Master of Ceremonies
Wayne Herbert
In Australia there is a thirty percent difference in the employment participation of people with disability in the labour market an unacceptable gap that must close.
Wayne Herbert has spent his personal and professional life shedding the weight of low expectation, confronting discrimination, bias, and the many misconceptions that surround people with disability every day all with a wit, grit and sense of humour like no other. Wayne is the change agent that many organisations need, kind of like a knight in shining armour.
Think Wayne’s disability makes him vulnerable? Think again. Wayne is fearless and tireless in highlighting opportunities for organisation change management and the importance of progressive policy to ensure positive outcome for people with disability.
Wayne knows, and indeed, the research overwhelmingly shows that diverse teams consistently out perform and generate significant financial and organisational benefits. So a key question Wayne asks leaders is ‘why do your teams look just like you?’
His professional skills are focused on providing high level, sensitive and confidential services to meet organisational targets. Wayne has a keen interest and commitment to social justice and employment equity. He also has a keen interest in government policies that will improve the work environment for people with disability, as well as educating and supporting governments and business to build and enhance their diversity and disability confidence.
As a leader in the community sector, Wayne is highly committed to raising the profile of people with disability and members of the LGBTIQ community. His work has focused on supporting and understanding the needs of business to ensure continued reform in social and employment policy to further opportunities of marginalised communities.
Wayne is also a prominent, in-demand, and outspoken public speaker, presenter, advocate, comedian, and now writer promoting the rights of, and opportunities for people with disability and people in the LGBTIQ community.
Wayne is on a mission to change the conversation around disability from “what can’t you do?” to “what are you amazing at?”
Keynote Speakers
Prof Marco Briceno
Professor Marco Briceno commenced as the Chief Executive of NT Health in October 2022.
Professor Briceno has more than 20 years of experience in the medical profession both in Australia and overseas. In addition to clinical medicine, Professor Briceno has extensive executive level experience in driving and leading system level change and contemporary health reforms. Professor Briceno has postgraduate qualifications in Surgery (MRCS England), Rural Generalist Medicine (FACRRM) and Health Service Management (AFACHSM).
Professor Briceno has extensive experience working across the clinical and corporate sectors of NT Health including in both urban, regional and remote contexts. He has worked as the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Medical Advisor, Deputy Chief Health Officer, Medical Director of the NT Rural Generalist Pathway and Medical Director of the NT Pre-Vocational Medical Assurance Service at NT Health. Professor Briceno also spent 13 years working in the East Arnhem Region as a Doctor and Rural Generalist Surgeon while also undertaking the role of Regional Director of Medical Services and Director of Medical Education and Training.
Professor Briceno is proud to call the NT home and recognises the Territory’s uniqueness as one its strengths. He is passionate about providing culturally appropriate, patient centred care as close to home as possible and is committed to delivering sustainable, integrated and high quality health services that meet the needs of the NT’s diverse communities. Professor Briceno fosters a collaborative workforce culture, with inclusive leadership, quality improvement and research woven through the health system.
Professor Briceno’s focus is on NT Health working together in partnership with individuals, families, the community, Aboriginal health organisations and stakeholders to drive innovation, deliver change and achieve improvements in the health and wellbeing of Territorians.
Dr Geoff Thompson
Dr. Geoff Thompson is a renowned sports and exercise physician and a trailblazer in medical services in the Northern Territory. As a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flight surgeon, he played a crucial role in the evacuation efforts during Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Dr. Thompson's commitment to improving healthcare extends to remote and Indigenous communities, often flying himself to provide medical services.
He is the founding President of Sports Medicine Australia (Northern Territory) and the Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Paralympic Committee. Dr. Thompson's dedication to advancing sports medicine and his innovative approaches have earned him numerous accolades, including being named the 2020 Northern Territory Australian of the Year.
Dr. Thompson's career is a testament to his unwavering commitment to community service, medical excellence, and innovation in healthcare.
Dr Jordan Nyugen
Innovator, Engineer, and Futurist
Dr. Jordan Nguyen is a pioneering Australian engineer, inventor, and visionary dedicated to transforming lives through technology. As the founder and CEO of Psykinetic, he creates groundbreaking solutions that empower individuals with disabilities and enhance quality of life. His innovations include a mind-controlled wheelchair, inclusive gaming technologies, and devices that enable control of household appliances through eye movements.
A passionate advocate for STEAM education, Jordan holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and has taught and supervised numerous research students. He is also the author of "A Human's Guide to the Future" and an award-winning documentary maker, known for his work on ABC Catalyst's "Becoming Superhuman" and other global media projects.
Jordan's accolades include being named in Australia's Most Innovative Engineers, Harper's BAZAAR Visionary Men, and Onalytica's Top 100 Global Influencers on Virtual Reality. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to technology and media, and he continues to inspire with his vision for a better, more inclusive future.
Speakers
Tiana Alley
- Research Assistant
Dr Siobhan Hensey
Senior Educator and Training Facilitator
Dr. Siobhan Hensey is a General Practitioner (GP) and medical educator. Having completed her GP training with the RACGP in Darwin and remote communities across the Top End in 2021, Siobhan has broad experience working in primary care with both NT government health services and Aboriginal community controlled health organisations. She also holds roles as a medical educator with Flinders University in the NT Medical Program, and as a board director with General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA). Siobhan is currently working with The Communicate Study as the Senior Educator and Training Facilitator. In this position Siobhan focuses on implementing the Ask the Specialist Plus intercultural communication training package across the Northern Territory.
Prof Anna Ralph
Principle Investigator
Professor Anna Ralph is a senior specialist in Infectious Diseases and General Medicine at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals. She is also Deputy Director (Research) at Menzies School of Health where she leads a number of research programs. She co-edits the Australian rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease guidelines and serves on the editorial board of the Medical Journal of Australia. Professor Ralph is the lead Chief Investigator on The Communicate Study Partnership.
Erin Mills
- Erin is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and Speech Pathology Team Lead at Landing Spot. Based in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Erin provides allied health services throughout the Northern Territory using innovative tele-technologies. Erin has lived disability experience and is passionate about supporting people with disabilities to access the supports and assistive technologies they require to live their best lives.
Josephine Murray
Jo is the Operations and Administration Manager of the Landing Spot team. Jo is a proud Kiwi of Samoan and Maori descent. Jo is passionate about providing traditional, person-centred services, supported by our robot ‘Frankie’, to create a warm environment in our Darwin clinic. To do this, Jo enjoys fostering community partnerships, and is critical in coordinating clinical service delivery, and supporting quality and safeguarding of the organisation.
Rebecca Ferlazzo
Rebecca is a registered Counsellor, Early Childhood Intervention Practitioner, and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner, passionate about providing holistic and neuro-affirming supports to children, young people, and their families. Rebecca uses a range of technologies to provide services to families in their daily environments, to encourage a ‘wrap-around’ approach to therapeutic support delivery.
Andrew Congdon
Andrew Congdon is a Darwin based Occupational Therapist with a keen interest in the delivery of Assistive Technology (AT) services in rural and remote settings. He has over 20 years experience working in wheelchair clinics in New South Wales, South Australia and Northern Territory, and started Assistive Technology Lab in 2018 providing services to wheelchair users across the NT.
Andrew has experience working in less resourced settings in the Asia/PaciWc region and has contributed to the development and delivery of various training resources including the WHO Wheelchair Services Training Packages (WSTP). Andrew has also completed sector development work in the NT which included exploring the feasibility of AT service delivery in remote settings with the Machado-Joseph Disease Foundation.
Ian Lee
Northern Land Council
ATSIC in Canberra and Darwin
ANKA (Arnhem, Northern and Kimberley Artists)
Patient Advocate at the Royal Darwin Hospital
Charles Darwin University First Nations Health and Culture Specialist
Ian Lee is a Larrakia man that has studied medicine at the NT Medical Program but was not able to complete the degree. Ian has worked for:
Prof Dianne Stephens
Professor Dianne Stephens has been appointed as the Dean of the CDU Menzies Medical Program. Professor Di Stephens has Fellowships in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care and moved to Darwin in 1998 as the first Intensive Care Specialist in the NT. From 1998 to 2017 she was the Director of ICU at Royal Darwin Hospital and helped developed the ICU service in Darwin focusing on improving critical care outcomes for the community of the Top End. Prof Stephens led the ICU response to the Bali bombings and deployed with the RAAF to Iraq during the war.
Following a sabbatical year in Fiji in 2016, Di returned to Darwin to the role of Medical Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC). In 2020/2021 Prof Stephens worked in the NT Health COVID-19 response as Deputy Chief Health Officer, CMO Quarantine Health Facilities and Director of Medical Services at the Centre for National Resilience. In January 2022 she was seconded full time from NT Health to CDU as the Foundation Dean of the CDU School of Medicine tasked with the establishment of the CDU Menzies Medical Program. Her research interests include sepsis, melioidosis, First Nations critical care outcomes, disaster health, heat health and quarantine facility models of care. Her detailed research profile can be accessed here.
Nicola King
Nicola King is a dedicated representative from the Scheme Eligibility Branch of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). With eight years of experience at the Agency, she possesses extensive knowledge of the NDIS Eligibility Criteria. Nicola’s career at the NDIA has been multifaceted. She has contributed to various business lines, including Access, Quality Development, Escalations, Internal Reviews, and Service Design for PACE. Her diverse roles demonstrate her adaptability and expertise in navigating the complexities of disability support services.
Nicola graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in Community and Welfare. Prior to joining the NDIA, Nicola played a crucial role in facilitating supports for state-funded clients. Her focus was on preparing these clients for the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), when it was rolled out in their area.
Beyond her professional achievements, Nicola brings a personal perspective to her work. Currently supporting a family member with a disability, she understands the challenges faced by individuals and their loved ones. Nicola’s passion lies in supporting people with disabilities to access the NDIS and her background in community and welfare further enhances her commitment to this cause.
Paul Machuki
In his role as a Settlement Case Coordinator in the Humanitarian Settlement Program at Melaleuca Australia, Paul provides high-quality settlement support services to newly arrived families and individuals from refugee backgrounds. It is a rewarding position, as Paul is passionate about helping people achieve their goals, become productive members of society, and have full control of their lives. Originally from Kenya, Paul embraces a Swahili saying, "mbele iko sawa," which translates to "it's ok ahead." This philosophy has proven true in life and is often shared with others.
Before joining Melaleuca, Paul spent four years in the community services sector and two years as a Mental Health Recovery Worker. Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with family and friends and deejaying at community events. In the near future, Paul aspires to obtain a Master of International Relations to address contemporary issues in international laws, policies, and governance. Ultimately, Paul dreams of contributing to making the world a more peaceful and better place.
Erin Plumb
Erin has a nursing and public health background having worked in acute, community, and refugee health. Currently working as the Executive Director for Client Services with Melaleuca Australia, she remains passionate about all individuals and families having access to equitable and culturally sensitive health care.
Janet Wright
Janet Wright, Advocate, CEO Integrated disAbility Action, Inc. (IdA)- The Peak Body for people with disability, their family and carers in the NT.
Janet has worked in the health and disability sector for over 25 years, in remote communities, central Australia and the top end. She has contributed to several research studies, has a BA in Finance and Community Service Management, along with several Advocacy and Human Rights certificates and memberships.
Sarah Skopellos
Sarah is a person with disability who is passionate about disability advocacy . Through her service to community, Sarah works hard to achieve improved outcomes for people with disability. With this purpose Sarah sits on a range of government and not-for-profit committees.
Sarah won a national Disability Leadership Program Scholarship in 2023 and has over 20 years’ experience providing executive support in the NTPS.
Rosie Schubert
Rosie (they/them) is a non-indigenous person, whose ancestors immigrated from the no-longer-existing Prussia. Rosie has been in the Territory since 2005. They are grateful to be based on Arrernte country in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.
Rosie trained in the analysis of language and systems of meaning-making. Their work has included: facilitating complex health discussions in Indigenous communities, working with young people, and designing workshops and training programs. They have worked with communities and organisations to produce: booklets, events, audio resources, training programs, theatre, websites, quantitative and qualitative reports and more. Their focus has been to empower communities to tackle difficult issues using local understanding. They find creative ways to support local ways of knowing, doing and being to be more visible, valued and available. Their work is also informed by lived experiences of trauma, chronic illness and queerness.
Dr Emily Gilbert
Dr Emily Gilbert (she/her) is a research-focused academic, with the Faculty of Health CDU. Emily is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of populations and advocating for health care equity and access for marginalised groups. Key areas of research interest include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's health, polycystic ovarian syndrome and supporting co-design approaches to developing health education programmes and resources. Emily is also a first year medical student.
Royce Ramsamy
Royce was born in Cairns, Queensland before moving to Darwin a few years later. He completed schooling at Casuarina Senior College. Royce applied for a traineeship in the microbiology laboratory shortly after finishing school and is now working with the Menzies- Ramaciotti Centre (Dawudlirra Centre) and Biyamarr Ma team at Menzies School of Health Research. Royce currently still works and is a current student of the Ramaciotti Centre (Dawudlirra Centre) and is currently a part of the Alcohol and Other Drugs research team and is also studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Charles Darwin University.
Rebecca Stewart | Jermaine Charles
Jermaine and Bec are Clinical Nurse Educators at Central Australian Aboriginal Congress with a focus on supporting the Graduate Nurse Program and Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHP), Registered and Enrolled Nurses within Congress clinics. They both have been living and working within Mparntwe for a number of years. Jermaine is a proud Yorta Yorta & Mutthi Mutthi man with a background in Aboriginal and Primary Health Care. Bec’s background is mainly ED with a focus on Primary Health Care and Nursing Education for the past 2 years. We are both passionate about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare and contributing to improving health outcomes within the Central Desert region.
Teddy McDiarmid
Teddy McDiarmid (they/them/he/him) is the Allied Health Assistant and Shared Medical Appointment Coordinator for Congress. He has lived and practised community development in the Central Desert Region for over a decade.
Laura Stuart
Laura is the Team Leader of the Chronic Conditions section of Allied Health at Central Australian Aboriginal Congress. With a background in Physiotherapy, Laura has lived in Mparntwe for over 6 years and enjoys working alongside a dynamic team that is delivering innovative, community driven approaches to Allied Health care.
Matthew Dowling
Matt was involved in instigating the Healthy Eats Program at Life Education Queensland – a multi-level community health initiative targeting fruit and vegetable consumption in disadvantaged primary school communities. A program which won the 2019 SIMNA Awards for Community Collaboration.
Matt was Team Lead for Rural and Remote Primary Care Physical Health Services at Royal Flying Doctors Tasmania.
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
Medical Dhäwu Dhäwu Program Coordinator
Matt worked for 10 years in Sports Physiotherapy and Community Rehabilitation including national and international level sports team coverage, as well as a variety of rural and remote Physiotherapy roles. Over the last 10 years Matt has moved into Health Project Management and has been involved in a wide variety of community health initiatives in the preventative health space.
Matt has lived and worked in a variety of rural and remote communities including: Palm Island and Far North Queensland, The Kimberley WA, Lihir Island PNG, Tasmania and Arnhem Land NT.
Prior to his current role with Miwatj,
When not at work Matt loves any activity in the outdoors – camping, surfing, diving, fishing, hiking, bikepacking… and is currently playing footy with The Nguykal FC in Yirrkala, East Arnhem Land.
Phil Harnas
Phill is currently employed by Katherine West Health Board as a Remote Area Educator/Mentor. He has 35 years’ experience as a registered nurse with post graduate studies in midwifery, critical care and management and has spent most of his time working in a variety of rural and remote health care settings. He is currently facilitating a three-month Transition to Remote Practice program (TtRP) for Aboriginal Health Practitioners and Registered Nurses who are new to remote primary care.
Dr Sarah Kloeden
Dr Sarah Kloeden has lived and worked in Mparntwe Alice Springs for 12 years. She has experience working in both AMS and private clinics, in town and in surrounding remote communities. She loves the variety and complexity of General Practice, and enjoys helping registrars navigate new contexts and ideas through her role as an RACGP Medical Educator. Outside of work she is kept busy with her three children, and tries to stay active through social netball and the very social trail running community.
Dr Tamsin Cockayne
Dr Natalie Wright
Dr Natalie Wright is a General Paediatrician and fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians. She has worked in Darwin over the past nine years. Dr Natalie has worked within community paediatrics at Danila Dilba Health Service for 3 years and contributed to developing the specialist paediatric and child health service from within Darwin’s Aboriginal Medical Service.
Tristen Munyarryun
Tristen is a proud Yolŋu man from Gapuwiyak, East Arnhem Land and works with the Miwatj Health Service. Tristen is a relentless source of positive energy and is always ready to share a laugh with the rest of the work team. Recently Tristen has co-led the Medical Dhäwu Dhäwu (Medical Yarn Ups) mens program in Gapuwiyak.
Leonie Wunungmurra
Leonie is a proud Yolŋu woman from Gapuwiyak, East Arnhem Land and works with Miwatj Health as an Aboriginal Community Worker. She has a big smile and an even bigger heart. Leonie passionately believes in Yolngu led Health initiatives and relentlessly advocates on behalf of her community. Recently Leonie has co-led the initiation of the Medical Dhäwu Dhäwu (Medical Yarn Ups) women’s program in Gapuwiyak.
John Stevens
John Stevens RN PHD FACN FASLM
In 2008 John co-founded the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and remains a member of the Board of Directors.
With 40 years of experience in health practice (as a registered nurse and sociologist), teaching and research he has developed a strong translational research focus aimed at improving ageing well and chronic disease management through the application of Lifestyle Medicine.
John and colleagues are pioneering the use of Shared Medical Appointment in Australia and Internationally with a special interest in empowering Aboriginal communities through the use of SMAs.
Currently, John is Associate Professor and Discipline Lead for the Master of Lifestyle Medicine. at Southern Cross University.
Royce Ramsamy
Royce was born in Cairns, Queensland before moving to Darwin a few years later. He completed schooling at Casuarina Senior College. Royce applied for a traineeship in the microbiology laboratory shortly after finishing school and is now working with the Menzies- Ramaciotti Centre (Dawudlirra Centre) and Biyamarr Ma team at Menzies School of Health Research. Royce currently still works and is a current student of the Ramaciotti Centre (Dawudlirra Centre) and is currently a part of the Alcohol and Other Drugs research team and is also studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Charles Darwin University.
Kellie Kerin
Kellie is a proud Arrernte woman from the Central Desert with 28 years of nursing experience. Kellie spent the early part of her career working and travelling around Australia in a variety of rural and remote health services. For the past six years, Kellie has devoted her time working to improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
Kellie has been employed at AMSANT for two and a half years where she started the Clinical COVID Advisor at the height of COVID 19 and has since moved across to the Workforce and Leadership team. Kellie has been in an Indigenous Health Project role and supported the Integrated Team Care Program and the pilot program of Shared Medical Appointments.
Dr Clare Quinlan
Dr. Clare Quinlan is a senior lecturer and the course coordinator of Exercise and Sport Science at Charles Darwin University. Her primary research focuses on healthy cognitive ageing, and the effects of physical activity and exercise on cognitive function in midlife. Unveiling the impacts of physical activity on cognitive function during midlife will provide further insight into how we can prevent, or delay, cognitive decline. Dr. Quinlan is the project lead for the Outback Active program, a telefit program that aims to improve the quality of life, functionality, and mobility of seniors in the Katherine region. The telefit program offers a unique opportunity for CDU Exercise and Sport Science students to engage in an NT specific placement, without the associated costs.
Prof Liz Reynard
Prof Liz Reymond MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRACGP, FAChPM
Prof Liz Reymond is Director of the national caring@home project.
In addition, she is Co-Director of the Queensland Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning and PallConsult clinician support service.
Liz offers education and training on end-of-life care to members of the community and clinicians across Queensland.
Susan Williams
Susan Williams is the Manager of the Client Services team in the NT for Dementia Australia. Susan has been with Dementia Australia since 2010 (formerly Alzheimer’s Australia NT) and supports a team who provide support, advocacy and education to people living with dementia and their families.
The team provide education to health professionals and the public. Susan engages with a range of stakeholders to make sure all Territorians can access timely diagnosis, quality dementia care and live in communities free from discrimination due to their diagnosis of dementia.
The team at Dementia Australia employs a flexible, bespoke approach to deliver services across the NT to people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Susan has a background in psychology and believes having a foundation in ‘person-centred care’ is what helps to ensure we see the individual first, and the dementia second.
Forest Peters
Forest is LGBTI Living Well’s newest coordinator in Darwin. Forest draws on being a non-binary, queer, fat, white, social worker to drive how they work and interact with their broader community. Forest is deeply committed to social justice towards their community and has demonstrated that through their advocacy for trans inclusion in Darwin’s basketball spaces and on university campuses. As a facilitator, Forest will offer insights on how health workers can better support and care for our transgender members of community.
Nancy Doolah
Nancy is a mature aged social work student in her final year of studies. A Torres Strait Islander woman with cultural connections to Eastern Torres Strait. She is a mother, grandmother and raised in Brisbane, Queensland. Living the Territory for the last 8 years with experience working in mental health and advocacy. Nancy is passionate about making positive changes and improving the lives of Indigenous peoples.
Dr Danielle Stewart
Dr. Danielle Stewart, practice owner of Northside Health NT, Darwin.
Dani has been a GP in the NT since 1998 and has worked in many remote communities and Darwin services. She established a practice in Darwin in 2015 which also offers NT's pelvic pain and endometriosis service and the LGBTIQA+ service.
Rosi Aryal Lees
Rosi Aryal Lees is the Partnerships and Programs Manager for Top End Academic Health Partners (Top End Partners). She has over ten years’ experience in public health, health promotion, and facilitation.
Louise Maple Brown
Louise Maple-Brown is a Senior Endocrinologist at the Royal Darwin Hospital (NT, Australia), Deputy Director Research (April 2023) and Executive Director of Top End Partners.
Louise established and leads the Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership. The partnership includes several large NHMRC-funded projects, including the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Models of Care, Northern Territory and Far North Queensland Diabetes in Pregnancy Partnership and The PANDORA (Pregnancy And Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia) Cohort Study.
After completing the majority of her physician and endocrinology training at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Louise moved to Darwin in 2002 to pursue her passion of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to improve health outcomes. Louise was Head of Department of Endocrinology at Royal Darwin Hospital (2012-2022) and founded the NT Diabetes Network in 2018 (inaugural Chair 2018 -2022). She was a member of the Australian Diabetes Society Council (2014-2022) and the Council of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (2011-2014). Louise has been providing clinical diabetes services to urban and remote NT communities for over 20 years. She is a current member of the NT Clinical Senate.
In 2020 Louise was awarded the Australian Diabetes Society Ranji and Amara Wikramanayake clinical Diabetes Mid-Career Research award and in 2021, Louise was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
Dr Christine Connors
Dr. Christine Connors OAM, FAFPHM, is a distinguished public health physician, general practitioner, researcher, and health service executive with over 30 years of experience in the Northern Territory's health care sector. She currently serves as the Chief Health Officer of the Northern Territory.
Throughout her career, Dr. Connors has been dedicated to improving health systems, particularly in integrating healthcare delivery between hospitals and remote primary health care services. As the Executive Director of Population and Primary Health Care in the Top End Regional Health Service, she led significant initiatives to enhance health outcomes for remote Aboriginal communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Connors played a crucial role in developing and implementing the Remote Outbreak Management Plan, which included community-based responses such as contact tracing, testing, and vaccination.
Dr. Connors' contributions have been recognised with several awards, including the prestigious Menzies Medallion for her outstanding work in Indigenous health in the Top End. Her leadership is marked by a strong commitment to public health, disease prevention, and supporting the wellbeing of all Territorians.
Dr. Connors holds an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) and is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Her expertise and leadership continue to drive improvements in health service delivery and public health policy in the Northern Territory.
Dr Moira Jung
Nicole Pietsch
Nicole Pietsch is the Suicide Prevention Lead and Senior Manager Health Promotion and Quality at the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA). She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Communications Studies) and Certificate 4 Community Services. She has more than 25 years’ experience in communications, community engagement, and health promotion plus an evolving interest in quality improvement in service delivery. She is currently the Chair of the Suicide Prevention Australia Northern Territory Committee and convenes the Central Australia Life Promotion Network.
Julia Wormer
Julia Wormer (AMHSW, AASW), GAICD (AICD)
Executive Manager, Mental Health
TeamHEALTH
Julia is an innovative and conscious leader with extensive experience designing, implementing, and managing clinical youth mental health and community mental health services.
Over the last 15+ years, Julia has held a variety of management positions overseeing services delivering mental health, child protection and early intervention programs in urban and remote settings in both the NGO and government sectors. Julia has a strong commitment to delivering high quality care in line with strategic goals and organisational values, while motivating and inspiring teams to reach their full potential.
Julia is passionate about change management and timely implementation of meaningful strategic decisions to ensure successful operational efficiency whilst building and enhancing collaborative stakeholder relationships to support corporate goals.
Julia is passionate about improving mental health outcomes for people in the Top End of the Northern Territory and believes in the vital role lived experience plays in the design and delivery of recovery focused and trauma informed mental health services.
Patrice Riley
- Patrice Riley has worked and lived in Central Australia for 11 years. Born and raised in Queensland, originally from the Sunshine Coast, Patrice is now proud to reside in Alice Springs. As the Health Project Facilitator for Shared Medical Appointments, Patrice brings over 13 years of administrative experience in the community service sector.
Marah Prior
Marah Prior is a proud Arrernte woman from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and the General Manager of Congress’ Health Services Division.
Marah has 15 years of experience working in the Aboriginal community controlled health sector and is passionate about addressing the broader social determinants of Aboriginal health and strongly believes in combining treatment, prevention and health promotion to improve the lives of Aboriginal people.
Assoc Prof Karen Hazell- Raine
Dr Karen Hazell-Raine is presently undertaking roles as Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Research Training with the Faculty of Health at CDU. She has near 40 years of real-world mental health experience equipping her with a high level of education and research translation capability. Her experience spans interdisciplinary clinical and strategic leadership and business administration, service development, education, quality improvement, Policy, advanced practice in specialist perinatal-infant mental healthcare, violence abuse and neglect services, and the dynamic maturational model of attachment and adaptation. Karen’s Doctoral research demonstrated proof of concept, that an antenatal measure of maternal personality is a stronger predictor of postnatal mother-infant relational quality than both antenatal and postpartum (perinatal) depressive symptoms. Her continued research and postgraduate teaching is dedicated to perinatal/parenting, infant, child, youth and family mental health.
Rosemary Wanganeen
- Rosemary is a proud South Australian Aboriginal woman with ancestral links to the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and Wirangu from the West Coast of SA and a proud English heritage.
She’s the founding CEO of the Healing Centre for Griefology, established in Adelaide in 1993 as a direct consequence of her Stolen Generation experiences. In 1987, she intuitively engaged an Aboriginal research methodology to understand ‘why’ she endured those violations.
Her intuitive research led her to develop an innovative and unique model called the Seven Phases to Integrating Griefology, which became an evidence-based decolonial model that arrested her intergenerational Aboriginal disadvantage and transformed it into prosperity! In so doing, a newfound discipline called Griefology evolved, which she realised needed to be included in multiple institutions struggling to transform Aboriginal disadvantage into Aboriginal prosperity. An award-winning Griefologist based on her 30-year industry experience, peer-reviewed and published Seven Phases model, was accepted into the Master of Philosophy at the University of Adelaide in 2018. The future aspirations of the Healing Centre are in training and education.
Prof Tricia Nagel
PhD, Charles Darwin University, 2008
Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 1996
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, University of Melbourne, 1982
Professor Nagel has 30 years’ experience in the Northern Territory as clinician, educator, researcher and leader of the Stay Strong program including the Aboriginal and Islander Mental health initiative (AIMhi). A collaboration with First Nations communities, service providers and researchers, the Stay Strong program promotes social and emotional wellbeing and mental health through codesign and evaluation of innovative cross cultural resources.
The AIMhi research and training program has resulted in changes to guidelines and routine care in First Nations and rural and remote mental health care across Australia. The team delivers training and implementation support to diverse primary care and specialist settings across Australia focusing on the Stay Strong App and related culturally responsive digital mental health resources.
Anthony Lew-Fatt
Anthony Lew-Fatt has over 10 years experience engaging and leading First Nations affairs initiatives, strategies and programs, where he always worked to address social disadvantage, community engagement, and employment.
He started his career as a product of the very strategies and training that he builds and delivers today.
He has a background in banking, where he gained valuable experience working with both small startups, large corporations and governments and after 12 months working within the Australian Electoral Commission he took the leap to working to creating positive change for First Nations People.
He took this experience and the skills he learnt to the Aged Care Industry. Where he has created an elder focused team who strives to create positive change not only within the organisation but in the Industry.
He has taken programs and training from uncertainty and failing to thriving and even exceeding expectations. He has also built strategies, programs and training from the ground up which include but are not limited to:
~ Created and implemented strategies including Reconciliation Action Plans
~ Employed over 250 people through employment programs over a 3 year period
~ Delivered Cultural Training and Mentoring to over 1000 people across the country
~ Had artworks featured on government and organisational documents across Australia.
Damien Mick
- Damien Mick is born and raised in Darwin Northern Territory, and a decadent of the Kukatj and Kuku Yalanji people across the top end of North Queensland. He lives on Larrakia Country (Darwin) and hosts many years’ experiences working across rural, remote and urban locations across the Territory.
- Upon Damien’s professional journey he has positively influenced government, non-for-profit and private sectors to embed culturally responsive services, enable inclusive and informed decision-making processes, co-design strategic plans and connect grounded initiatives that meet the social context of the Territory.
- Damien is a well-rounded Aboriginal man - a reflective thinker with an intuitive mindset, enabling him to collaborate effectively with various services to design, develop, and implement contemporary solutions for all members of our community.
- Most recently, Damien has founded a social purpose organisation named IBC Community Services, IBC is an acronym meaning Identity, Belonging and Connection (IBC) which is highly embedded through the practice approach, behavioural supports and consistent messaging to develop strong relationships built on respect, trust and unity.
- IBC endeavour to work alongside our community across all levels and is committed to providing strength-based, culturally respectful, and responsive services that empower and enable our communities to thrive.
Dr Nicole Jeffery-Dawes
Dr. Nicole Jeffery-Dawes Senior Psychologist, Bush Support Line, CRANAplus
Dr. Nicole Jeffery-Dawes is a Health Psychologist who has lived and worked remotely since 2012. Whilst she now calls Kununurra home, she has provided FIFO & DIDO services to Indigenous and non-indigenous consumers in Cape York and across the Kimberley region with both Government Organisations and NGO’s. She has worked in both clinical care and health promotion roles, and for the past 3 years is now sharing her experience and passion to help support the rural, remote and isolated health workforce as the Senior Psychologist for the CRANAplus Bush Support Line.
Zelda Piggott
Zelda has worked for many years as a counsellor, having specialised in Torture and Trauma, Art Therapy and Child Therapy. Zelda is the Manager Health and Wellbeing with Melaleuca Australia supporting a team of nurses, counsellors and health promotion officers to support the health and wellbeing needs of refugee and migrants arriving in Darwin. Zelda is passionate about connecting with her clients while witnessing their healing and restoration.
Assoc Prof Emma Kennedy
- Assoc Prof Emma Kennedy is a Specialist General Practitioner practicing at Pandanus Medical NT, a Darwin based General Practice which she and Dr Kishan Pandithage established in 2018. This practice has a focus on the breadth of General Practice and unites quality clinical care with education.
Emma is a leader in Medical Education and Training in the Northern Territory working as an academic and Director of the NT Medical Program, the Flinders University MD program delivered throughout the NT. She was also the Chair of the Board of Northern Territory General Practice Education until 2023, the organisation responsible for General Practice training in the Northern Territory until the transfer of training to the Colleges, RACGP and ACRRM. In both these roles she has been a strong advocate for person centred medicine and cultural safety in learning within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
Angus Stead
Angus Stead is the Academic Lead for Social Work Field Education at CDU. He has a Bachelor of Social Work and Masters in Mental Health. Angus’ extensive experience ranges across both primary and tertiary healthcare settings and has included the provision of supervision for students and practitioners within the field of mental health and social and emotional wellbeing.
Angus’ passion for remote mental health and wellbeing has seen him live and work across many regional and remote communities in Queensland and the Northern Territory. He takes a person-centred, solution focussed and systematic approach to social work and believes that commitment, respect and cultural sensitivity are key factors to promoting genuine connection which can influence change.
In his is current role he focusses on finding innovative educational experiences for social work students that also meet the unique context of the NT and hopes to shape the future workforce.
Dr James Best
Dr Sam Heard
- Sam grew up in rural South Australia and graduated from Adelaide University in 1978. He travelled to the UK to undertake postgraduate training in general practice in Central London and stayed on as a lecturer in General Practice at London University and established a large teaching practice in Shoreditch.
- He returned to Menzies School of Health Research in 1992 and established the Public Health program. He was the regional director of GP training in the NT for 9 years and has had a variety of clinical and education roles since. He is currently the Medical Director of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, the Chair of the NT Faculty of the RACGP and the Chair of the openEHR Foundation - an international community developing health record infrastructure.
Since an older and wiser GP who came to help him establish the teaching practice in Central London criticised his approach to working and life, he has been passionate about people enjoying their work in health care.
Dan Kolencik
Aged Care Physiotherapist at Congress, Dan is from Adelaide and studied to be a physio at UniSA. After graduating Dan moved to Tasmania and worked in Stroke rehabilitation for several years before deciding to follow his interest in Indigenous Health. He completed a Master of Public Health at Melbourne Uni, and in 2022 Dan moved to Alice Springs to work in the Community Controlled Health sector at Congress. Since starting at Congress Dan has been working as a community-based physio, providing outreach therapy for elders – with a focus on improving physical function and overall wellbeing through group therapy and community engagement.
Kirsty Hedlam
Kirsty is a First Nations women with strong connections to the Bardi and Wajarri tribes from Western Australia. Kirsty is currently employed as a Mental Health Recovery Worker at TeamHEALTH and is a representative of TeamHEALTH’s First Nations Advisory Group. Kirsty is passionate about empowering First Nations people to live to their full potential.
Fiona Tipping
- Fiona Tipping is a qualified Occupational Therapist with 20 years of clinical practice working in rural and remote settings with adults and children through roles with government and not for profit disability programs.
Fiona has worked as an occupational therapist providing services to communities in the Katherine West, Roper Gulf and East Arnhem regions, since 1999, being based in Katherine for over 11 years.
Fiona has worked with families to support children to grow strong and be apart of family and community life.
Dr Kelly Hosking
Dr Kelly Hosking is the Director of Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses for NT Health and a Researcher at Menzies School of Health Research. Her PhD research aimed to improve the cascade of care for people living with chronic hepatitis B and includes data linkage, health systems improvement, CQI, capacity building and co-design of culturally safe models of education with and for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce.
Sacha King
Sacha King, Bch SW & Bch Sc(psych) is a social worker, counsellor, and educator. Sacha is the Social Work Field Educator – Mental Health at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. Sacha and her colleagues have implemented an innovative program that uses industry experts to support social work student placements, teach relevant skills and bridge the gap into employment for new graduates. Sacha is mental health advocate, passionate social worker and was named the 2023 Australian of the Year NT Local Hero.
Key DatesConference Dates: 16 - 17 August 2024 Registration Opens: May 2024 | Contact UsAgentur Pty Ltd - ABN 57 151 252 989 15 Cavenagh Street, Darwin NT 0800, Australia GPO Box 1767, Darwin NT 0801, Australia Email: compass2024@Agentur.com.au |