RANZCR: A Final Word from the CEO

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Inside News September 2020

My dear colleagues and friends throughout the College . . .

As many of you will be aware, I am leaving the College shortly to prepare for big changes in my personal life with the planned arrival of a new member into my family.

Planning the transition has been difficult for me and the RANZCR Board, and I am grateful to all who assisted in the process. The Board recognised a need to have certainty and clarity around the executive leadership, so as to maintain the momentum the College had built up in recent years and steer the College through the testing times we know lie ahead.

For me personally, of course, it has been the same dilemma countless women have faced countless times—balancing the twin demands of having a career and having children—and trying her best to get the timing and circumstances right so she doesn't give up her choices in life and work.

I am pleased to say the Board and I have come to an agreement that works well for both sides. I have resigned as your CEO, effective from 25 September, and handed over the reins to our former head of policy and advocacy, Mark Nevin, to take charge of the management team as interim CEO for 12 months.

Many of you know and respect Mark for his intelligence and impressive track record in a key role at the College. I am certain he will lead the College well while a search for a permanent CEO is underway.

It is hard for me to reflect on the experiences of my seven years as CEO, except to say that I was blessed with a very strong management team who trusted me and gave me great support to achieve many things for our members.

The list of achievements is formidable: creating fresh policies to ensure patient access to key treatments, advocating powerfully to government, reforming our exams and trainee supports, strengthening member engagement, numerous IT improvements and, recently, navigating the impact of a devastating pandemic.

It is a demanding and sometimes tough job that commands your time and energy in full measure. And the job is important because strong leadership in this organisation helps safeguard the critical work of our medical professionals—men and women who save lives every day and are essential to the functioning of a modern healthcare system.

I am grateful for the opportunities I had at the College—to develop professionally, initiate new projects, improve old programs and systems, make a difference.

The College is different today to what it was when I took over, and it's better for it. I was just one of many who made that happen.

I am deeply grateful that the Board of Directors took a chance on me in 2013 and then supported me to transform the College to what we have today.

I am proud of my contribution to your College and I'm thankful to all those who worked and contributed with me.

Best regards,

Natalia Vukolova

RANZCR CEO 2013–2020

Twitter: @NataliaVukolova