Troy Combo

Troy Combo is a Program Manager at Burnet Institute and a highly regarded leader in Aboriginal health with over 30 years of experience spanning primary health care, workforce coordination, policy development and research.

A Bundjalung man from northern New South Wales, Troy brings a strong cultural lens and deep understanding of the health challenges impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. His career has focused primarily on blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmissible infections (STIs), combining epidemiology, systems thinking, surveillance, and innovative research methodologies to influence policy and service delivery at community, jurisdictional and national levels.

Troy leads the coordination of the Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Partnership's (EC Australia), Aboriginal Health Program. Working in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and local communities, he leads initiatives to promote access to hepatitis C testing, treatment and care, advancing holistic, culturally appropriate models of care, that support the prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma. His work extends to improving population level outcomes for vulnerable groups, including people who inject drugs and those in custodial settings.

Troy has held high level leadership positions in local, state and national Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. During his time at Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation as Healthy for Life and Programs Manager, and Acting Executive Officer he managed a multidisciplinary team of health professionals across primary, allied, and specialist health services including ENT, chronic care, alcohol and other drugs, diabetes, hearing, maternal health, and immunisation programs. 

Beyond his program management roles, Troy provides strategic advice on many leadership groups to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal people and enjoys event facilitation and MC’ing.

• 2014: Certificate IV in Mental Health
• 2005: Certificate IV Training and Assessment
• 1998: Certificate in Research and Evaluation, Macquarie University

• 2015-2017 Human research Ethics Committee Northern and Mid North Coast of NSW
• 2016 -2019 School of Medicine Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Committee, Western Sydney University
• 2016 National Data Validation Working Group, Department of Health, Australian Government
• 2013 Board of Director, Gallang Place Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation
• 2013 Affiliate, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• 2006 Scientific Committee, Australian research Centre in Sex Health and Society
• 2000 Member, The Australian College of Health Service Executives

• 2016: Excellence in Primary Health Care Awards, North Coast Primary Health Network
• 2005: Best Poster Presentation Social Research, Best Oral Presentation Indigenous Health, Australasian Society of HIV Medicine Conference 2005

• 2015 – 2020: Healthy for Life and Programs Manager & Acting Executive Officer, Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation
• 2011 – 2015: SEWB Workforce Coordinator, Queensland Aboriginal Islander Health Council
• 2014 (secondment): National Telehealth Officer, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
• 2013 (secondment): State Service Delivery Manager, Link-Up Queensland