New Deputy Commissioners Appointed to Strengthen Rural Health Leadership
10 Oct 2025
Professor Deravin will serve as Deputy Commissioner for Nursing, while Associate Professor Argus will take on the role of Deputy Commissioner for Allied Health. Both will work alongside Professor Jenny May, the National Rural Health Commissioner, to provide advice and strengthen rural perspectives across government health strategies, policies, and programs.
A proud Wiradjuri woman from Bathurst, New South Wales, Professor Linda Deravin brings over 40 years of experience in nursing. Her background spans aged care, primary health care, emergency care, rural health, First Nations health, and health leadership.
Associate Professor Geoff Argus, a Clinical Psychologist from Queensland’s Darling Downs, has more than two decades of experience working across regional, rural and remote Australia, with a focus on improving mental health and allied health services.
Both Deputy Commissioners will begin their roles at the end of September 2025. The Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner thanked outgoing Deputy Commissioners Adjunct Professor Shelley Nowlan and Professor Faye McMillan for their significant contributions to advancing rural health.
Source:
Australian Government – Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner, Department of Health and Aged Care
