it is a great privilege to support those who due to circumstances outside of their control will knowingly, thoughtfully, and lovingly make decisions about how to live their life.

Dr Gavin Pattullo

Board Member from Dec 2022