John Piispanen

John is the Executive Director of the Health Protection and Regulation Branch in the Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services Division of Queensland Health. He has worked with Queensland Health for over 39 years.

John is an Environmental Health Officer who completed his university training in Brisbane and since then has spent much of his career working in North Queensland as Director of Environmental Health and, following that, as Director of the Metro North Public Health Unit in Brisbane.

He has a Master of Public Health from James Cook University where he was awarded the Sidney Sax Medal for outstanding academic achievement. He also has an adjunct appointment as Associate Professor with the University of Queensland.

John is an active member (and training faculty) of the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) which has taken him to Timor Leste, Philippines, India, Armenia and Papua New Guinea. John has also worked with other agencies and deployed to the Solomon Islands and contributed to the Ebola response in West Africa.

In short, John is also very passionate about environmental health.