Advancing Together: Future of Health in FNQ
You are invited to join us for lunch as we delve deeper into the outlook for health services in the region and our Budget submissions.
Our speakers will be Leena Singh, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services CEO, who will provide an update on the Health Precinct Masterplan and Prof Sarah Larkins, Dean of the College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University who will speak about the soon-to-be opened Yeinie Building (formerly the Cairns Tropical Enterprise Centre).
Outgoing Advance Cairns Chair Nick Trompf will MC the event with the panel discussion to be led by CEO Jennifer Spilsbury.
You’ll also get to meet our new Chair!
Date: Thursday, 19 February, 2026
Time: 12-2pm (registrations from 11.30)
Where: Ballroom 1, Shangri-La, The Marina, Cairns
More about our speakers:
Leena Singh commenced in the Chief Executive role in February 2023. Leena has over 20 years’ experience in senior executive roles in health systems in New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand with particular skills in strategic development, governance, and health systems improvement.
Her wealth of experience includes holding Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer roles in a range of Health Services and other organisations. Leena is an accomplished leader, known for her ability to build relationships with stakeholders and staff bringing people together to align to a shared strategic vision. Leena is committed to helping improve the health outcomes of the local community, particularly those most vulnerable.
Professor Sarah Larkins is an experienced research leader, general practitioner and Dean, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, comprising disciplines of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Biomedicine and Molecular Cell Biology. As a clinician researcher, Sarah has particular skills and experience in health systems and workforce research and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and is a recognised expert in social accountability in health professional education.
Sarah’s particular focus is on collaborating to improve equity in health care services for underserved populations, particularly rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical populations, and on training a health workforce with appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills for this purpose. She currently serves as the Convenor, Clinical Leadership Group for the NHMRC-recognised Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre and a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council Research Committee for this triennium.