Simon Ruth Steps Down As CEO Of Thorne Harbour Health After 12 Years

After more than a decade of leading Thorne Harbour Health, Simon Ruth has announced he will step down as Chief Executive Officer next month.

Ruth, who first joined the organisation in 2013 when it was still known as the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC), has been at the forefront of expanding its scope from HIV prevention and support to a broader focus on the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ communities across Victoria, South Australia, and beyond.

“I have loved working at Thorne Harbour Health, and it has been an honour to lead the organisation,” Ruth said in a statement. “When I came to VAC in 2013, I had no idea how meaningful this work would become for me and how I would embrace our cause.”

Under his leadership, Thorne Harbour evolved from being Melbourne’s leading community response to HIV into a multi-faceted health service that addresses mental health, family violence, and alcohol and other drug use within queer communities. His tenure saw the establishment of regional and interstate services — from the Bendigo-based Thorne Harbour Country service in 2016, to the SAMESH partnership in South Australia — ensuring that people outside metropolitan areas also had access to affirming, community-led care.

‘My confidence in Thorne Harbour Health’s future remains unwavering’

Ruth’s years at the helm were marked by collaboration, compassion, and courage in navigating social change, public health challenges, and the ongoing fight for equality. The organisation celebrated 10 years of delivering services in South Australia earlier this year — a milestone that reflected the national scope of his vision.

“I am deeply grateful for the support, dedication, and collaboration I have had for the past 12 years from countless individuals I have had the privilege of working with,” Ruth said. “Furthermore, I am grateful for the trust and support from the communities we serve as we navigated some incredible challenges. My confidence in Thorne Harbour Health’s future remains unwavering.”

Thorne Harbour Health President Janet Jukes OAM praised Ruth’s leadership and legacy.

“When you step back to look at how far the organisation has come in the time that Simon has been CEO, it’s quite remarkable,” Jukes said. “The reach and impact of our programs and services has grown outside of Melbourne to improve the health and wellbeing of countless individuals across Victoria, South Australia, and beyond.”

While the organisation has already commenced recruitment for its next CEO, Ruth’s immediate successor will be familiar: former Director of Services Kent Burgess will return as interim CEO.

Ruth himself is moving into a new role leading wayss, an organisation supporting people at risk of or experiencing family violence, housing insecurity or homelessness in Melbourne’s southeast.

Simon Ruth: A legacy of community, advocacy, and hope

Simon Ruth’s contribution to LGBTQIA+ health in Australia cannot be overstated. A vocal advocate for equality, prevention, and compassion in health services, Ruth has spent his career ensuring queer and HIV-positive people are not left behind by mainstream systems.

In a 2018 interview with Star Observer, Ruth spoke about the country’s potential to make history: “We could be the first country in the world to virtually eliminate HIV transmission,” he said, noting that community leadership and access to effective treatments had fundamentally changed the landscape of HIV prevention.

That emphasis on evidence-based advocacy became a hallmark of his time at Thorne Harbour. Ruth was instrumental in championing campaigns around PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), and ensuring equitable access to testing and treatment for diverse communities.

Ruth also consistently highlighted the importance of centring lived experience, telling Star Observer that “we need to make sure people living with HIV are in leadership roles, not just being spoken for.” That ethos shaped much of Thorne Harbour’s approach, ensuring that programs were designed with the community, not for them.

Throughout his time as CEO, Ruth has been a steady voice during periods of rapid social and political change — from the national marriage equality campaign to ongoing struggles for trans health equity and queer mental health support. He steered the organisation through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic (during which time, he featured on the April 2020 cover of Melbourne Star Observer), and expanded its services to ensure that nobody was left isolated or without support.

As he departs the role, Ruth’s legacy endures in every campaign, clinic, and support group Thorne Harbour operates and works with across the country.