Sarah Sharkey

Rear Admiral Sarah Sharkey has served as a Medical Officer in the Royal Australian Navy for more than 25 years. Sarah began her service under sponsorship while an undergraduate medical student at the University of Queensland in 1992 and began full time service with the Australian Defence Force in 1997. Between 1997 and 2007 Sarah served in a range of clinical roles mainly in the field of Submarine and Underwater Medicine. This included as the Submarine Squadron Medical Officer, as Officer in Charge of Submarine and Underwater Medicine Units, and on deployment as a Ships Medical Officer. Since 2007 Sarah has served in more senior leadership and management roles as a health administrator as the Fleet Medical Officer; Director of Clinical Services in Joint Health Command; Director General Navy Health Services; Director General of Garrison Health Services and the Director General Health Business and Plans in Joint Health Command. In Dec 2019, Sarah was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in the Royal Australian Navy, and assumed the dual hatted role of Commander Joint Health Command and Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force. Sarah’s roles over the last 15 years have included responsibilities for leading, directing, implementing and managing Clinical and Corporate Governance functions of the health system in Defence. In addition, Sarah serves as a Commissioner on the Military Repatriation and Compensation Commission (MRCC); Member of the Department of Veterans Affairs Research Board; and a Director of Navy Health Ltd; and a member of the Australian Health Protection Principle Committee (AHPPC). Sarah has a Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery, Masters in Business Administration, and a Masters in Politics and Policy. She is a Fellow of the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.