Associate Professor Geri McDonald is the Director of Patient Experience & Wellbeing at Peter Mac Cancer Centre and Chair of the COSA Integrative Oncology & Wellbeing Group, Geri brings a wealth of experience and expertise in patient care, cancer support, and wellbeing initiatives. With an extensive career spanning across government, health services, corporate, not-for-profit, and medical research sectors, Geri has become a pivotal advocate for improving patient experiences in cancer care. In 2017, Geri was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, which enabled her to explore patient navigation models in cancer care through travels to the USA and UK. Her findings from this research have been shared at national and international conferences and continue to shape the landscape of cancer care in Australia.

In addition to her work at Peter Mac Cancer Centre, Geri has been instrumental in raising awareness about integrative oncology and wellbeing services. In 2019, she was nominated in the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence, and she was also a recipient of the Pro Bono Australia Impact 25 Award in 2020, recognising her as one of the top 25 people of influence in the social sector.

Geri’s leadership extends beyond her direct roles in cancer care, as she is a member of the NACCHO expert cancer working group and contributes to the COSA Council. Her work has been central in the development of the Inaugural White Paper on Integrative Oncology and Wellness Centres in Cancer Care, and she continues to provide guidance and expertise to both national and international organisations focused on cancer wellbeing centres. Geri also holds an Honorary adjunct Associate Professorship role at the University of Melbourne Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.