HCANZA Annual Report for Members FY2025

Annual Report to Members

FY2025

In FY25, Health Coaching Australia & New Zealand Association (HCANZA) continued to cement the profession’s place at the heart of modern healthcare. Across public and private sectors, health and wellness coaching is increasingly recognised as the essential link in delivering patient-centred care — empowering autonomy, supporting integrity, and driving sustainable health behaviour change.

Research initiatives are growing, governments are beginning to take notice, and the value of health coaching in improving outcomes is being demonstrated more clearly than ever. Increasingly, health coaching research is supporting our endeavours and strengthening our key messages.

This is a pivotal moment: the profession is not just emerging but advancing, with HCANZA members at the forefront of that progress.

As the peak industry body, HCANZA’s role is to create and expand opportunities for our members to be active participants in shaping this future. Through advocacy, professional development, and strategic partnerships, we are equipping our community to lead, influence, and thrive as health coaching becomes an integral part of healthcare delivery.

A key factor in HCANZA’s growing recognition as a reputable, standard-setting body is our commitment to working collaboratively — not only with other organisations that share our values and focus on better health outcomes, but also with our members. By sticking together and contributing to this collective effort, we amplify our voices and our impact, achieving things that would be impossible alone. These partnerships and this community approach extend our reach and allow a young organisation like ours to make a meaningful and lasting difference.

Together, we are not just witnessing transformation — we are actively shaping a future where health coaches are recognised, empowered, and central to sustainable, person-centred healthcare.

Focus Areas – FY25 Achievements and Challenges

Focus Area 1. Unlocking Employment Demand for Coaches

• Expanding pathways into meaningful employment by engaging with Medical and Allied Health professionals on the benefits of multimodal teams that include health coaches
• Collaborated with organisations such as the Australian Lifestyle Medicine Society, the Australian Self Care Alliance, the Australasian Metabolic Health Society, and others, to create roles for health coaches.

• Working with the Heart Foundation, where opportunities exist for health coaches to engage in their Walking – Practitioner Program, which is fully supported with a digital platform for clients and would enhance coaches’ ability to improve client acquisition.
• Opened a conversation with Private Healthcare Australia about the employment opportunities for co-qualified HCANZA Coaches to be employed by private health funds.
• While HCANZA had previously collaborated with two digital health platforms that would create employment for HCANZA-accredited coaches, these platforms were not successfully launched into the Australian & NZ markets.

Focus Area 2. Enhancing Membership Value

• In early 2025, we conducted an extensive survey of the membership and have ensured that these insights are taken into consideration when developing and evaluating the placement and expenditure of time and resources that deliver membership value
• By June 2025, there were two established capital city networking groups that give opportunities for coaches to be more closely supported in their local areas. These groups are driven by local needs, creativity and purpose. These will continue to expand where volunteer leaders can be identified.
• In September 2024 the first HCANZA conference to be held in New Zealand was a big success with 147 attendees. This conference was the best attended of HCANZA coaches to date. For the first time, we videoed the speakers and made them available to attendees. We also recovered a small amount of revenue from members who were unable to attend the conference but wanted to gain CPD points. Overall, holding a conference in NZ is less expensive than in Australia.
• The establishment of a Special Interest Group on Research and Grants responds to our members’ asking for more information accessible to them on current research. Members will be able to use this research to support their key messages to medical and allied health professionals as well as to patients/clients.
• The NDIS Special Interest Group continued its work in very challenging environments, with the regulations on what types of treatments can be included in NDIS payments being completely revamped. This has led to Health coaching being eliminated from the list. HCANZA, with the members of this group, continues to make submissions to the government for the reinstatement of HCANZA coaches as a specific class of coaches.
• While we had planned and worked to ensure coaches are supported personally in their practice as a coach, through mentoring and supervision, we have been challenged to fully realise this target. In June 2025, we dropped supervision or mentoring as a mandatory requirement for professional members. This primarily occurred because there are not enough qualified supervisors and mentors with experience in health coaching. The price point of those who were qualified was also prohibitive. HCANZA is still committed to finding this very important element for coach support. In FY 2026, the Special Interest Group on Supervision and Mentoring will reconvene.

Focus Area 3. Public & Private Advocacy

• Represented HCANZA and health coaching at 2 conferences, Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine in association with Australian Primary Healthcare Nurses Association in Adelaide (1000 attendees), Low Carb Down Under in Melbourne (250 attendees)
• Progressed government engagement through policy submissions on changes to the NDIS, and a Pre-Budget submission to Treasury for a ‘Proof of Concept’ pilot for Health Coaching in GP Clinics in Australia
• Strengthened relationships of individual members of the Australian Self Care Alliance.
• Explored possible research collaborations with the Royal Melbourne Hospital on coaching in hospital treatment for chronic disease, and Uniting NSW on mental health
• Commenced and facilitated a major collaboration and stakeholder engagement (public and private) in NZ on exploring the alignment of health coach training standards in Aotearoa.
• Made a submission to Toitū te Waiora on the development of a microcredential for Health Coach Training in NZ.
• Participated in the stakeholder-led Australian Standards Review of the Coach standards HB 332-2011 Coaching in organizations | Standards Australia Store.

Focus Area 4. Annual Conference & Community Engagement

• Hosted the Innovative Futures through Health Coaching conference in Auckland for the first time, providing networking, knowledge-sharing, and professional development for 147 attendees.
• Continued the Members Connect series for new members’ engagement and orientation.
• Continued the monthly series of Ask the Expert and Open for Business with 8 programs available for live attendance for CPD purposes.
• HCANZA continues to be challenged with resourcing (of the human kind) and financing this very large event.

Looking Ahead to FY26

Building on these achievements, HCANZA will:

• Expand national advocacy to embed health coaching in the healthcare workforce and standards frameworks.
• Scale up member connection opportunities through more local network groups with bimonthly events supporting orientation
• Increase targeted marketing and communications to raise awareness of health coaching across sectors.
• Increase the social media engagement with members in a meaningful way that develops and supports engagement and connection.

• Deliver the FY26 Annual Conference in Brisbane, with a focus on Transforming the Business of Healthcare, Public, Private, and Personal. As of the time of writing this report – the event has been delivered.
• Review the Continuous Professional Development guidelines and requirements.
• Support and amplify research partnerships to demonstrate the impact of health coaching in healthcare outcomes.

Strategic Initiatives for Broader Influence

• Advance national and regional discussions to embed health coaching in policy and workforce frameworks.
• Partner with the Australian Self-Care Alliance and other stakeholders to progress pilot programs in GP clinics.
• Position health coaching within evolving professional standards to strengthen credibility and influence.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Ongoing Groups:

• NDIS SIG: continuing to advocate for integration of health and wellness coaching.
• Supervision & Mentoring SIG: expanding support for professional growth.

New/Active Groups:

• Research and Grants SIG: develop a research library as a Coach resource and a training program for Members on how to understand research and use it with clients.
• Education and Schools: This SIG is in the very early stages of actualisation

Management Changes

As HCANZA continues to grow and expand its reach, we recognised the need to increase and strengthen our management team. In January 2024 the Board began to plan to engage a Chief Executive Officer to share an increasing workload and support the delivery of our strategic initiatives.

In March 2025 we welcomed Betina Myer Pflug into that role. Betina brings extensive experience in Not for Profits with strengths in marketing, ensuring HCANZA can operate efficiently while enhancing visibility for our members. Her appointment marks an exciting milestone in the organisation’s growth. Betina’s role includes input on strategy as well as the complete daily management of operations.

While in May this year, Betina and her family relocated to Geneva, she continues to fulfill her role requirements remotely.

I will remain Chair of the HCANZA Board of Directors for the next 2 years. While I am stepping back from day-to-day operational management, I will continue to drive all aspects of advocacy within our

regions and internationally where required. This work includes all government representations and enquiries, private partnerships and collaborations, research applications and grants, special interest groups, and community stakeholder engagement. The development of partnerships with reputable employers (public and private) of health coaches will also be part of this role.

Acknowledgments

On behalf of our members, I extend heartfelt thanks to the Board, volunteers, and working groups whose dedication has strengthened HCANZA and advanced the profession.

Special appreciation goes to:

• Youna Angevin Castro for her expertise in marketing and communications over the last 3 years
• Susan Harbers, who has worked tirelessly as the Membership Manager for three years and will leave the position at the end of August 2025.
• Marion Hayden and Sue Cosgrove, who are assessors working on program approvals and ensuring they meet our standards.
• Geraldine Fuenmayor, who manages the relationships, communications, and annual operational administration with HCANZA Approved Program Providers.
• Lahiru Russell with her expertise and invaluable contacts in the research and grants environment, proactively connecting and supporting HCANZA in these opportunities.

Further thanks to:

Special Interest Group members in FY25

• NDIS: Karina Morris, Darren Webb, and Monique Gibson
• Supervision and Mentoring: Fiona Cosgrove and Sharon Curtain
• Research & Grants: Patrick Dodson, Lahiru Russell, Sam McBride, Fiona Mardling, Gordon Spence

Network Leaders

• Melbourne: Bee Pennington, Tania Dalton, Romy Bursztyn, Carla Butler
• Brisbane: Ruth Kent
• Adelaide: Geraldine Fuenmayor (Sept 25)
• NZ: Rich Ellis (Sept 25)
• Sydney: Anja Lineen, Sabina Ziolkowski, Rachel Puncheon (Sept 25)

Communications: Sabina Ziolkowski and Linda Terlikar-Legras

And to all of those who will join them before the end of FY26.

It is through your commitment that HCANZA and its members continue to advance its vision of health coaching as a respected, essential, and empowering profession.

With the HCANZA mission and purpose of Co-Creating Universal Health and Wellness, we are focused on building a profession that is recognised, respected, and ready to lead.

This past year, our members, volunteers, and Board have not only advanced the visibility and credibility of health coaching — you have actively shaped a future where coaches are integral to sustainable, person-centred care.

As we move into FY26, the momentum is undeniable. Together, we are strengthening connections, creating opportunities, and expanding influence across public and private health. Each initiative, partnership, and success is a step toward a healthcare system that values and leverages the unique role of health coaches.

With confidence, purpose, and collaboration, we are defining what health coaching can achieve — for our clients, our communities, and the profession we are proud to advance.

Chair of the Board Co-Founder Linda Funnell-Milner

Chair of the Board Co-Founder
Linda Funnell-Milner