My Bio

A brief summary of my bio:

• BA (Honours) in Political Science, Duke University, 1986
• MA in International Policy Studies, Stanford University, 1990

Memoir

• The Upside of Down

Writing published in many of Australia’s major publications, including:

• The Age
• Good Weekend
• Sydney Morning Herald
• Brisbane Times
• West Australian
• The Big Issue
• Eureka Street
• Australian Doctor
• Child Magazine
• Mothering Magazine
• Kindred
• Regular columnist for ‘65 Roses Magazine‘, Cystic Fibrosis Victoria

Winner of National Literary Award from the Fellowship of Australian Writers for a short story (excerpt from memoir).

Health-related:

• National Engagement Advisor, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), January 2017-present.
• Member, Accreditation team for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) on behalf of the Australian Medical Council, 2016-2017.
• Senior Manager, Health Issues Centre, 2012-2016.
• Member, Standing Committee on Health, Safety, Quality and Outcomes (SQOC), 2013-2015.
• Member, Clinical Quality and Safety Committee, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, 2008-2017.
• Inaugural Chair, Family Advisory Council, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, 2008-2010 (Chair), 2010-2015 (member).
• Founding member, ’65km for Cystic Fibrosis’. Fundraising initiative raised over $680,000 in event’s first six years (2013-2018) for Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Monash Health.
• Judge for Public healthcare awards (2014-2017), Minister for Health Volunteer Awards (2013-2018), Panel chair (2016)
•  Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety – Faculty 2016-2018
• Director, Australian Institute for Patient and Family Centred Care, 2009-2014.
• Chair, 2012 Australasian CF Conference (Lay)
• Spoken at lay and medical conferences across Australia, New Zealand and the US.
• Presented training and talks to over 4000 staff in person centred care from the patient and family perspective.

Other:

• Married to Darryl, a New Zealander
• Mother of three top-notch young men
• Raised in California, lived in five other countries since 1986; dual citizen