Our Staff

Role at CRRH

Under Professor Sabina Knight’s leadership, the Centre for Rural & Remote Health has doubled in size, capacity and footprint across outback Queensland. Professor Knight is a strong collaborator and networker who brings together people, resources, communities and services with common interests and passion to innovate and build a brighter future in and for outback Australia.

Biography

Professor Knight comes from an extensive background in remote and Indigenous primary health care, public health and education. Originally a Remote Area Nurse (RAN) in NSW, Professor Knight gained her Master of Tropical Health from the University of Queensland and has held various remote health practice, service and academic roles, including extensive work as a RAN in very remote communities of Central Australia.

Professor Knight has served on numerous national, state and regional committees and advisory councils. Her leadership roles have included foundation roles with the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia; the National Rural Health Alliance, the Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association and as a commissioner with the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission.

Research Topics

• Health inequalities – remote, isolated, vulnerable populations and rural health, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health workforce maldistribution.

Achievements/Professional Roles

• 2009 finalist of the NT Australian of the Year and Centenary Medallist
• Fellow of Rural Leadership Australia
• Fellow of CRANA plus
• Fellow of the College of Nursing Australia
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

Role at CRRH

As Associate Professor Remote Indigenous Health & Workforce, Catrina is responsible for providing leadership for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health workforce development, research and scholarship at the Centre for Rural & Remote Health and for General Practice Training at James Cook University.

Catrina is an Aboriginal woman from Mornington Island with family ties to the Yankaal and Gangalida people of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Education

• 1993 Bachelor of Arts, Monash University
• 2008 Master of Public Health, James Cook University
• 2012 Graduate Certificate of Primary Health Care Research, James Cook University
• Current – Doctor of Philosophy (candidate), James Cook University

Previous Experience

• 2010–2015: As Director of the Indigenous Health Unit, Catrina was tasked with operationalising the strategic goals of the division’s Indigenous Health agenda. Catrina worked with community, professional, industry and government stakeholders to deliver on this agenda.
• 2001–2009: Catrina’s academic career commenced with James Cook University (JCU) at the Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CRRH) within the Faculty of Medicine Health & Molecular Sciences (FMHMS). Appointed to the position of Co-ordinator of Indigenous Studies, Catrina was responsible for one of CRRH’s key domains – Indigenous community engagement in health. As an Aboriginal woman from Mornington Island with family ties to the Yankaal and Gangalida people of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Catrina’s family background, cultural connections to the Indigenous communities of North West Queensland and work experience, provide essential skills and knowledge for this work. Some examples of this work include:
  • Indigenous representative on the Mount Isa Human Research Ethics Committee
  • Board member of Yapatjarra Aboriginal Medical Service, later reconstituted as the Mount Isa Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service trading as Gidgee Healing.
  • Gulf Communities Indigenous Health Summit
  • Consultative committee member for North West Queensland Allied Health Service
  • Mount Isa NAIDOC Committee
  • Aboriginal Health Worker Training Program
  • Cultural Awareness training and mentoring for health students (undergrad, postgraduate and international) and staff.

Research & Project Management Experience:

Catrina’s research interests lie within projects that provide the opportunity to be engaged in work that is aligned with her own personal commitment to improving the lives of her own people. Her research experience to date demonstrates she has the skills, knowledge and experience to successfully undertake research and project management that utilising Indigenous methodologies and is informed by Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and axiologies (our ways of knowing, being and doing).

Example of work

Year: 2013–current
Role: Project Manager
Project title: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Skills Recognition & Upskilling Project

Funding and purpose: Funded by Australian Government’s Department of Health, to provide for a recognition of skills and/or upskilling of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers who current have certificate iv qualifications and work in a clinical setting, to qualify for registration as Aboriginal Health Practitioners with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). 

Project description: This work built on decades of commitment to the advancement of Aboriginal Health Workers by the Division of Tropical Health & Medicine (formerly Faculty of Medicine, Health & Molecular Sciences) at James Cook University.

*Kristy Hill & Catrina Felton-Busch. (September 2015). Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health  
WorkerSkills Recognition & Up-Skilling Project: Final Report. Indigenous Health Unit, James Cook University.

Role at CRRH

Shaun was appointed Head of Indigenous Health at the Centre for Rural & Remote Health in 2012. This role involves teaching, industry engagement and working with CRRH academics across program areas to support the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health content and issues in the centre’s goals and activities.

Shaun brings to this role senior project officer experience through his previous positions in the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (Department of Health and Ageing) and his cultural affiliation with the Birri and Ewamain peoples of Northern Queensland.
Shaun’s interests include supporting Aboriginal Health Workers, chronic disease care and rural and remote health in outback Queensland.

Education and experience

• Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion, Sydney University
• Graduate and Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation
• Member of the Australian Health Promotion Association Indigenous Working Party – Queensland Branch
• 2014–present. Chairperson of the Mount Isa Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, Gidgee Healing.

Teaching Areas:

• Cultural Awareness, Cultural Safety and Indigenous Health for Nursing Sciences
• Indigenous Education

Role at CRRH

Vijay Thummala manages and oversees the daily operations of the Centre for Rural and Remote Health including the management of various budgets and grants. Vijay provides strategic support to the Director, CRRH including actively seeking additional grant funding to support infrastructure expansion across the CRRH region. He brings his extensive budgeting, team management and organisational skills to this role.

Biography

Vijay is a fully qualified accountant. He graduated from Griffith University with a Masters degree in Professional Accountancy and went on to complete an exhaustive CPA program to become a fellow of CPA
Australia. He has extensively worked in various senior management roles in finance and accounting departments across different industries.

Achievements/Professional Roles

• Member of CPA Australia

Role at CRRH

Lakshman’s role at CRRH is to organise and conduct simulated learning programs. By using his clinical experience and coordinating with experts in various medical fields, he plans to run simulations as a learning tool for health care professionals.

Biography

Originally from Sri Lanka, Lakshman is a qualified general surgeon. He worked in Surgical and Emergency Departments in Townsville and Mount Isa for six years. He started working at MICRRH in October 2015.

Dr. Sharon Varela is a Senior Psychologist who is a Mental Health Academic with the Centre for Rural and Remote Health. She has a passion for her profession, and experience and understanding of rural and remote practice. Sharon is located in Longreach but works across the Central West and North West regions of Queensland. She completed her PhD research in the clinical and sport psychology topic areas, developing and implementing a group program for young athletes.

The program targeted transactional-ecological resilience through a positive youth development model, and was adapted from Dr Paula Barrett’s FRIENDS for Life program. The program was trailed in Seattle, USA, through a research partnership with the University of Washington, and in Brisbane, QLD, with the Australian Football League Queensland (AFLQ). Sharon has extensive experience in the training and supervision of provisional and student psychologists, and for allied health workers in general through collaborative practice models.

Sharon is a lifespan psychologist who has held senior clinical roles, clinical roles, and leadership roles across government, not-for-profit, university and private sectors in the following areas of psychology: health, forensic mental health, mental health, disability, organisational, developmental, educational, research, survey design.

• Bachelor of Nursing (UTAS),
• Masters of Health and Human Services Leadership and Management (UTAS)
• Masters of Clinical Nursing Teaching (UTAS)

Role at the CRRH

Senior Lecturer, Nursing

Background

Jodi is a Registered Nurse with a background of working in rural and remote clinical care in Tasmanian, Western Australia and Queensland. Her clinical teaching roles have been as a facilitator at the Gold Coast University Hospital across the full range of specialties. Jodi has been a Senior Lecturer with James Cook University since 2018 and coordinates the Bachelor of Nursing program in Mount Isa and Cloncurry.

Originally from Tasmania, Jodi is passionate about building sustainable communities and enabling people to gain qualifications close to where they live..

Professional roles/memberships

• World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education
• CRANA Plus

Personal achievements

Jodi has completed Masters in both health and human services management and leadership; and in clinical nursing and teaching. She was awarded a Tasmanian DHHS scholarship to complete these qualifications. She was the Director of Nursing at Oatlands Multipurpose Health Centre in Tasmania. She was a remote area nurse in Warburton in the Ngaanyatjarra lands in Western Australia.

Role at the CRRH

Speech Pathology student supervision - chiefly for paediatric placements, but able to provide support for adult clinical practice also.
Casual employment - 5 days/week during placements.

Background

Highly experienced clinician and clinical educator for paediatric and adult caseloads. Born in rural/remote NSW, grew up in Tasmania, attended UQ, with Masters through JCU, Townsville. Lived and worked in rural and remote locations in Qld, Tas, and UK, and in metropolitan NSW (Sydney). Employed in public, private, and university sectors. Worked in health, education and university environments.

Professional roles/memberships

Speech Pathologist paediatric and adult hospital and community health settings;

• in school-based education settings;
• in itinerant remote setting;
• in private practice servicing paediatric and adult populations, including hospital and nursing homes;
• in community and rural settings for NHS, UK; in community-based early intervention setting.

Member Speech Pathology Australia, Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist

Professional achievements

Completing Cross Cultural Awareness Facilitator Training (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander);
Completing Master of Education (Hons) by research in urban Aboriginal community (Socialisation, communication and literacy practices in an urban Aboriginal family);

Research interests

Socialisation, communication and literacy practices in Indigenous communities as affecting participation in mainstream education;

Role at the CRRH

Alice Cairns is currently working in Weipa, Cape York, as the Western Cape Site Coordinator and Lecture, for the Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University. In October 2018, she will commence an Early Career Research Fellowship.

Background

Alice is an occupational therapist who specialised in mental health rehabilitation for over 12 years in clinical and management roles. She has worked across private and government community mental health services within Queensland and in forensic mental health services in the UK. She has a particular clinical interest in the impact of cognitive capacity on occupational performance. She received her PhD titled 'Exploring help-seeking, vocational role function and goal setting of young people accessing mental health services' from the Queensland University of Technology in 2017.

Professional roles/memberships

OT Australia member
SAARAH member

Professional achievements

In Alice's current role she has:

• Developed a CRRH presence in Weipa through developing relationships with local Queensland Health, Apunipima, Cape York Pharmacy and Education Queensland clinical and operational staff.
• Supported research capacity building within local Queensland Health clinical staff through supporting the development of research projects.
• Developed a model for Occupational Therapy student placements within

Research Interests

Alice's research has focused on adult and adolescent mental health, particularly the impact on cognitive function on functioning. In her current role Alice's research interests have broadened to focus on health service research. In 2019 she will be supported by a HOT North Early Career Fellowship to evaluate a student-led older person's wellness service in remote Cape York communities.

Publications

Cairns, A., Kavanagh, D., Dark, F. & McPhail, S. (2017) Prediction of vocational participation and global role functioning in help-seeking young adults, from neurocognitive, demographic and clinical variables. Journal of Affective Disorders. 221, 158-164.

Cairns, A., Kavanagh, D., Dark, F. & McPhail, S. (2017) Comparing predictors of part-time and no vocational engagement in youth primary mental health services: A brief report. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12445.

Dark, F., Newman, E., Harris, M., Cairns, A., Simpson, M., Gore-Jones, V., Whiteford, H.,Harvey, C.& Crompton, D. (2016). Implementing cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) in a mental health service: staff training. Australasian Psychiatry. 24(2), 185-189.

Cairns, A., Kavanagh, D., Dark, F. & McPhail, S. (2015) Setting measurable goals with young people. Qualitiative feedback from the Goal Attainment Scale in youth mental health. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 78(4), 253-259.

Cairns, A., Dark, F., Kavanagh, D. & McPhail, S. (2015) Exploring functional concerns in help-seeking youth: A qualitative study. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. 9(3), 258-233.

Cairns, A., Dark, F. & Batts, M. (2013). Implementing cognitive remediation therapy: Lessons from two public mental health services. Australasian Psychiatry. 21(5), 476-480.

Cairns A, Hill C, Dark F, McPhail S, Gray M (2013). The Large Allen Cognitive Level Screen as an indicator for medication adherence among adults accessing community mental health services. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(3), 137-143.

Dark F, Cairns A, Harris A, (2013). Cognitive Remediation: The foundation of psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia. Australian and New Zealand Psychiatry Journal, 47(6), 505-507

Role at the CRRH

Sally West is a Nursing Academic based in Weipa. She coordinates the student experience while on placement in Weipa. Fosters relationships with Western Cape College to facilitate the student exposure to health students. Coordination of inter-professional education and multi-disciplinary student team meetings. Maintains a network of current students living in Weipa studying health disciplines.

Background

Clinical Nurse and Nurse Education in Weipa and remote communities within Cape York for the past 6 years.
Previously contributed to the implementation of public health interventions, as well as both community and staff public health education in remote Indigenous Australian communities within Cape York. Previous focus paediatrics, emergency and infectious disease nursing in Brisbane and Central Queensland since 2004.

Research Interests

Reduction of discrepancies between available resources in urban vs rural contexts.
Student placement models.

Christine Foley is employed as the Allied Health Clinical Lead, Psychology and is based in the Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CRRH). Christine is a Psychology Board of Australia approved Supervisor and takes great care and consideration when supervising Provisional Psychologists to fulfill their supervised practice plans. Christine is a passionate advocate for service delivery in rural and remote regions and is always looking for ways to improve access to mental health services, to members of rural and remote areas.

Christine has a special interest in working with people who have experienced either childhood trauma or combat trauma. And in addition to working with the CRRH, she is Mount Isa’s only approved sub contractor for Open Arms, the Veterans and Family Counselling Service (formerly known as VVCS) and has completed advanced training with both The Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas and The Phoenix Centre (formerly known as the Australian Centre for Post Traumatic Mental Health) based at the University of Melbourne. Christine has a Masters in Forensic Mental Health and is experienced in how mental health symptoms interact and impact with forensic matters.

Currently studying Master of Public Health, and Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education

Role at the CRRH

To develop, coordinate, deliver and supervise adult and pediatric Speech Pathology clinical placements based in Mount Isa with up to four (4) adult and pediatric placements per year for a duration of 6 - 8 weeks each.

To continue to develop the Service Learning model of teaching and service delivery which aligns with the overarching objective of the CRRH in Mount Isa to build a rural and remote allied health workforce by producing workforce ready clinicians.

Background

Speech Pathology clinical experience in the field of adult community rehabilitation, aged care, adult and pediatric acquired disability, and early intervention for children with autism.

Teaching experience with James Cook University into the undergraduate programs of Dentistry, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology for HS2401: Rural and Remote Primary and Public Health Care. Clinical Educator for the Bachelor of Speech Pathology program at James Cook University.

Professional roles / memberships

Speech Pathology Australia

Currently studying a Masters of Public Health (Primary Health Care) 2017 - present.

Role at the CRRH

Coordinating an interdisciplinary, student-led and clinician assisted community rehabilitation program as part of the Centre for Rural and Remote Health.

Background

Being raised in Beachport, a regional town in the South East of South Australia, Ella has first hand experience of the impact of centralisation of health services at a community and family level.

Ella attended boarding school in Adelaide and completed her Bachelor in Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) in 2012.

Ella is committed to improving health outcomes and reducing inequity of access to health services for people living in rural and remote Australia.

Professional roles / memberships

Ella worked as an Occupational Therapist for the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network from 2013-2017 providing Occupational Therapy services as part of an interdisciplinary team across areas of acute and surgical wards, orthopaedics and amputee rehabilitation unit, inpatient neurological rehabilitation units, Geriatric Evaluation and Management Units (including management of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia), Home Visiting Occupational Therapy service, Home Rehabilitation service, Day Rehabilitation Service and Transition Care program.

Ella relocated to Mount Isa in 2017 and worked at North and West Remote Health, providing Occupational Therapy services to clients in North West Queensland as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Commonwealth Home Support Programme.

Ella joined the team at the Rural and Remote Health in 2018.

Ella is a member of Occupational Therapy Australia and Indigenous Allied Health Australia.

Professor Hays, with qualifications in both clinical medicine and medical education, has a strong record of achievement in research and scholarship related to training of medical practitioners, measurement of performance, rural health service delivery and workforce, and program evaluation and accreditation.

Qualifications

• MD (Higher Doctorate), University of Queensland, Australia, 2004 Thesis: Improving Standards in Rural General Practice
• PhD, James Cook University, Australia, 1991 Thesis: Self-evaluation of Videotaped Consultations in General Practice
• MBBS, University of Queensland, Australia, 1976

Background

Richard Hays was a rural medical generalist in northern Queensland before becoming a teacher and education researcher, gaining further qualifications in educational psychology and medical education. He has had roles in the development of several medical education programs, including new medical schools in Australia (JCU), the United Kingdom (Keele), Ireland (Limerick), Canada (Northern Ontario and Northern British Columbia) and in South-East Asia. He has also participated in many international medical education quality assurance reviews in Australia, New Zealand, the Western Pacific region, Asia, Europe and the UK. He has been awarded about AUD 3 million in competitive research and development grants and has published about 100 research papers, 150 other journal articles, 16 book chapters and 9 books, primarily on assessment, curriculum design and educational quality assurance. He still loves leading change based on medical education development and remains in part-time clinical practice.

Memberships

• Royal Australian College of GPs
• Royal College of GPs (UK)
• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
• Association for the Study of Medical Education (UK)
• Association of Medical Education Europe
• Higher Education Academy (UK)
• Academy of Medical Educators (UK)
• Australian and New Zealand Association of Health Professional Educators

Administrative expertise

Richard has been a head of school or Dean at four Universities, around major educational reforms.

Role at the CRRH

Courtenay Tohovaka is the Training Officer for Generalist Medical Training. My role is managing the training program for registrars on the AGPT pathway in both the Northwest and Central West regions. Courtenay also provides support for all registrars on the GMT program working in remote locations.

A/Prof. Ulrich Orda is currently the 6th year Medical Education coordinator at CRRH. He is also the Director of Emergency and Director of Clinical Training for the North West Hospital and Health Service.

A/Prof. Orda completed his university qualifications in Germany, including graduating from Heinrich Hein University in 1991 (MD eq.) and University of Essen (now Duisberg-Essen) in 1997 (PhD Dissertation). He also holds specialist degrees in Emergency Medicine, General Practice, and Internal Medicine, subspecializing in Diabetology and Nutrition. He has a special interest in workforce planning and rural and remote clinical research.

A/Prof. Orda has been happily married for 28 years, and has four children.

Professional Memberships:

• FACRRM
• GEM
• JCCA

Dr Anna Cunningham is a GP registrar who moonlights at CRRH as a mentor for the 5th year medical students. She has a special interest in mental and adolescent health. She attended medical school at the University of Sydney, and has worked in both rural, regional and metropolitan hospitals and clinics across Australia. Prior to commencing her general practice training, she had commenced specialty training in psychiatry at The Alfred in Melbourne, and plans to complete both fellowships. She lives in Mount Isa with her husband and two children.

Sarah Handley is a Rural Generalist & ACRRM Fellow with an advanced skill in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Currently based in Longreach, having worked previously in Mackay, she also enjoys her role in medical education & simulation training at the Centre for Rural & Remote Health in Longreach.

Role at the CRRH

Fallan Willis's role at the CRRH is to look after all student placements. Fallan takes students from all Universities for all Health Related Disciplines. She also books and looks after all the accommodation needs for students, keeps the students up to date with whats going on, helps them get orientated into the local community and provide on-going and friendly support during their placement.

Background

Fallan was born and bred in Mount Isa and just loves it. She is very passionate about our little community and wants to keep it thriving for many, many more years to come. Coming from a previous Human Resources job she knew that she wanted to work with people, Fallan applied for the position at CRRH and has loved it ever since. She loves being able to show students our town and get them to experience our rural outback experience.

Role at the CRRH

Maintenance and upkeep of all CRRH buildings, vehicles and property related assets in Mount Isa and surrounding region.
Implement and conduct Safety and First Aid Measures across the workplace.

Background

Fifteen years experience in Operational and financial Management in Medium to Large Business. Workplace Health and Safety Officer for almost 10 years. Three years experience working in Trades related to Electrical and Refrigeration.

Professional roles / memberships

Director at The Laura Johnson Home
Australian Institute of Company Directors

Professional Achievements

Workplace Health and Safety
Operational Management
High Risk Work

Role at CRRH

As the student placement coordinator based at Longreach, Peter deals largely with the administration and support of health student placements in the Central West. In 2015, the number of student placements expanded in the region with students at Barcaldine and with students at Barcaldine and Winton and additional allied health studentWinton and additional allied health students at Longreach. Further expansion will occur in 2016 when the new dental facility at Barcaldine is completed. Peter manages bookings for the 10 bed student accommodation facility at Longreach, built by CRRH and JCU in 2013.

Biography

Peter commenced this role after many years in the health services of the Australian Army, commencing there as a Medical Scientist. A change from this field to a variety of roles in the health services, such as training, personnel management and operational deployments in support of international and United Nations’ activities saw him serving in many locations and different countries.

For stability of education for his three children, Peter “retired” from the Army and purchased a farm business, principally growing out pigs on contract from weaners to market size. As this industry expanded, his family was able to expand their farm pig capacity and their cattle herd. They left the farm in 2014 when his wife Jenny accepted a call to full time Ministry at the Uniting Church in Longreach, creating a new era for them.

Role at MICRRH

JCU Pharmacy graduate, Selina Taylor joined the team at CRRH in 2009. She grew up in Mount Isa and has returned to further her career out west. Selina worked in multiple pharmacy settings in Mount Isa prior to coming to CRRH.

Selina coordinates pharmacy student placements in and around the region where placements involve community, hospital, and outreach/remote pharmacy. These experiences allow the students to gain first hand experience of the challenges that rural pharmacy can present.

Selina mentors local students who are studying pharmacy at JCU which helps them remain connected to their home town and keeps them involved in local health and pharmacy issues while they are away studying at university.

Selina facilitates an "Outback Intern Program" to enhance Intern pharmacists supervised year of practice. The program involves engaging Intern pharmacists with Allied Health Professionals for shared learning experiences as well as examination preparation.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is also an area that Selina is working on. Facilitating CPD events and activities through CRRH enables local pharmacists to up-skill and meet their CPD requirements without having to travel to the coast. It has been recognised that access to CPD in Mount Isa can be limited and thus facilitation will assist all pharmacists to access the CPD events available through various organisations.

Selina’s passion for rural and remote health shines through in her enthusiasm, and in her encouragement for students and pharmacists to enjoy the vast opportunities that North West Queensland has on offer.

Role at CRRH

Stephanie assists other academics, students and community members in the research of health related topics as identified by CRRH and the community. As an Indigenous researcher she ensures that the research at CRRH is culturally appropriate, ethical and takes Indigenous culture and practices into consideration.

Stephanie also occasionally assists with Cultural Awareness and Research Capacity Building activities.

Biography

Stephanie has held a number of roles since first starting at CRRH in 2006, such as coordinating Student Placements as the Support Officer under Dr Louis Peachey, and becoming the Coordinator the Mount Isa Safe Community project.

Stephanie has acquired a strong community development background from having worked across a number of sectors such as mining, employment, training and health.

Education

Stephanie has an Associate Degree in Indigenous Community Development and Management and in 2011 completed a Bachelor of Applied Sciences at Curtin University.

Professional and Community Roles

Stephanie has held a Directorship role on the Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS) Board for Mount Isa region since 2011. She passionate about ensuring that the organisation is helping to assist and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are victims of family violence and/or sexual assault in rural and remote communities.

Stephanie has previously held Directorship roles with Gidgee Healing and Young People Ahead (YPA).

Achievements

Stephanie’s biggest achievement is being a parent to her son Franklin.

In 2014, Stephanie started on a personal journey towards addressing drug and alcohol issues in the community, by co-facilitating Community Yarning Circles. Those affected by drugs can share their stories and ideas in a safe, non- formal environment whilst being supported from a community/family level. This is additional support towards raising awareness of the dangers of drugs, advocating for additional needs and services, supporting those struggling with addiction and family and friends who are impacted by drugs.

In 2012, she completed the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation - TRAIL Course, followed by the Indigenous Community Youth Leadership Program, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Stephanie is also proud to have been an Australian Action Partner for the Oxfam International Youth Partnership from 2011-2013. As the youth representative for Mount Isa, she still maintains communication and support partners with projects.

She was nominated as an ambassador for the Queensland Government Deadly Stories Campaign 2012. This initiative symbolised the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to the foundations of Queensland.

Currently projects

• Development of a Participatory Action Research Framework for evaluation of the ‘Gidgee Healing’ Normanton Community Wellbeing and Residential Rehabilitation Service linkages.
• Pooling and Analysis of Combined University Department of Rural Health Students Evaluation and Feedback Data.
• Implementation of Primary Clinical Care Manual recommended Sexually Transmitted Infection screening guideline in antenatal care in North West Queensland.

Role at CRRH

Yaqoot Fatima is a Research Officer at the Centre for Rural & Remote Health.

Research Topics

Fatima's research interests are interdisciplinary in nature and involve both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her current research focus involves identifying approaches to enhance health outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged population groups and exploring risk factors for cardiovascular problems in young subjects.

• Adolescent and young adult population health: Epidemiological study of sleep and cardiovascular outcomes.
• Indigenous Health, in particular Sexually Transmitted Infections.
• Culturally appropriate healthcare services for Indigenous people using mixed research methods.

Research Experience

Fatima is an experienced researcher with expertise in statistical analyses, the design of survey questionnaires and conducting systematic reviews and meta analyses.

Sarah is currently enrolled in a PhD investigating telerehabilitation for stroke survivors living in rural and remote areas.

Career Profile

Sarah has worked as a physiotherapist in Mount Isa since 2007. She first came to the area as a student in 2006 and couldn't wait to come back. During her time here she has worked across public and private sectors as a Physio, Team Leader and Clinical Educator. Most recently, Sarah was employed in the role of North West Community Rehabilitation Project Manager before taking some time out to start a family.

Research Interests

Sarah is passionate about people in rural and remote areas having access to high quality services and helping health professionals to develop their clinical skills. Her PhD is investigating how stroke survivors could be using technology to enable them on their recovery journey.

Other interests

Travel, sports, sewing and other crafts

Twenty-five years admin experienvce at James Cook University.

Role at CRRH

Marjorie Renouf coordinates and supervisors university exams for JCU and other universities. She also works as a casual Administrative support when required.

Background

Marjorie previously worked at James Cook University in Townsville for 20 years. Her role was a part-time Administrative Officer for the Graduate Research School.

Role at CRRH

Amanda joined the CRRH team in April 2012 in the dual role of personal assistant to the Director Professor Sabina Knight, and Administrative Officer with a focus on finance and financial activities.

Prior to working with CRRH, she spent 10 years in corporate operations and finance. Amanda has attention to detail and holds formal accredited qualifications in Business.

Biography

Amanda moved from Townsville to Mount Isa in April 2012 and enjoys fishing and traveling.

Role at CRRH

Kimberley coordinates bookings for CRRH facilities and provides administrative assistance to CRRH staff and students.

Biography

Kimberley joined the CRRH team in 2012. She has a strong affiliation with the Mount Isa region and is a born and bred local with strong community ties as both a member of the Kalkadoon tribe, and a result of strong family history within the Mount Isa/Cloncurry area.

Education

All of Kimberley’s education has taken place in Mount Isa. She has a TAFE Cert III in business and is currently studying her Cert IV.

Role at the CRRH

Catherine has been the Library Assistant at the CRRH since late 2014. She assists with the day to day running of the library and other administrative tasks such as supporting the reception team and website editing. Catherine is available to support students with their assessment by providing proof-reading assignments and assisting with research via James Cook University and Queensland Health online databases.

Biography

Catherine was born in, and grew up in Townsville. She studied Archaeology at James Cook University and has a particular interest in Indigenous Australian history and culture. She has been in Mount Isa since early 2014 and hopes to do further study locally.

Education

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Archaeology 2013