Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, August 2025 – Cathy Wilks has been appointed as Chief People, Culture and Learning Officer at Mater. In this role, she will partner with the executive and People & Culture team to strengthen organizational culture and enhance the overall employee experience across Mater’s healthcare, education, and research network.
Most recently, Cathy served as Executive Advisor and Executive General Manager, Human Resources at Aurora Healthcare Australia, where she guided HR and safety strategies across 16 hospitals and 3,000 staff. She played a pivotal role as a trusted advisor to CEOs and executive leaders, driving organizational capability, employee engagement, and workforce safety.
Before that, she was Head of Organisational Development at Ampol Australia, where she led critical initiatives including talent and succession frameworks, leadership models, and cultural transformation programs. She was instrumental in implementing the EY Cultural Health Diagnostic and building the company’s Diversity & Inclusion framework and governance model.
Cathy also held several leadership roles during her nearly nine years at Santos Ltd, including Acquisition Org Design Lead during the ConocoPhillips integration, Group Organisational and Capability Development Manager, and Head of HR (QLD), where she oversaw end-to-end HR operations for GLNG assets. Her leadership was integral in managing large-scale change, transitioning from construction to operational environments, and building talent pipelines.
Earlier in her career, she served as Executive Manager, People Learning and Culture at Uniting, Human Resources Project Manager at Santos Ltd, and Project Manager – Workforce Planning and Retention Initiatives at Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS Silverchain). She also spent six years as Human Resources Manager at Optus, where she strengthened HR practices and workforce management.
In addition to her corporate career, Cathy also contributes as a Mentor with the Minerva Network, supporting professional sportswomen in their career and personal development journeys.
About Mater
Mater is Queensland’s largest not-for-profit network of public and private hospitals and healthcare services. Bringing together expertise across health, education, and research, Mater is committed to empowering people to live healthier lives and fostering community well-being. With a century-long legacy of care, Mater is dedicated to innovating beyond traditional hospital, classroom, and laboratory settings by delivering programs and services that meet evolving community needs.
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