HCF Research Foundation Board of Directors
 |
Karen Price Adj Professor Price was appointed to the Board of HCF in November 2023 and is a member of the Nomination Committee and the People, Culture & Remuneration Committee. She was also appointed as a Director of the Corporate Trustee of the HCF Research Foundation in November 2023 and appointed as Chair in November 2025. Professor Price, PhD Candidate Monash, is the immediate past President of the RACGP. A clinician of thirty years including successful small business ownership, medical director of a corporate practice and now in a subcontracting arrangement with her current clinical practice. She sat on the national board of the RACGP during 2020-2022 which is a 40,000+ member led not for profit organisation. This included serving the national finance and risk committee, the people culture and remunerations committee and the federal elections and advocacy committee. Prior to this Professor Price was the deputy Chair of the Victorian Council and RACGP Victorian Chair of the Women in General Practice. These roles involved high level strategic decision making, while managing risk and effective delivery of member focused outcomes. There was also a considerable role in National media including public and private meetings with the Prime Minister, federal and state health Ministers, and federal and state health department staff to deliver health system outcomes for the Australian people. She participated in the ten-year primary health care plan, the Medicare task force and the inaugural ten-year cancer roundtable for improving patient focused outcomes. In addition to this Professor Price is involved in teaching and research at Monash University and is soon to complete her PhD on GP collaborative practices. She will be serving in a voluntary capacity on the inaugural Innovation and Enterprise advisory board at the Faculty of Medicine at Melbourne University. Professor Price has international experience in medical education and will have an ongoing interest in developing strategic educational outputs for the World Organisation of Family Doctors. She won the inaugural leadership and health advocacy award from the Australian Federation of Medical Women in 2021, a Family Medicine research award in 2016 and a medical student teaching award in 2011. Her abiding interest remains the power of human collaboration and potential, her family and values-based living. She has recently been elected as a non-executive director of the World Organisation of Family Doctors, which is a Global Family Doctors and not for profit organisation, promoting equitable health care around the world. |
 |
John M. Barrington Mr Barrington was appointed to the Board of HCF in November 2014 and as a Director of the Corporate Trustee of the HCF Research Foundation in April 2017. Mr Barrington is Chair of the HCF Risk, Compliance and Sustainability Committee and a member of the Audit & Finance Committee and the Nomination Committee. He was Acting Managing Director of HCF between March and July 2017. He was appointed to the Board of HCF Life Insurance Company Pty Limited in February 2019, is Chair of the HCF Life Risk & Compliance Committee and a member of the HCF Life Audit & Finance Committee. Mr Barrington was the Principal of Barrington Legal, a law firm located in Sydney, with more than 40 years in practice specialising in insurance law, superannuation, banking and finance. He was formerly General Counsel for the National Mutual Life Association, Chief Executive of CUNA Mutual Limited and Mutual Community Limited. Mr Barrington served as Chair of Intrinsic Value Investment Limited and Albert Court Aged Care Edgecliff. Until January 2017, he was Chair of Meridian Lawyers and a Director of Guild Group Holdings. Mr Barrington has extensive experience (both strategically and operationally) in financial services and private health insurance, in particular relating to financial oversight, regulatory requirements, policy frameworks and governance. He has previously served as a Council Member of the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC). Mr Barrington brings a unique perspective given his background of advising clients, working in organisations subject to complex regulatory requirements and providing regulatory oversight in a senior governance role within a regulatory body. |
 |
Mark Compton AM Mr Compton was appointed to the Board of HCF in June 2024 and as a Director of the Corporate Trustee of the HCF Research Foundation in July 2024. Mr Compton is a member of the HCF Risk, Compliance and Sustainability Committee and HCF Nomination Committee. Mr Compton is a member of the HCF Life Risk and Compliance Committee. Mr Compton is an experienced Non-executive Director, Chairman and CEO, predominantly in healthcare and life sciences organisations in both listed and unlisted companies and in the not-for-profit sector. Through his diverse experiences in executive and non-executive roles, Mr Compton has developed a deep and lasting passion for organisations driven by their values and those that have a strong, positive and constructive corporate culture. He has previously served as Chairman of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. He was a Non-executive Director of; Macquarie University Hospital, Independent Practitioner Network Limited and the Australian Private Hospitals Association. Mr Compton was appointed as a Non-executive Director (from October 2014) and Chairman (from November 2015) of Sonic Healthcare Limited. He also chairs the Advisory Board of Communio Limited (NZ) and is Chairman of St Luke’s Care, a not-for-profit health and aged care organisation (from November 2017). Mr Compton’s main community interest is the Order of St John/St John Ambulance, with which he has had 50 years of voluntary service. In June 2019 he was appointed Lord Prior of the worldwide Order and Chairman of St John International. Before his appointment as Lord Prior, Mr Compton was the national Chairman and Chancellor of the Order of St John in Australia. Mr Compton is an Adjunct Professor in Healthcare Leadership at Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Services Management, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was awarded the Centenary Medal of the Commonwealth of Australia for services to the community and was appointed a Member in the Order of Australia (AM) in January 2010 for services to health, hospitals, medical research and St John Ambulance. He was appointed as Knight in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (Order of St John) in 2004 and promoted to Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St John in 2017. He has also been awarded the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal and the Coronation Medal at the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. |
 |
Lorraine Thomas Ms Thomas was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HCF in July 2025, bringing with her more than a decade of deep experience within the organisation. Having joined HCF in early 2015, she has held various roles, including Chief Officer, Product & Innovation, Chief Officer, Product & Diversified Business and Chief Operating Officer. Ms Thomas serves as a Director of HCF Life, Flip Insurance Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of HCF life Insurance Company Ptd Ltd), and the Corporate Trustee of The HCF Research Foundation. Ms Thomas has over 20 years of experience in innovative, customer-centric product delivery and business strategy. She has played a key role in driving organisational transformation, leading high-performing teams to achieve outstanding results, and improving member outcomes through innovation and service excellence. Responsible for Product Innovation, HCF Life and HCF’s International Business she has also led key Strategic initiatives supporting HCF’s 2025 Strategy. Known for her inclusive leadership style and long-term vision, Lorraine remains committed to putting members at the heart of everything HCF does and building a healthier future for Australians by expanding access to affordable, high-quality care. Ms Thomas’ appointment reflects HCF’s ongoing commitment to leadership continuity, member-first values, and long-term sustainability. As CEO & MD, Ms Thomas will focus on delivering HCF’s 2030 strategy, investing in digital capability, strengthening partnerships across the health system, and continuing to advocate for fairness in private health insurance. Ms Thomas is also a Director of Private Healthcare Australia. |
 |
Dr Chris Pettigrew Dr Pettigrew was appointed Head of HCF Research Foundation in March 2021. Dr Pettigrew has more than 10 years’ experience as a researcher across breast cancer, prostate cancer, retinal degeneration and muscular dystrophy. He has also worked in scientific publishing as editor of the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine. More recently he has worked with Dementia Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council as the Deputy Director of the NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research and as the Director of Research Investment at the National Breast Cancer Foundation. |
