Board Profile
Industry: Non-Profit
Headquarters: East Toowoomba, Queensland
Objectives
- Streamline board oversight across multiple stakeholders with a secure, single platform
- Reduce administrative workload by simplifying core board activities, such as voting, meeting preparation and facilitation, and document management
- Improve the board’s access to information through a centralised repository for governance documents
Results
- Enabled faster and more transparent board decision-making through digital resolutions and streamlined voting
- Consolidated board papers, agendas, minutes, policies, resolutions, and supporting documents into a single secure repository
- Improved board efficiency and governance continuity with instant access to documents, enabling better meeting preparation and informed decision-making
Rural Medical Education Australia (RuralMedEd), formerly known as Queensland Rural Medical Education (QRME), began as a small network of rural doctors in 2002. Over the past 24 years, it has become a pillar of health workforce development in Australia by providing a comprehensive educational pathway for students.
As it expands with more programmes and partnerships across the country, its board’s governance scope has grown in parallel — requiring faster decision-making, stronger data security, and greater transparency.
The Challenge: Supporting Complex Governance with Limited Resources
CEO Megan O’Shannessy and Board Executive Officer Tammy Dickeson shared that their primary challenge as a small nonprofit organisation is operating in a highly complex governance and compliance environment.
With limited time, resources, and administrative support available to the board, RuralMedEd’s governance processes have become a challenge. Board members do not have a central platform where they can coordinate and exchange information in real-time, while board administrators had to manage meeting materials, distribute documents, and track decisions across multiple channels.
Recognizing these constraints, the organisation sought a solution that would simplify governance processes without compromising security and accountability.
Describing their requirements, they explained: “We needed a board portal that was affordable, offered effective meeting management, and provided board transparency. We also needed a central repository for board papers, agendas, minutes, policies, resolutions, and supporting documents.”
The Solution: A Practical Search for The Right Board Portal
Megan and Tammy recalled the evaluation process, saying, “We looked at a number of board portal products, including Diligent, OnBoard, and Convene — platforms that other board members had experienced in previous years. We also took into account the experience of people who had used other board portals in different governance settings.”
They noted that the evaluation focused on the following criteria: “The evaluation was practical rather than a formal RFP process. We evaluated based on ease of use, functionality, security, board experience, administrative workload, support, cost, and integration.”
Why RuralMedEd Chose Convene Board Portal
After a meticulous evaluation, RuralMedEd chose Convene Board Portal for its responsive customer experience, competitive pricing, and advanced governance capabilities.
From the initial evaluation through implementation, RuralMedEd valued the Sales team’s guidance in walking them through the platform and answering their initial questions, while the Customer Success team provided practical support throughout onboarding and ongoing use, helping the organisation maximise the platform over the long term.
“Migrating to a new product felt overwhelming and would have created additional administrative work and disruption for the Board and staff. Choosing Convene was a straightforward decision because it met our governance needs, and the Sales team’s responsiveness and Customer Success team’s practical support gave us confidence that it was the right solution.”
They emphasised, “Our decision was based on a balance of functionality, continuity, ease of use, and support.”
The Results: Simplifying Governance Without Compromising Accountability
Six years after implementing Convene Board Portal, RuralMedEd continues to leverage the platform to improve visibility into board decisions and documentation. Supported by an engaged Customer Success team, the organisation has been able to maximise the platform’s capabilities while adapting its governance processes over time.
Faster Decisions with Digital Resolutions
RuralMedEd’s board members are based across different parts of Australia, which limits their in-person board meetings to once a year.
“The winning feature for us is the Resolutions.”
The Resolutions provide a single view of voting matters that require review and approval from the board. This enables board members to make timely decisions, particularly for urgent approvals needed outside ordinary meeting cycles.
“Resolutions has been particularly important because the feature allows decisions to be made efficiently while still maintaining proper governance, transparency, and accountability. Prior to Convene, it was difficult to track the rationale behind board decisions.”
Centralising Governance Documents for Easy, Reliable Access
Convene Board Portal has made it easier for board members and the executive team to access information by providing a centralised document repository for board materials.
“The Document Library is a significant benefit because it provides a central, reliable location for important governance documents. It supports continuity, especially for new directors, while streamlining access to information and helping everyone prepare more effectively for meetings.”
The instant access to information not only supports faster, more transparent decision-making but also enhances document accessibility and collaboration. “Convene has helped improve governance workflows by making board papers, resolutions, and other documents easier to access and manage.”
RuralMedEd Recommends Convene Board Portal
Praising Convene Board Portal’s customer support, “The support team is excellent and is one of the things that separates Convene from its competitors. They have assisted us with queries and helped us continue to use the system effectively. This level of support was probably the pivotal factor in our decision to remain with Convene, rather than move to another product.”
On the platform’s overall impact on governance and board operations, CEO Megan and Board Executive Officer Tammy highlighted, “Convene supports transparent, defensible governance, efficient board meetings, and timely decision-making, along with excellent support that gives both administrators and directors confidence.”
They emphasised that the value of Convene extends beyond the technology itself. The strong customer support gives both administrators and directors continued confidence in using the solution. Reflecting on their experience with Convene Board Portal, they shared, “We recommend Convene to other organisations seeking a secure and practical board portal.”
The success of RuralMedEd shows how investing in the right board management tool can streamline processes while maintaining the highest standards of security and transparency.
Contact our team today to book a Convene Board Portal demo.
