FRANCISCO LOPEZ (he/him)
National Health Lead – Pride Inclusion Programs
Francisco supports health and human service organisations with their LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts across workforce and service delivery.
Francisco joined ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs with over ten years of experience working in the healthcare sector across clinical operations, service redesign and health system reform. His past roles include Senior Manager Primary Care and Community Engagement at MQ Health, Manager Improvement and Integration at Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, Redesign Facilitator at Eastern Health, and Manager Redesigning Care at Alfred Health.
Francisco holds a Master of Health Administration from La Trobe University, is a Fellow and Certified Health Executive with the Australasian College of Health Service Management, sits on the Primary and Community Healthcare Advisory Committee for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, and serves as an Adjunct Fellow of the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, focusing on health systems research in primary care. Recent publications include ‘The journey to a learning health system in primary care: a qualitative case study utilising an embedded research approach’ in BMC Primary Care and ‘High performing primary care: reinvigorating general practice as a learning health system’ in the British Journal of General Practice.
DANIEL COMENSOLI (he/him)
Senior Relationship Manager, Pride in Health + Wellbeing
Daniel is currently a Senior Relationship Manager in the Pride in Health + Wellbeing program at ACON. Prior to this, Daniel was at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians working across paediatric and young adult medicine, and disability policy, as well as within the Mental Health Branch at the NSW Ministry of Health.
Daniel has a strong background in LGBTIQ+ health policy and advocacy, most recently working at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA). During his tenure at LHA, Daniel was instrumental to LHA’s responses to the Disability and Aged Care Royal Commissions, the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into mental health, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into intersex human rights, the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into the Family Law System, and proposed federal religious freedom legislation.
Daniel is passionate about promoting culturally safe health and wellbeing services to LGBTQ+ communities, as well as reducing discrimination, stigma and violence in an effort to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
CRAIG RUTHERFORD (he/him)
Senior Relationship Manager, Pride in Health + Wellbeing
Craig is a purpose-driven executive with a demonstrated track record of leading impactful change initiatives aimed at enhancing customer and employee experiences across public, private, and non-profit organisations.
Craig served most recently as a CEO in the aged care and childcare sectors and possesses extensive experience in regional operations within the healthcare and human services fields, often navigating highly regulated environments while spearheading significant change management efforts. Craig has worked closely with a range of regulatory authorities and Government departments at all levels across Australia.
Craig is deeply committed to driving meaningful change and enriching both customer and team member experiences, with a strong emphasis on equality and inclusion. Noteworthy achievements include successfully overseeing the development and implementation of innovative care models, thereby driving business growth through enhanced customer and team member value propositions.
Craig has an educational background in criminal law, psychology, leadership and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tidge Backhouse (they/them)
Senior Relationship Manager – Health, Pride in Diversity
Tidge joined the team with a background of being an advocate, consultant, and trainer with lived experience as a gender diverse, neurodiverse, sexuality diverse and often othered individual. Their experiences and passion have led them to develop a strong expertise and ability to engage with organisations to build awareness, capability, and empathy whilst working to critically consider how their systems may have inherent barriers to inclusion.
Tidge joined ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs after most recently working in the NSW Health system and is passionate about seeing meaningful change in health and human service organisations. Their major achievements whilst working at Northern Sydney Local Health District were: planning and hosting the inaugural LGBTIQ+ Health Symposium as part of World Pride 2023; leading a large organisation through the Australian Workplace Equality Index; growing and leading the Pride+ Employee Network as co-chair; and contributing to their Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging strategy and associated initiatives.
Tidge has studied Diversity & Inclusion with The Culture Ministry and they bring with them a confident, professional and flexible engagement style that aims to support, respect and empower whilst striving for inclusion, safety and support.