What excites you about your new role as NSWRHP’s Research Director?
It’s the potential impact of the role. NSWRHP has already achieved so much, and it is a privilege to build on the work of others and continue making a real difference across the footprint we cover. For me, the role is about ensuring that the great ideas and innovations that come from clinicians, healthcare providers, and researchers receive the support they need to change practice and improve the lives of people in our communities.
Can you share a game changer moment or an accomplishment you’re particularly proud of?
A truly game-changing moment was the birth of my daughter in October last year. She was born ten weeks early at John Hunter Hospital via a complex procedure known as an EXIT procedure. We were fortunate enough to experience the very best the health system has to offer — from the Royal Flying Doctor Service flying us to Newcastle at 3am, to the incredible nurses and midwives, specialist ENT doctors, the care flight back to Port Macquarie – and the incredible care close to home, and the follow-up support from allied health and so many others. It was a profound reminder of the extraordinary lengths people will go to for those in their care. What the health system — and the people within it — can accomplish is truly remarkable.
Do you have any advice or tips for someone who aspires to work in a similar role or industry?
I have always viewed my work as more of a vocation than a job. When you’re working in healthcare research, you need to genuinely love what you do and want to make a difference. That sense of purpose is what sustains you.
Outside of work, what are your hobbies or interests?
I’m a terrible gardener, but I love giving it a go! I’m also a self-confessed sports tragic who is rediscovering that joy through my five-year-old and getting to play sport with him again. I love learning new things, and I spend a surprisingly large amount of time helping my parents navigate technology — it’s a labour of love.
Do you have any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re excited about?
I am currently part of a wonderful team testing a new model of care for people that present to emergency with chronic pain. It has been shaped by genuine community input and co-designed with the people it aims to serve. It addresses a real need and has the potential to make a meaningful difference not just in Port Macquarie but more broadly across the region.
What do you love most about working in rural health?
The people. They are brilliant, creative, and endlessly resourceful. It’s not just that they are resilient — they are genuinely innovative, and there is so much to learn from them.
What’s something you’ve learned from working with rural clinicians?
While academics often focus on the burdens and deficits of working in rural locations, clinicians are great at finding the potential and the positives. They want to make a difference, and they usually have a deep personal investment in the communities they serve. They are, almost universally, wonderful human beings.
What’s an interesting or unexpected fact that others might not know about you?
My father grew up in a small country town near Nyngan that no longer exists. Visiting there as a child left a lasting impression on me — a reminder that the challenges facing regional, rural, and remote Australia aren’t simply about things being further away. There are real differences in people’s experiences and needs that must be considered. My dad was born in Dubbo Hospital and always described it as the best hospital in the world. He might just be right.
