We are able to lead the improvement of asthma care in Australia thanks to the generosity of our board, committees, advisory groups, member organisations, and other valued supporters, whose contributions add immense value to our team’s work.
The National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) is a collaboration of four member organisations, representatives of which comprise the NAC Board alongside our independent directors. We are able to carry out our important work thanks to the generosity of our board, member organisations, advisory groups and committees and other valued supporters. The NAC's four member organisations are:
Chair
Ms Janelle Reid is an independent director of the National Asthma Council Australia. Janelle is an accomplished governance and legal leader with over 15 years experience across national health, legal and community sectors. Former General Counsel for a $1.2 billion Commonwealth statutory corporation and with a decade at top-tier law firm Clayton Utz, Janelle offers deep expertise in governance, risk and regulatory compliance. She has served on high-profile boards including Palliative Care Australia, Youturn (Headspace), Meals on Wheels, Little Athletics Australia and more. Across these roles, she had board-level responsibility for the development of national clinical standards, strengthening clinical governance and quality systems supporting patient services and guiding digital transformation and risk frameworks in regulated health environments. Janelle is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and also holds executive certifications from Harvard University and Oxford.
Independent Director
Mr Zion Shane Abatayo is an independent director of the National Asthma Council Australia. Zion is an experienced risk and investments advisory professional. His experience spans financial risk, compliance, and operational risk management across a diverse range of industries, including financial services, energy transition, entertainment, and the non-profit sector. He is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia (FGIA), a Chartered Financial Risk Manager (FRM), and a Certified Practicing Risk Manager (CPRM). In addition to his role on the NAC Board, Zion is a member of the Board Finance, Risk, and Investment Committee for Western Chances.
Nominee Director
Professor Amanda Barnard is a nominee director appointed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, a member body of the National Asthma Council Australia. Amanda was a foundation member of the NAC’s Australian Asthma Handbook Guidelines Committee until 2021, and a member of the National Monitoring of Asthma and Other Chronic Respiratory Conditions Advisory Group. Amanda is currently president of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). An academic GP, she has recently retired as inaugural founder and head of the Rural Clinical School at the Australian National University. She has been involved with Wonca for over 20 years, particularly with the Wonca Working Party on Women and Family Medicine, which she chaired for several years. Amanda also serves on numerous national bodies with medical education, GP training, rural workforce and health system briefs.
Nominee Director
Dr Amanda Cross is a nominee director appointed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), a member body of the National Asthma Council Australia. Amanda is a clinical pharmacist and senior research fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University. She has clinical and research experience across a range of diverse practice settings, including community pharmacy, medication reviews and aged care. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a current national board director for the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
Nominee Director
Mr Tarek Dale is a nominee director appointed by the Australian Primary Care Nurses Association (APNA), a member body of the National Asthma Council Australia. Tarek is an accomplished policy and public affairs leader with extensive experience in developing strategic platforms, managing complex stakeholder engagement, and contributing to legislative change. His career spans senior advisory roles in parliamentary settings, regulatory bodies, and policy analysis teams, where he managed high-impact projects and provided strategic advice on complex, cross-portfolio issues. Supported by a team of nursing and policy experts, Tarek leads APNA's policy and advocacy work, to advocate for changes that contribute to a healthy Australia through best practice primary health care nursing.
Nominee Director
Professor Sheryl van Nunen OAM is a nominee director, appointed by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), a member body of the National Asthma Council Australia . Sheryl is a clinician and medical educator. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Clinical Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health (University of Sydney) and the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences (Macquarie University). Sheryl is a consultant physician in allergic diseases at Northern Beaches Hospital, Visiting Medical Officer at Northern Beaches and North Shore Private Hospitals, as well as Senior Advisor, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Center at Vinmec International Hospital in Vietnam.
Independent Director
Clinical Associate Professor Gregory Katsoulotos is an independent director of the National Asthma Council Australia. Clinical Associate Professor Gregory Katsoulotos is a respiratory and sleep physician with a special interest in asthma of all severities. In 2019 Gregory was appointed to the Australasian Severe Asthma Registry (ASAR) Management Committee of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ). He is also a member of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, participating in community asthma research within the Quality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group. He holds VMO positions at St Vincent’s Private and St George Private Hospitals.Gregory has wide experience in the severe asthma space with the use of biological agents and also runs regular multi-disciplinary airways meetings for healthcare professionals and a multi-disciplinary airways clinic bringing together various medical and allied healthcare workers to better manage difficult-to-treat asthma. Gregory is a member of the Australian Asthma Handbook Guidelines Committee.
Chief Executive Officer
Rhonda has been integral to the success of the National Asthma Council, dedicating a significant part of her professional life to the National Asthma Council, having initially joined the organisation in 2005 to develop the National Asthma Council's national health professional education program.
Rhonda brings extensive experience in strategic planning, corporate governance, risk management, team building, project and event management to the position.
BPharm, GradDipClinPharm, AdvPracPharm, AACPA, FPS, FSHPA, FACP, FASCP, FAICD, FANZCAP (GeriMed, Resp)
Clinical Executive Lead
Debbie is an advanced practice pharmacist and brings over 40 years’ experience spanning clinical pharmacy practice, interdisciplinary care, policy and advocacy, clinical governance, guidelines development and education.
Debbie has a specific interest in respiratory conditions and is passionate about improving the care and support for people living with asthma through multidisciplinary patient-centred care, shared decision making and evidence-based medicine.
Each group consists of health professionals with a special interest in asthma. Members come from across Australia and represent a wide range of professional experience and expert knowledge.
We are indebted to the dedicated health professionals who volunteer their time and expertise as members of these groups.
The Guidelines Committee oversees development of the Australian Asthma Handbook, Australia's national guidelines for asthma management. It has recently finished working on a major revision of the Australian Asthma Handbook, published in September 2025.
First published in 1989, the National Asthma Council Australia's Australian Asthma Handbook continues to set the standard for evidence-based, practical advice for asthma management in primary care.
A collaborative, multidisciplinary effort, development of the Handbook involved more than 100 leading health professionals dedicated to asthma. The Guidelines Committee is a multidisciplinary group chaired by a general practitioner.
Visit the Australian Asthma Handbook website.
The General Practitioners’ Asthma Group was formed in the early 1990s, soon after the National Asthma Council was established. From 2008-2016, it also acted as the GP advisory group of the Lung Foundation Australia.
The General Practitioners Asthma Advisory Group (GPAAG) principally aims to provide expertise and advice from the GP perspective to help the NAC meet its objectives. The purpose is to maintain the relevance, accuracy and impact of the NAC’s work and to facilitate engagement between the NAC and key stakeholders in general practice.
GPAAG welcomes expressions of interest and input. Please contact [email protected].
Functions
Membership
GPAAG members are GPs with an interest in asthma from around Australia.
Reporting
The GPAAG reports, through the NAC Senior Project Manager Clinical Education and Guidelines, to the NAC Board.
Established in 2018, the Nurses Asthma Advisory Group (NAAG) principally aims to provide expertise and advice from the practice nurse perspective to help the NAC meet its objectives. The purpose is to maintain the relevance, accuracy and impact of the NAC’s work and to facilitate engagement between the NAC and practice nurse stakeholders.
NAAG welcomes expressions of interest and input. Please contact [email protected].
Functions
Membership
NAAG members are practice nurses from around Australia with an interest in asthma.
Reporting
The NAAG reports, through the NAC Senior Project Manager Clinical Education and Guidelines, to the NAC Board.
The Pharmacists Asthma Advisory Group (PAAG) principally aims to provide expertise and advice from the pharmacy perspective to help the NAC meet its objectives. The purpose is to maintain the relevance, accuracy and impact of the NAC’s work and to facilitate engagement between the NAC and key stakeholders in community pharmacy.
PAAG welcomes expressions of interest and input. Please contact [email protected].
Functions
Membership
PAAG members are community pharmacists from around Australia with an interest in asthma, including representation from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia.
Reporting
The PAAG reports, through the NAC Senior Project Manager Clinical Education and Guidelines, to the NAC Board.
Our Sensitive Choice Product Advisory Panel reviews and approves products and services to be able to carry the Sensitive Choice blue butterfly. This independent expert panel determines the potential benefit of the product or service to people with asthma and allergies. Only products that go through this rigorous process conducted by the panel can be Sensitive Choice approved.
Learn more about Sensitive Choice.
The National Asthma Council Australia is a collaboration of four member organisations, representatives of which comprise the NAC Board alongside our independent director(s).
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is the peak body and professional membership association for all nurses working outside of a hospital setting in Australia. APNA provides primary health care nurses with a voice, access to quality continuing professional development, educational resources, support and networking opportunities. APNA continually strives to increase awareness of the role of the primary health care nurse, and to be a dynamic and vibrant organisation for its members.
Primary health care nursing is wide ranging and covers many specialist areas including general practice, Aboriginal health, aged care, occupational health and safety, telephone triage, palliative care, sexual health, drug and alcohol issues, women’s health, men’s health, infection control, chronic disease management, cardiovascular care, immunisation, cancer, asthma, COPD, mental health, maternal and child health, health promotion, care plans, population health, diabetes, wound management and much more. Visit apna.asn.au.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the professional organisation that focuses on the safety and quality of general practice.
The RACGP's mission is to improve health and wellbeing for all Australians by supporting general practitioners, registrars and medical students by assessing doctors skills and knowledge, supplying ongoing professional development activities, developing resources and guidelines, helping general practitioners with issues that affect their practice and development standards that general practices use as part of the accreditation processes. Visit racgp.org.au.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is the peak national professional pharmacy organisation representing approximately 75 per cent of pharmacists across Australia.
PSA has a dual function, supporting pharmacists’ commitment to high standards of patient care and continuing professional education, and representing their role as frontline health professionals. PSA’s primary role is to provide lifelong professional development, education, training and practice support for pharmacists and pharmacy staff. Visit psa.org.au.
The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) is a professional medical organisation, comprised predominantly of clinical immunologists, allergy specialists and immunology scientists.
The mission of ASCIA is to advance the science and practice of allergy and clinical immunology. This is achieved by promoting the highest standard of medical practice, training, education and research, to improve the quality of life and health of people with immune system disorders. Visit allergy.org.au.
