Mandy Macdonald has taken on the role of chief executive officer (CEO) at Women's Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE).

She brings 16 years of executive experience in the heath and community services sector.

Ms Macdonald's journey to WHGNE began after the COVID-19 pandemic when she felt it was time for a new direction.

She initially worked at Women's Health Victoria in a project-based capacity, finding the prevention and promotion of women's health to be a great fit.

She then worked for Women's Health, focusing on mobilising projects to benefit rural and regional women, including initiatives in local government and online safety for women and girls in regional areas.

Ms Macdonald said there is a long process to see change in the health and prevention space.

"There is a need for great resilience and to keep focus on the initiatives that we work through to create change in the prevention of violence space but also in helping women to navigate the health system and access the best possible healthcare," she said.

Her personal experiences as a woman, coupled with observing her three adult daughters and their friends navigate various services, have informed her understanding of the challenges women face.

"When you start to think about the positions of others that might not have transport or might not have a good understanding of English or how to navigate the system, you realise how tricky it is and the barriers people face," she said.

"On that journey, you see a whole spectrum of barriers women face in accessing the care they need and as an organisation WHGNE continuities to work on how we can make changes in those areas and how we collectively approach systemic issues."

Ms Macdonald is passionate about advancing gender equity and improving the health and wellbeing of women and gender-diverse people, particularly in regional communities.

"We still only have women in one-in-three leadership positions in the region," she said.

"Women work more part-time hours than men, do more unpaid housework and do more informal caregiving.

"Whilst we've made a lot of progress to gain equity for women, there's still a long way to go," she said.

Ms Macdonald brings a feminist and intersectional lens to her work and is committed to inclusive service design, collaborative governance, and driving sustainable change through trusted partnerships and community-led advocacy.

"All voices need to be at the table when you're making decisions in the community," she said.

"We need to be informed by people who have different experiences: people at risk of homelessness, people with chronic health issues, people of colour, people with financial disadvantages, people with poor educational experiences, those living with disabilities or people with different gender expressions.

"Relationships are are so important and need to be across all levels of the community.

"We need to work together so that everybody is represented and everybody has an opportunity to be heard, including underserved and marginalised communities.

"Gender equity benefits the whole community."

Ms Macdonald's goals involve building on WHGNE's foundation, understanding community needs and addressing systemic barriers for women accessing healthcare.

"We need to make sure that we continue to understand what's relevant and what's needed in our communities,' she said.

"WHGNE has been around for 30 years and is backed by skilled and passionate staff, a committed board with a strong sense of governance, and support from the state government.

"We're in a good position to continue the work we do with the valued support from the wider community."