the team

CEO: Kate Marie Kate Marie specialises in strategic marketing and publishing, both traditional and online, within the health, medical and aged care sectors. She enjoys working in emerging (transformational) technology and services areas that potentially support consumer and practitioner empowerment in the delivery of healthcare and other related services.  She has a strong background in sales and marketing and has been involved in the start-up and re-launch of several publications and technology ventures, both here and Asia.   Kate’s strengths lie in being able to understand and manage a broad range of areas to do with building marketing-oriented businesses: from strategic management, product and business development, sales and marketing management, alliance development to project management. Director, Leigh Thomas Leigh Thomas is an e-health and e-business consultant with 25 years’ experience in the health and IT sectors, and academia, as well as working in the online world. A biomedical engineer originally, his career began in health research, moved to R&D, then clinical computing and later executive management in health information systems in the NSW public sector.  He joined IBM in the mid 90’s in an Asia Pacific role in distributed health networks, then joined Australian Business Limited managing Australian Health Online and, later became general manager of AHO’s parent company, ABOL Ltd. Determined to have his mid-life crisis before he was too old to enjoy it, he changed direction and is now working as a private consultant.  He also holds adjunct appointments in e-commerce at two of Sydney’s leading business schools. Leigh is currently completing a handbook of e-commerce for health managers. Director & Health Industry Strategist: Abby Bloom Abby Bloom is Managing Director and a founding partner of Health Innovations International Pty Ltd. (HII), a Sydney-based corporate advisory and management consultancy firm specialising in the health industry. The firm’s clients include financial institutions, private companies with significant health industry involvement, large hospital and health care groups, state and national health departments, Veterans’ Affairs, as well as national ministries of health in numerous Asian countries. Abby has several roles in Health Media Group.  She provides expertise on the health care industry in Australia and internationally, and is responsible for identifying trends and specific opportunities.  She is a prime liaison with the publicly-funded health care industry in Australia, and with the corporate and financial sectors.  Abby has a successful track record initiating and negotiating consortia involving a mix of private and public or not-for-profit health organisations.  In the past year, for example, she has negotiated three joint ventures linking not-for-profit and private health organisations in commercial opportunities in Australia and Asia. Abby was raised and educated in the US, and trained in public health, epidemiology, management, policy and international health.  A member of the first group of women to graduate from Yale University, Abby was awarded a PhD from the University of Sydney.  She has designed and delivered innovative courses in international health at Yale and  Sydney Universities, is a fellow at Melbourne University, and speaks often on the practical aspects of health sector reform.  She is active in Rotary and other community activities.  Her edited book, Health Reform in Australia and New Zealand, has been published recently by Oxford University Press. Director, Publishing Services:  Carolen Barripp Carolen brings to the team twenty years of publishing experience and has successfully launched consumer and trade magazines and books in Australia, USA and UK. She has a track record in start-up publishing appointing and managing editorial and design teams. Her forte is developing publishing projects for organisations from concept to publication. In 1988 she established CL Creations Pty Ltd to launch Sydney Inc magazine. Today, the company publishers the Australian Innovation book series which provides an excellent overview of the diversity of the skills, technologies and capabilities available within Australia’s emerging industries. The series includes books on the biotech, energy, water and transport sectors and the soon to be launched book and website Australian Innovation: Towards a Sustainable Future.