March 12, 2026We are pleased to announce that Dr Katharine See, Director of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Northern Health, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Lung Foundation Australia’s prestigious Professor Christine Jenkins AM Woman of Influence in Lung Health Award. She is the third recipient of this national honour.
A respiratory physician with a longstanding commitment to improving care for people living with chronic lung disease, Dr See established the Respiratory and Sleep Medicine service at Northern Health in 2017 and has since led its growth into a comprehensive, future-focused service grounded in value-based healthcare. Under her leadership, the service has expanded access to specialist respiratory care, strengthened diagnostic and treatment pathways, and embedded multidisciplinary, integrated models of care that span acute, ambulatory and virtual settings.
With a strong strategic vision and deep commitment to person-centred care, she has championed digitally enabled programs such as the Severe Asthma Digital Care Pathway and Virtual Pulmonary Rehabilitation. These initiatives embed patient-reported outcomes, improve timely access to specialist support and deliver measurable improvements in outcomes for people with respiratory disease. Her work is transformative in scope, redesigning models of care to achieve the health outcomes that matter most to patients while strengthening equity, sustainability and system performance.
Dr See is recognised as a national leader in value-based healthcare, driving large-scale service redesign so that clinical excellence is matched by equity, efficiency and measurable impact across the health system.
The award was presented at the Celebrating Women of Influence in Lung Health Dinner in Sydney on 6 March 2026, held in recognition of International Women’s Day. The event brought together leaders from across Australia to honour women shaping the future of lung health.
The Professor Christine Jenkins AM Woman of Influence in Lung Health Award recognises an early to mid-career clinician, researcher or practitioner whose work has made a significant impact on lung health in Australia. Established in honour of Professor Christine Jenkins, whose distinguished career in respiratory medicine, research and advocacy has influenced standards of care nationally, the award includes a $10,000 professional development grant.
Lung Foundation Australia is the country’s leading non-profit organisation dedicated to improving lung health through research, advocacy, education and support. The award highlights the importance of leadership, equity and innovation in improving outcomes for people living with lung disease.
Congratulations to Dr Katharine See on this outstanding achievement!
