Meet Irene Zoumaras – Head of Corporate Compliance

At Altaira, quality, safety, and governance sit at the heart of everything we do. Behind the scenes, our commitment to best-practice healthcare and workforce solutions is supported by strong leadership and a proactive compliance culture. We’re excited to introduce Irene Zoumaras, our Head of Corporate Compliance, who plays a critical role in ensuring Altaira continues to deliver safe, high-quality services across aged care, hospitals, and community health.

Learn more about Irene and how her role supports Altaira and our clients:

What is your professional background?

I joined Altaira in January 2026, bringing experience across legal, banking, and compliance sectors. I hold a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University, along with a Certificate IV in Compliance and Risk Management through GRCI.

I began my career as a lawyer in a boutique firm before moving into the banking industry, where I spent 13 years in a range of frontline and operational roles. Much of this involved supporting customers experiencing financial hardship and working within consumer credit compliance and risk frameworks. I also had the opportunity to work with Jawun, supporting Indigenous organisations to strengthen governance practices and contribute to community-led priorities.

What does your role as Head of Corporate Compliance involve?

Healthcare and labour hire in Australia operate within a complex and evolving regulatory environment. In my role, I support enterprise-wide adherence to legislative, regulatory, and industry requirements to ensure Altaira meets all relevant laws, standards, and licensing obligations. This includes interpreting new legislation, developing and updating policies and procedures, advising teams on compliance obligations, identifying and managing risk, enhancing our Quality Management System, overseeing internal audits, and contributing to contract and supplier governance.

Through Altaira’s ISO 9001:2015 certification, the internationally recognised standard for Quality Management Systems, we ensure our services consistently meet both customer and regulatory expectations.

Why is compliance and governance so important in healthcare?

Healthcare is fundamentally about people — their safety, dignity, wellbeing, and quality of life. Strong governance ensures we deliver safe, ethical, and high-quality care. Our partnership with regulatory and industry bodies helps us stay aligned with national best-practice standards. We also maintain robust controls for worker screening and credential validation, including training, police checks, and professional registration reviews tailored to each role and sector.

What attracted you to join Altaira?

After years in banking, I wanted to work in an organisation where strong governance and genuine human impact come together. Every decision we make can influence the quality of care someone receives. That sense of purpose and the opportunity to strengthen systems that keep people safe really resonated with me.

What are your goals at Altaira?

My goal is to continue strengthening our compliance culture. I’m passionate about ensuring compliance is embedded in everyday practice, not just policies on paper. I want to help maintain Altaira’s high-quality standards while simplifying processes and reducing unnecessary complexity, so we can continue delivering excellent support for our clients and workforce.

Building the framework to help Altaira stay ahead of regulatory change and proactively address emerging risks in the healthcare and labour hire sector has been a key focus and achievement early in my role.

Why would you recommend working at Altaira?

Altaira has a strong, collaborative team culture. No matter where you work in the business, people support each other and share the same values. Working for an organisation that genuinely prioritises safety, high standards, and doing things the right way gives you confidence that your work has real impact.

What inspires you about working in aged care and allied health?

Knowing that strong systems and governance contribute to people receiving safe, high-quality care is incredibly motivating. It’s rewarding to know that the work we do behind the scenes makes a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

With three young children aged five and under, life is busy! When I have time, I enjoy long walks outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and occasionally making pottery.

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Learn more about Altaira’s Commitment to Quality here