Dr Gemma Turato is the Executive Director of Allied Health at Sunshine Coast Health and a senior leader with more than 35 years of experience across New Zealand and Australia. She has held clinical, managerial, and executive roles since joining Sunshine Coast Health in 2005, including Allied Health Manager for Surgical Services and Acting Clinical Director of Allied Health, before her appointment as Executive Director in 2017. She has also recently been appointed to an acting role as the Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Health Institute which aligns to her commitment in strengthening patient care by empowering health professionals to engage in education, innovation, and research that translate into meaningful improvements for consumers. Gemma holds a PhD from the University of the Sunshine Coast, where her research applied systems theory to define the components of an evidence‑based framework for allied health leadership development. Her ongoing research focuses on allied health governance, organisational design, workforce functioning, and the drivers of morale and wellbeing. She has published in Q1 and Q2 peer‑reviewed journals and presented nationally and internationally, including at the Allied Health National Conference (2021, 2023, 2025) and the International Allied Health Conference in Singapore (2024).