2025 ASO Skills Expo Presenter Bios

A/Prof Ashish Agar | Vice President, Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

Ashish is a glaucoma consultant and surgeon at the Prince of Wales and Sydney Eye Hospitals, and is a Partner with Marsden Eye Specialists in Sydney. He is also a conjoint Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales was Fellowship trained in Oxford.

Hailing from regional NSW, Ashish is committed to ensuring medical eye care is not limited by geography. Ashish plays a pivotal role with the Outback Eye Service and is the Director of the Ophthalmology Service at Broken Hill Hospital. Ashish is Co-Chair and New South Wales lead of the IRIS Program and is Chair of the RANZCO Indigenous Committee.

Find Ashish on social media:

LinkedIn: A/Prof Ashish Agar

Jarrod Bramble | Managing Partner, Cutcher & Neale

With a continued niche focus of working with medical practitioners, Jarrod’s expertise has enabled him to guide many of his clients from the initial stages of wealth creation as Doctors in Training, right through to wealth protection, planning and retirement strategies.

His passion for helping practitioners to improve their performance through sound financial management has led to the development of WealthStart and Australian Medical Benchmarks, which are all aimed to assist medical professionals and practices reach their financial, business and investment goals sooner.

Find Jarrod on social media:

LinkedIn: Jarrod Bramble 

Adele Creighton | Head of Healthcare, Macquarie Bank

Adele is a financial specialist, with over 15 years of experience working in the banking and financial services industry. Adele is the national head of healthcare for Macquarie Business Banking, leading a successful team nationally. She is passionate about sharing invaluable insights with clients to help them grow, change, capture opportunities, and realise their value, aligned with owners’ objectives.

Adele regularly presents at industry seminars and is a regular contributor to sharing Macquarie’s Healthcare Perspective, featured on Healthtech podcasts and recently hosted an international panel at the Macquarie Australia conference presenting to ASX200 and large ASX investors around the future of Healthcare. She has been at the forefront of parental leave initiatives, and with two kids of her own, has a goal to assist and facilitate parents in her team to successfully return to work, whilst being able to balance both family life and their careers.

Adele holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Sydney University, with a double major in accounting and finance, and has completed her financial planning qualification, RG146.

Find Adele on social media:

LinkedIn: Adele Creighton

Donna Glenn | Business Manager, Gordon Eye Surgery & Lane Cove Eye Surgery

Donna's current role has seen her manage a large multi-site ophthalmic private practice for more than 16 years after a career as an orthoptist and also co-owning her own accreditation and quality improvement consulting company. 

Throughout her career, she has worked with industry peak bodies, is currently a NSW State representative for the Australian Association of Practice Managers, and is also the Chair of the RANZCO Professional Standards Committee. 

Find Donna on social media:

LinkedIn: Donna Glenn

Paula Llavallol | Head of Foundation, Australian and New Zealand Eye Foundation

Paula leads RANZCO’s philanthropic arm, the Australian and New Zealand Eye Foundation (ANZEF), driving equity-focussed eye health initiatives across Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia Pacific.

With over 20 years in global health, humanitarian aid, and philanthropy, she has held senior roles with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the OECD. Paula has also directed social impact initiatives at the Sydney Community Foundation and The University of New South Wales.

Since launching its philanthropic strategy under Paula’s leadership in 2022, ANZEF has secured major gifts and partnerships to significantly advance ophthalmic education in the Pacific and established impactful scholarships for aspiring First Nations ophthalmologists. ANZEF has also implemented an annual grant round to fund innovations in eye health equity and access, enhancing services for First Nations, Maori, and Pacific communities, and improving ophthalmic training for healthcare professionals in the Pacific.

Find Paula on:

LinkedIn: Paula Llavallol 

Dr Sue Pillans | Graphic Recorder

Dr Sue Pillans is a marine scientist, artist and children’s author/illustrator who specialises in creative and visual communications to help “Picture your ideas”.

As a graphic recorder, Sue draws out discussions and presentations in real-time to visually capture and convey information, ideas and concepts. Sue has worked with over 65 organisations across Australia and the South East Asian region using visual storytelling to help make the complex simple and the simple compelling.

Sue also combines her love of marine science and art to bring creativity into classrooms as her alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish.

As a children’s ‘Authorstrator’ her children’s picture books engage, educate and excite children about the wonders of the ocean. Sue’s creative thinking style and colourful nature helps to make learning visual and fun. You can see more of Sue’s visual storytelling on her website.

Find Sue on social media:

LinkedIn: Dr Sue Pillans | X (formerly Twitter): @suepillans | Instagram: @suepillans | Facebook: @drsuziestarfish

Dr Jana Pittman | Keynote Speaker, Leaders Breakfast Forum (Sunday, 1 June 2025)

Two times world champion, four times Commonwealth champion — in the sport of athletics, Jana Pittman personifies resilience and determination. When continual injuries hampered her athletic career and could have signalled retirement, she swapped the track for the ice, joining the Australian women's bobsled team and becoming the first woman to represent Australia in both a Summer (2000, 2004) and Winter (2014) Olympic Games.

Off the track, Jana completed a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at Western Sydney University in 2019 (graduating with First Class Honours and the University Medal) and is now a junior doctor in Women's Health.

She completed a Masters of Reproductive Medicine at the University of New South Wales in 2020 and has initiated her PhD in Obstetrics (focussing on aspects of uterus transplantation).

This busy woman is proud mum to six children: Cornelis; little sisters Emily and Jemima; Charlie; and most recently, twins Quinlan and Willow.

Having experienced her own personal scare with cervical dysplasia, Jana became an ambassador for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.

In 2021, Jana was a participant in the gruelling television show SAS Australia on Channel 7. She made it to the last day of the course and was the final female standing among the 18 celebrity recruits, despite having given birth only five and a half months previously.

Associate Professor Julian Rait OAM | Vice President, Australian Medical Association

Julian is a specialist Ophthalmologist and Vice President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), having served as the President of AMA Victoria from 2018 to 2021, and as the Chair of the AMA Federal Council from 2020 to 2022.

He is also the Deputy Chairman of Vision Australia and has been an active fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors since 2008.

Julian has also been involved with the medical indemnity insurance industry, having been the President of the MDA National group from 2008 to 2014 and served on the national advocacy committee of Avant Mutual since 2018.  

On Australia Day in 2018, Julian was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to Ophthalmology and to the development of overseas aid".

Find Julian on social media:

LinkedIn: Julian Rait

A/Prof Kris Rallah-Baker | Australia's first Indigenous Ophthalmologist

Associate Professor Kris Rallah-Baker is Australia’s first, and currently only, Indigenous ophthalmologist. As a proud Yuggera/Warangu/Wiradjuri man, Dr Rallah-Baker is making a footprint not only on the Sunshine Coast, but also in the Northern Territory.

Kris is a highly respected ophthalmologist. He is the owner and principal of Sunshine Coast Ophthalmologists at Noosa and Nambour; visiting medical officer at Noosa, Nambour and Kawana Hospitals; Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne; Adjunct Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology; founding member and former President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association; current Zeiss Key Opinion Leader on Cataract and Comprehensive Ophthalmology; Director on the Board of the Nova Peris Foundation; Director on the Board of Vision 2020 Australia; Director on the Board of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance; Director on the Board of the Indigenous Eye Health Unit at the University of Melbourne; and is an immediate-past Director on the Federal Board of the Royal Flying Doctors Service. As a RANZCO Fellow, he sits on RANZCO’s Federal Indigenous Committee and is Co-Chair of RANZCO’s Reconciliation Action Plan Committee.

Kris provides comprehensive ophthalmic care delivered in a culturally safe, compassionate, and professional manner.

Dr Louise Robinson | 2025 ASO Skills Expo Co-Convenor  •  QLD Board Director, Australian Society of Ophthalmologists 

Louise is an ophthalmologist, trained through the Sydney Eye Hospital training program after graduating in medicine with honours from the University of Sydney.

She was accepted as a fellow specialising in glaucoma at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Eye Care Centre, Canada.

Currently, Louise not only works privately at Coastal Eye Surgeons in Queensland, but also has a public appointment at the Gold Coast University Hospital, where she enjoys managing complex general and glaucoma patients, whilst teaching 'future ophthalmologists' in relevant medical and surgical techniques. 

She has enjoyed providing ophthalmologic services to the Gladstone and Rockhampton Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with the help of the Aboriginal 'Eye and Ear Surgical Support' and 'CheckUP' groups.

Louise is actively involved in the state ophthalmology college as the Queensland Young Fellows representative, which enables her to be involved in the ongoing support, education, and encouragement of new and young fellows. 

Her surgical skills include cataract extraction, pterygium excisions, and medical retinal interventions. Her glaucoma sub-speciality interests are trabeculectomy, glaucoma drainage devices, minimally invasive glaucoma devices and goniotomies, whilst also providing a range of glaucoma laser procedures.

Louise is actively involved and committed to the ongoing glaucoma clinical research, having presented at international conferences, with papers that have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Katrina Ronne | General Manager of Policy & Strategy, Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

Katrina oversees the operational activities of the ASO, from its systems and processes through to representation of the Society at conferences and scientific meetings.

Her role also centres on the development of policy and submissions to communicate the Society’s position on issues affecting ophthalmologists and their patients.

Katrina brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the areas of government advocacy and campaign development. 

She has more than 10 years’ experience working in medico-political advocacy and policy development from within state government and representative organisations. 

Katrina holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Industrial Relations, and a Masters of Business Administration from Newcastle University.

Find Katrina on social media:

LinkedIn: Katrina Ronne
 

Penny Stewart | Cluster Franchise Head of Surgical Franchise & Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Alcon 

Penny is the Cluster Franchise Head for Alcon’s Surgical Franchise and Alcon Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand. 

She has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare and medical devices industry, during which she has held various sales, marketing, and commercial leadership roles across diverse clinical segments with leading companies such as Abbott, Becton Dickinson, Phillips, and Roche Diagnostics. Before joining Alcon, she served as the General Manager of Abbott’s Structural Heart franchise.

Penny holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and a Masters in Applied Science in Pathology and Management. She began her career as a medical scientist in pathology and has since developed extensive clinical knowledge, combined with her commercial experience, which enables her to have a deep understanding and appreciation for clinically intensive products and therapies.

At Alcon, Penny will continue to uphold the company's outstanding reputation for customer centricity and excellence in product innovation in ocular care and health.

Find Penny on social media:

LinkedIn: Penny Stewart

Dr Peter Sumich | President, Australian Society of Ophthalmologists

Peter graduated with Honours from NSW University in 1990 and after residency he worked as an accredited emergency medicine registrar at Royal North Shore Hospital. He was awarded the Australian Medal in the Emergency Medicine Primary Exam. After four years of emergency medicine, he transferred to ophthalmic surgery and later graduated from Sydney Eye Hospital.

He was awarded the Sir Norman Rose travelling scholarship and in recognition of his high level of training to an international standard, the Royal British College of Ophthalmology granted him dual registration as a specialist eye surgeon in both Britain and Australia.

Peter is now a partner at Hunter Street Eye Specialists Parramatta.

Apart from his current Presidency of the ASO, Peter also sits on the Council of Procedural Specialists. He has served on the NSW State Ophthalmic Services Committee, the AMA Hospital Services Committee and currently the Medicare Advisory Committee at RANZCO.

Find Peter on social media:

X (formerly Twitter): @presidentaso

Blake Thomas | Country Manager Australia and New Zealand, Johnson & Johnson

Blake is passionate about improving patient outcomes and partnering with Ophthalmologists and service providers to deliver professional and clinical excellence.

As Country Manager, Blake has streamlined focus on IOL patient benefits and ease of surgical use, resulting in significant market share gains within monofocal and toric IOL segments. A renewed focus on equipment innovations has JJV placed for further impact across phaco and refractive portfolios in partnership with surgical customers. 

Historically, Blake has worked in diverse environments including with large-scale customer datasets, online channels, new technologies and center-of-excellence teams.

In additional to public and private hospitals, Blake has worked in retail and pharmacy channels across ANZ and Asia. With a passion for innovation, data and technology, Blake enjoys finding new ways to address unmet needs, and finding creative ways to improve outcomes.

Blake has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and 19 years' experience with Johnson & Johnson.

Find Blake on social media:

LinkedIn: Blake Thomas

Claire Thurwood | National Chief Executive Officer, Ramsay Surgical Centres, Ramsay Health Care

Claire is the National Chief Executive Officer of Ramsay Surgical Centres, overseeing the day and short-stay hospitals within Ramsay Health Care's network.

With a strong focus on national expansion, Claire is dedicated to innovating facility designs and models of care.

Ramsay is committed to partnering with surgeons to ensure a robust network of surgical centres that can accommodate the growing trend of shifting surgical cases to day and short-stay hospital settings.

Find Claire on social media:

LinkedIn: Claire Thurwood