Stephen has been a GP for 50 years and works on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

For many years he has felt that the reanimation of our ability to care for ourselves, and others, can be nourished through interweaving First Peoples’ traditional knowledges with the development of Compassionate Communities. Such communities benefit people of all ages. At Council on the Ageing NSW we focus on the needs of people over 50, with health and ageing well being his special interest.

Stephen is committed to advocating equitable strategies that raise health and death literacy and assist community, GP’s and other health care providers to offer compassionate choices so that we can live, age, die and grieve well and help people to reclaim agency and connection at all stages of life.

A wish for this shift in the paradigm of health strategies, and the desire for social change has inspired his work in social policy over the last 15 years.  He has served in Sydney as a Director on the Boards of his local Division of General Practice, Medicare Local, Primary Health Network (PHN), Groundswell, Community Care Northern Beaches (CCNB), and currently Council on the Ageing (COTA NSW). He also sits on the Board of Kamaroi School and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Stephen worked for many years as a visiting Medical Officer in Aboriginal Medical Services in the Kimberley. He is a Director of Compassionate Communities Australia.

He has found that swimming is an essential part of supporting himself so as to help support others.