Sparked Bright Sparks: Angela Ryan

We spoke to Angela about her involvement in the Sparked Community, here’s what she had to say!

❓What is your background?

I’m a registered nurse (critical care), with a background as a health informatician and executive, working in Local Health Districts, and state and federal digital health and policy roles, a former CCIO at the ADHA, a Lead Healthcare Executive, JAPAC at Oracle Health and Non-executive Director at the AIDH.

❓ How did you first hear about Sparked and what made you want to become involved?

I first heard about Sparked from Kate. She told me I should join immediately, and I did!

❓ What do you see as the best outcomes that Sparked has delivered or is working towards?

The fact that Sparked IS delivering against its objectives; it’s not just a forum for collaboration and engagement, but we actually get real stuff done.

❓ How is Sparked different to projects you’ve been involved in before?

The fact that we have all come together representing different organisations and agencies, and united around a common purpose to deliver a FHIR standard for Australia. The Sparked leadership has been clear from the outset, and we are doing policy differently. We’ve tried over many years to do similar things, but the difference here is the commitment from governments to invest and support an environment to make it happen.

❓ What is something you’ve learnt from being part of the Sparked community?

That’s it’s possible to unite around a common purpose and actually deliver on the outcome, putting individual agendas aside.

❓ Can you share one of your favourite or memorable moments from participating in Sparked?

There are so many, but I’d say being part of the energy that each workshop brings and having been invited to contribute to a few panels in leadership events always a standout. Getting to know the Sparked team has been a bonus – Maddie, I’m looking at you!

❓ What excites you most about the future with Sparked?

That this could be a new direction for creating public policy more broadly. I think we must take the lessons that Sparked has shown us and ensure that this approach becomes the norm for public policy development in Australia (we’d be exhausted 🤪 but we’d make real and sustained change).

❓ What’s something unexpected that you’ve learnt/been a part of/connected with through Sparked?

That everyone has really embraced the opportunity and committed the time and energy to collectively work toward realising the ambition.

❓ How would you explain Sparked to someone not yet involved?

Think of it as a high energy movement where you get to hang out with friends and colleagues across the ecosystem and get meaningful work done. What’s not to like about that?!

❓ What piece of advice would you share to someone who may not yet be a part of Sparked?

There are very few opportunities in life to be a part of something that will create significant reform. You don’t want to miss that opportunity.

❓ If you had to describe Sparked in three words, what would they be?

Policy. Done. Differently.

❓ If Sparked had a theme song, what would it be?

Hall of Fame feat will.i.am. Its theme is empowerment, leadership, and positive change (we used to open HIC with it highlighting all the people who represent and contribute to the ecosystem – it seemed fitting).

❓ Describe Sparked using only emojis

❤️‍🔥 🪩 🧨