Our executive team

Ben Edwards commenced as Chief Executive Officer of UnitingCare Queensland in January 2026.

Ben is committed to creating inclusive, empowered workplace cultures. He values-driven and is passionate about strengthening connections across the health, community, government and for purpose sectors. He believes genuine partnership is essential to achieving long term, system level solutions and is focused on listening and learning as he begins his time with UnitingCare.  

Born and raised in the north of England, Ben began his career in the National Health Service before moving into management consulting, with EY then PwC. This brought him and his wife to Australia 15 years ago. Since then, he has dedicated his career to health and human services across the public, private and for purpose sectors.

Ben joins UnitingCare from St John of God Health Care, where he served as Group Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this he was the CEO of several hospitals in the Group's portfolio. Until his move to Queensland Ben was also a Non-Executive Board Director of Juniper Aged Care.  

His experience spans healthcare, aged care, disability services and community services within a mission led environment. He has led significant service improvements, secured financial sustainability and guided organisational change, always with a focus on compassion, clarity and community impact.

Ben is confident that UnitingCare’s strong foundations, clear mission and dedicated people position the organisation very well to continue delivering meaningful outcomes for Queenslanders and Territorians.

Ben and his wife have relocated from Perth to Brisbane and look forward to becoming part of the Queensland community.

Peter joined the UnitingCare executive leadership team in 2023, after six years as Associate Director of Mission. Peter has worked across community in youth and disability services, education, and the Uniting Church. In his time with UnitingCare Peter has been serving the partnerships between UnitingCare and the Uniting Church - locally, regionally and statewide. Peter is proudly a country bloke with strong connections across regional Queensland.

Peter’s experience across these sectors and within UnitingCare enables him to lead teams to deliver integrated and innovative missional services in a way which will serve UnitingCare as a faith-based and mission-led organisation into the future.  Peter is an ordained Uniting Church Minister. He has a Doctorate of Ministry, Post-Graduate Diplomas in Theology and Ministry, a Bachelor of Human Movement Studies (Education) and a recent (2023) graduate of the Australian Company Directors Course.

Cathy Thomas is Group Executive of Aged Care and Community Services at UnitingCare Queensland, leading BlueCare – one of Australia's most trusted and largest aged care providers.  Known for her bold, values-driven leadership, Cathy brings clarity, energy and purpose to every challenge, shaping high performing teams and driving transformation that delivers real impact.

Since joining UnitingCare's Executive Team in 2016, Cathy has steered major strategic change initiatives, served as Interim CEO (2025-2026), and led Australian Regional and Remote Community Services (ARRCS) to strengthen services for First Nation and remote communities.  Her deep connection to BlueCare spans clinical, HR, People, and Executive roles, where she has championed culture as the foundation for exceptional care and support.

A respected voice in aged care, Cathy is a member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council and Chief Executive Women.  She holds an MBA, a Graduate Diploma of Business Management and a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing), and has completed Harvard's Leadership Program.  Passionate about purpose, Cathy continues to lead with innovation, compassion and a commitment to communities.

Susan Heath joined UnitingCare Queensland as Chief Information Officer in October 2020. Susan holds a Masters of Information Technology and Information Science qualifications from QUT and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English Literature and History from the University of Queensland. She has more than 20 years’ experience in Executive and Senior Management roles in digital and technology, in both the commercial and government sectors across health, aviation, finance, insurance and utilities, most recently as Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) at Urban Utilities and with Brisbane City Council, Queensland Health, and Brisbane Airport Corporation.

David Harper joined UnitingCare Queensland in 2023 as General Manager of the Wesley Hospital before being appointed Group Executive, Hospitals in January 2024 to lead our network of four not-for-profit private hospitals in Queensland.

David is a Registered Nurse with an MBA and has more than 25 years' experience in executive and senior management roles in private hospitals. He was the State Manager of Healthscope's private hospitals across Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory, where he oversaw 3,500 staff and the care of more than 100,000 patients each year. 

Prior roles also include the operational performance team across St Vincent Health Australia's ten private hospitals, General Manager of Gold Coast Private and Allamanda Private hospitals and a number of leadership roles in perioperative services across Ramsay's and Mater's private hospitals in Queensland.

He is a people focused leader who is passionate about delivering safe and compassionate care.

Donna has been part of UnitingCare since 2014, leading our Family and Disability Services Practice Improvement and Development team before joining the Executive Leadership Team in 2022.

An experienced leader and social worker, Donna is passionate about supporting and enabling teams to create and deliver services to improve the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. As a strategic and transformational leader, Donna explores what's possible - and creates opportunities to make them happen.

Before joining UnitingCare, Donna had a long and varied career in the community services sector, from her early days in Youth Work in Australia to her work in the United Kingdom as a Child Protection Social Worker and Leader to her work as a Social Development Consultant in Kosovo. Throughout her career, Donna has focused on delivering quality services, which are informed and co-created with the people they support and underpinned by research and evidence of what works.

Donna holds a Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts (Humanities), Graduate Certificate, and Diploma in Management, MBA (Marketing Management) and Australian Institute of Company Directors Graduate - Company Directors Course. Donna is also a Chief Executive Women's (CEW) graduate.

Suzanne served UnitingCare as General Counsel since 2019 before joining the Executive Leadership Team in 2023. Suzanne's legal and governance experience spans an in-house career with global financial services entities, private practice in a top tier law firms, and not-for-profit board membership. She is an experienced corporate and commercial leader and advisor across the financial services, infrastructure, retirement living, health, aged care and social services sectors.

Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. During her tenure as General Counsel, UnitingCare's Legal team was recognised nationally in both 2022 and 2023 as Australia's Not-for-profit in-house legal team of the year. Suzanne is passionate about the delivery of quality care services to those in need.

Shannon joined Uniting Care as Group Executive People and Culture in June 2023.  Shannon has a depth of experience working in senior human resources roles across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in health and human services, mining, manufacturing, professional services and local government.  Shannon brings to the role extensive executive leadership experience in leading organisations through transformational change, with a true focus on realising human potential.  Shannon holds a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Graduate Certificate in Leadership.

Matt joined UnitingCare in 2018 and has worked in a number of Director and leadership positions within both the Private Hospitals Group and Group Finance. He joined the UnitingCare Qld Executive Leadership Team in August 2024 as Acting Chief Financial Officer.

Matt is a Chartered Accountant with 20 years’ experience across chartered and commercial environments. After starting his career at PwC Matt has led teams in a range of for-profit and not-for-profit organisations across transport, property, aviation and healthcare sectors both in Australia and the UK.

His expertise includes strategic planning, budgeting and reporting, treasury, transformation and business performance. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland, is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and holds a Graduate Certificate in Leadership.