ACM CEO Ann Kinnear retires after a sterling career in midwifery, championing and leading across management, regulation and governance as well as shaping Australian health policies.
Ann has been a highly respected and valuable asset to ACM. She navigated us confidently through numerous challenges. Ann planned to retire in September but with new opportunities arising she has chosen to bring her retirement from ACM forward.
In her eight years at the helm of ACM, Ann has accomplished a number of significant midwifery milestones. These include unification of the nine state and territory ACM branches in 2014, making ACM a unified voice for midwifery in Australia. Immediate past President of ACM, Professor Caroline Homer AO said “It was Ann’s leadership, vision and insight that secured the recognition of midwifery as a distinct profession in the National Law. We have a lot to be thankful for, especially her passion for the very best outcomes for mothers and babies through strengthening midwifery.” “Her strategic vision and uncanny ability to be ahead of the game has served the ACM well and I really enjoyed working with her in my time as President.”
Ann’s career has been centred in advocating for women and babies all over the world. In recent years, Ann has campaigned fervently for Indigenous women’s birthing rights. These include partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s health agencies to facilitate birthing on country models of care in Australia. She has also partnered with Rotary International to develop midwifery leadership programs in the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea.
Ann’s focus whilst leading ACM has always been to position the organisation as a respectful advocate and powerful strategic body for midwifery. Her gaze has always been for the growth and benefit of our members, recognising that the success of ACM relates to the pride and confidence of midwives nationally. With this professional pride being upheld as the gold standard for the ACM she believes women in Australia will have greater choice and childbirth opportunities.
On behalf of the board and our membership, I thank Ann for her extraordinary contributions and leadership and wish her every success for her future endeavours. She will be sorely missed.
Terri Barrett
ACM President.
For comment, please contact:
ACM President Terri Barrett on 0422 885 033
Additional information: The Australian College of Midwives
The Australian College of Midwives (ACM) is the peak professional body for midwives in Australia who are registered with, and regulated by, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). ACM’s position is that women be attended during pregnancy, birth and postnatally by a midwife who is registered with the NMBA.
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