Media notes - Meritorious

PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Dr Catherine YELLAND, Ashgrove Qld 4060
For outstanding public service, excellence and leadership in Older Persons Medical
Services.
Dr Yelland has been the Director of Medicine and Older Persons at Redcliffe Hospital for the
past 3 years. Prior to that she has worked as a Senior Medical Officer in Queensland Health
for 21 years, primarily in the field of Geriatric Medicine at Royal Brisbane and Women's
Hospital, Prince Charles Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital. Dr Yelland has excelled
as an administrator, clinician, teacher, mentor and valued colleague. She has demonstrated
outstanding service by introducing more efficient and patient-directed models of care for older
persons and patients with chronic disease, providing medical leadership of the Older Persons
Medical Services. Her commitment and drive in sustaining a culture of continual improvement
for the patients and staff have developed trusting, loyal teams of enthusiastic followers,
striving for excellence in person-centred care. She has proactively positioned the Older
Persons Medical Services well for the future, where the health care needs of elderly patients
and people with chronic disease will continue to increase.
Western Australia
Ms Elisabeth HARRIS, Cottesloe WA 6011
For outstanding public service as Chief Executive Officer of Challenger Institute of
Technology, Western Australia.
Ms Harris is the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Challenger Institute of Technology,
WA's most diverse training provider offering more than 450 courses each year. Under her
leadership, Challenger has adapted rapidly to the changing demands of the economic
environment, strengthened its partnerships with industry and community organisations, and
augmented its standing nationally and internationally as a premier training provider. A great
believer in continuous learning, Ms Harris has driven a people development focus within the
organisation, significantly growing the collective capability of her 1,000-strong workforce.
Ms Harris is a member of and reports directly to a 13-member Governing Council whose chair
reports to the WA Minister for Training and Workforce Development. Her client base
comprises 23,000 students per year and more than 400 industry and community partners.
She directly oversees the organisation's international training and research activities in eight
overseas countries. Challenger delivers courses across 35 industry training areas at
14 locations in Perth's south metropolitan region, including 6 major campuses. Two thirds of
Challenger's workforce is involved in training delivery, with the remaining third involved in
research and development, organisational learning, marketing, client services and business
development. In 2013, Challenger Institute embarked upon a large corporate social
responsibility program involving staff and students, both with local and international charities.
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