Chief Executive Officer

The organisation

The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is the leading professional body representing approximately 104,000 registered nurses working across Australia’s primary health care sector. Spanning general practice, aged care, community health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and other non-hospital settings, APNA plays a critical role in strengthening the nation’s health system from the front line outward. More than a membership organisation, APNA is a national advocate, educator and workforce architect.

The brief

Under the leadership of outgoing CEO Ken Griffin, who served for seven years, APNA achieved sustained financial and membership growth.

The Board recognised that the next CEO would inherit a solid foundation, but would need to consolidate recent investments, align the organisation internally, and guide APNA confidently into its next strategic chapter. The appointment would shape not only the organisation’s internal evolution, but its voice in a complex and politically sensitive health landscape.

From the outset, the brief required careful calibration. The Board was aligned, yet the scope of the role was broad — commercial sustainability, member growth, policy advocacy and organisational cohesion. The next CEO would need to balance strategic vision with operational fluency, advocacy credibility with governance discipline, and strong internal leadership with external influence.

The process

The Brooker Consulting approach, led by Leighton Cantrill, began with deep market mapping across professional associations, peak bodies and adjacent health and community sectors. Leveraging trusted sector relationships and targeted headhunting, we positioned APNA’s opportunity as one of national significance — not simply an executive role, but a platform to shape the future of primary health care nursing in Australia.

This combination of strategic outreach and public market visibility generated a highly competitive field. In close partnership with the Selection Panel, we refined a diverse and high-calibre shortlist and guided candidates through a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process. Throughout, alignment and momentum were maintained, ensuring clarity of decision-making and adherence to agreed timelines.

The outcome

The outcome was the appointment of Dr Stephen Duns as Chief Executive Officer.

Dr Stephen Duns brings significant leadership experience across Australia and the United Kingdom, including CEO roles within complex, member-based organisations such as the Australasian Sonographers Association and the Centre for Volunteering. His career reflects a consistent capacity to lead strategic transformation while strengthening member engagement and organisational culture.

Stephen distinguished himself through his ability to synthesise complexity into clear direction. His doctoral-level qualifications in business leadership, psychology and governance, combined with his experience as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, provided the Board with confidence in both his strategic insight and governance depth. Equally compelling was his authentic leadership style — measured, collaborative and purpose-driven — aligning strongly with APNA’s mission and values.

Dr Stephen Duns’ appointment positions APNA to consolidate its recent growth, strengthen organisational cohesion and expand its national influence at a critical time for Australia’s primary health care workforce.

For Brooker Consulting, the engagement reflects the power of disciplined market intelligence, carefully shaped executive positioning and close Board partnership in delivering leadership appointments that define an organisation’s next chapter.