Governance

Chair

Ms Sharryn Jackson was appointed as Chair of WorkCover WA’s Board from 4 January 2020. Ms Jackson has extensive Board Governance and strategy experience relevant to industrial relations, workplace health and safety and workers’ compensation.

Members

Mr Chris White was appointed CEO of WorkCover WA in November 2019. Mr White has more than 35 years’ experience in workers’ compensation and occupational safety and health policy in WA. Mr White has held senior policy and management roles at both WorkCover WA and WorkSafe WA. Mr White holds a Master of Arts (Public Policy) from Murdoch University.

Mr Richard Sellars commenced as a member of the Board on 31 May 2021. Richard Sellers is the Director General of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. Prior to this he was the Acting Director General of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Western Australia. Previously, Mr Sellers held a number of senior roles in the public sector, including Director General of the Department of Transport, Commissioner for Main Roads WA, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Authority and Director General of the Department of Mines and Petroleum. Mr Sellers holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Biology, a Graduate Diploma in Education and Master of Public Policy and Management. Mr Sellers’ contribution to Western Australia has been recognised by the Institute of Public Administration Australia, which awarded him the 2014 WA Patron’s Award, and nationally by IPAA who also announced him a National Fellow at its annual conference in 2014. The National Fellow accolade recognises outstanding contribution to the practice and study of public administration.

Ms Peta Libby was appointed to the WorkCover WA Board on 30 December 2018. Ms Libby is a geologist with over 26 years’ experience in mineral exploration and business management, and holds a Bachelor of Science (Geology) from the University of Western Australia. Ms Libby is the recipient of the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy 2018 Outstanding Woman in Resources Award and is Managing Director and founder of Digirock.Ms Libby sits on the Australian Prospectors and Miners’ Hall of Fame board, the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies’ Safety Committee, and the Wedge Island Protection Association’s Heritage and Membership Sub-Committees. Ms Libby is past vice-chair of Earth Science Western Australia and served on the Mining Industry Advisory Committee, a statutory advisory committee for mine safety in WA, for six years and is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and the Australian Drilling Industry Association.

Mr Llewellyn Jones was appointed to the WorkCover WA Board on 4 January 2020. Mr Jones has over 30 years of experience in the general insurance industry, including more than 10 years’ experience in workers’ compensation in underwritten schemes. Mr Jones is the Executive Manager (Western Region) Workers Compensation Suncorp Insurance Group (GIO).

Mr Owen Whittle was appointed to the WorkCover WA Board on 4 January 2014. Mr Whittle is the Secretary of UnionsWA, with responsibility for workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety matters. Mr Whittle was previously employed by the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union and is a member of the ACTU’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

Mr Don Cunninghame was appointed to the WorkCover WA Board on 4 January 2023. Mr Cunninghame had a 29-year career at the Office of the Auditor General as well as 10 years accounting and internal audit experience with large insurance institutions and WA Health. Mr Cunninghame is a Fellow of CPA Australia and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).