Sharon Walsh is Director of Volunteer Services at Bendigo Health and Founder/Chair of the Leaders of Health Volunteer Engagement (LOHVE) Network. Through LOHVE, she has helped advance understanding of health volunteer programs, including the development of the annual benchmark that provides insights into Volunteer Engagement across the health sector.
Walsh also led the development of the Loddon Mallee Health Network (LMHN) Volunteer Strategy, a collaborative initiative designed to help shape the future of volunteering across the region's 16 public health services. She is a strong advocate for the view that "volunteering is a health matter" through the contribution volunteers make to health services, the positive impact on community health experiences, and the wellbeing benefits gained by volunteers themselves.
Recognised for her expertise in health Volunteer Engagement, Walsh has presented at local, national and international forums, including invitations from the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE). Through these connections, she has also shared her experience with health organisations internationally, including the Hong Kong Hospital Authority.
While Walsh has received a number of awards throughout her career, she believes her greatest reward has been working in a profession that creates opportunities to support and witness the extraordinary generosity of volunteers, whose everyday acts of kindness make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
