Cairns, Queensland, Australia
As President of Environmental Health Australia (EHA) Qld Inc, volunteer and public health advocate, I am committed to leading the charge to secure critical investment in Queensland and Australia’s Environmental Health workforce, ensuring our great state and our nation is prepared for the public health challenges of today and tomorrow. Armed with the EHA Pre-Budget Submission 2025–26, we are making a compelling case for a $234.3 million investment to expand the workforce, rebuild education pathways, and strengthen long-term public health system resilience. 🚨EHA represents 1,400+ network of professionals, and we are leading a national movement to ensure our Environmental Health workforce including 4300+ EHOs is recognised, funded, and embedded sustainably into Australia’s health system. Australia is at a tipping point: 🔹 up to 30% accredited workforce shortage is crippling critical state and local public health services. 🔹 40% of EHOs are over 50, with no sustainable pipeline to replace them. 🔹 University EHA accredited course closures have devastated our workforce pipeline. 🔹 Climate change, pollution, foodborne outbreaks, and disease threats are escalating risks. 🔹 Without urgent action, communities will pay the price. With 20+ years of experience, I have driven major health initiatives, and worked on implementing healthcare strategy across Australia, the Pacific, and global humanitarian operations. ✅ Led the world’s first on-board cruise ship COVID-19 quarantine ensuring global best practices of containment with care. ✅ Directed frontline responses to major disease outbreaks—cholera, TB, Ebola, COVID-19. ✅ Influenced Senate submissions, workforce policy reviews, and national strategies. ✅ Shaped high-stakes public health responses across government, defence, and humanitarian sectors. ✅ 15 years at Aspen Medical, ensuring Environmental Health was prioritised at the highest levels. 🎓 BSc Environmental Health (Griffith University) | MPH (University of Queensland) | Risk Communication (Harvard University) 🏆 Fellow of EHA | Recipient of Solidarity Medal (Timor-Leste), ADF Operational Service Medal (Civilian), and Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (HOSM) Based in Cairns, Australia, my partner, Sammy, a dedicated teacher, and I are raising our three daughters to be compassionate, empowered, and capable, grounded in faith, solidarity, fairness and resilience. I am committed to ensuring Environmental Health is embedded in state and national policy, investment, and public health decision-making, building a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
Environmental Health Australia (Victoria) Limited ABN: 95 167 079 772
National Company - EHA Ltd ABN: 58 000 031 998
Environmental Health Australia (Queensland) Incorporated ABN: 68 098 814 310 Not for Profit Association - Volunteer positions held: - President (Nov 2024 to current) The role of President is effectively full-time. - Director 13 yrs (Sep 2011 - current) - Treasurer 5 yrs (Oct 2018 - Nov 2023) - Vice President 3 yrs (former Sept 2014 - Oct 2017) - Member EHA since 26 November 2008 (formerly AIEH) - Member Australian Institute of Environmental Health (AIEH) 10 Oct 2003 - 26 November 2008 - Student member AIEH 2001-2003 Significant board projects and selection of highlights (see attached media examples): 2013-2015: SIG lead and drafter for EHA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy working group. 2017: Welcome address to open the 11th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Conference. 2012 - 2017: Handing out awards for Early Career EH Professional of the year. 2021: Contributing an article for EHA Qld newsletter , QEH April 2021. 2022-24: Faculty Trainer for Environmental Health Disaster Management Course. 2022: Fellow of EHA. Over 10yrs distinguished service in the promotion of the objects of the Association.
Disaster Speak Pty Ltd ABN: 50615698470 Disaster Speak is a boutique risk management consultancy with over 50 years combined professional health services experience specialising in the provision of strategic public health and risk management advice. We can be engaged to serve on your advisory board, appointed as your company health adviser/SME to support your tenders, grants and policy positions. We work in all areas of public health, environmental health, WASH, climate change, and disaster risk reduction. Organisations such as NGOs, social enterprises and businesses gain insight through our extensive corporate and operational experiences to better incorporate public health and environmental aspects into their operations and ESG planning. We encourage sharing of our expert knowledge and expertise in public and environmental health through collaboration, research, attending and presenting at conferencing and networking events, partnering with our network of experts and development and delivery of training suitable for commercial, government and social enterprises. We make available a unique lens in which to approach your service delivery improvement needs within your business or workforce, supporting your clients needs and to better contribute to your communities health. We achieve this by assisting you with: - understanding risk from a specific disciplinary perspective - understanding the multifaceted nature of risk - integrating risk management best practices/innovation - disaster management and emergency planning - identifying vulnerability - community resilience and business continuity - reducing risk during recovery We are available to undertake consultancy, project work and speaking in Australia and around the world. Recent examples: - Drafted the COVID-19 Country Communication Plan, Coffey, Australian AID and Fijian Government - Reviewed COVID-19 plans for a theatre company in Sydney on referral from Creative Arts NSW
Public health support to the international cruise line industry COVID-19 emergency response. Rapidly established and delivered COVID-19 emergency quarantine plans and implementation of containment with care. Supervised safe debarkation of passengers and crew, training of public health officers in IPC and writing of enterprise wide SOPs and support whole of industry response planning to meet mandated conditions outlined in the US CDC No Sail Orders. Reviewed client SOP’s, exercised these protocols and developed further targeted training for client cruise line industry public health officers. Appointed senior adviser leading the global implementation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures to ensure robust environmental health protocols were in place to successfully complete 14 day quarantine periods enabling ships to return to routine maritime operations. Ongoing development of COVID-19 solutions included safe debarkation, outbreak response and safe repatriation of cruise ship staff to home countries. This became known as Aspen Medical Cruise Safe. Undertook ongoing consultancy on COVID-19 preventive measures and delivered ongoing training to ship Public Health Officers on new COVID-19 management systems and outbreak response protocols. Acknowledgement to Cliff Te Amo, Development & Partnership at Aspen Medical Group and Sid Mckissock, Director of Operations at Aspen Medical USA.
Company public health adviser for a top-tier global health provider and multi national enterprise with offices in APAC, Middle East, UK and USA. Over 10 years as part of the senior executive team that helped to build Aspen Medical into a global leader in healthcare services. Acknowledgements to Glenn Keys AO (Founder) and Craig Fitzgerald (COO). Key skills: Senior operations role, country management, complex projects in multiple countries, managed diverse stakeholders, strategic thinking, population health program management in post conflict, mining oil and gas sector, humanitarian response and remote environments. Commercial development of primary care, environmental health and public health services. Business development support and writing of tender responses. On call 24/7 and able to respond to emergency situations. Prepared to deploy within 72 hours; emergency deployments take precedence over other duties. Significant contributions catalysing new business in global public health programs: Ebola West Africa - 2014 Architect of a West Africa Ebola response design mission responsible for consulting widely on international best practices, diplomatically navigating the private sector in a traditional NGO response, coordinating with United Nations agencies and with host nation health departments. Outputs were to communicate the risk of between 50% - 90% CFR to the Aspen Medical executive team and risk mitigation steps to Aspen Medical personnel and communities which we work to safely execute delivery of services in the West Africa region. Stakeholders included the US CDC, UK DoD, UK DIFD and WHO. A public health plan and best practice biosecurity manual was developed and submitted to government donors to support governance and SOPs. Negotiated access to WHO West Africa EVD Response Training material and developed an Aspen Medical delivered training program certified by the WHO. Acknowledgement Prof. Benjamin Ryan (Baylor) and Matt Hughes (CSO) for their support.
SME in credentialing environmental public health personnel. Lead recruitment of qualified environmental health and public health practitioners, entomologists, epidemiologists and technicians. SME role is crucial to developing and validating quality program content and recommending the appropriate role and level of expertise to Operations team. SME works with Business Development and Operations staff to create and/or review various public and environmental health content within client procedures inline with best practice. Example of advisory work and contributions to winning bids include - 2018 -Drafted the WASH procedure manual for Aspen Medical EMT WHO Certification. Aspen Medical is the only commercial organization in the world certified by the World Health Organization as an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) for outbreak and infectious diseases and trauma surgical facility operations. Acknowledge: Leo Cusack, Overseas Operations, Aspen Medical 2018 -Drafted the Industrial and Occupational Hygiene Manual for addition to the Shell medical and IH services tender. Gemma Messenger, Bid Manager, Aspen Medical 2017 -Legionella plan and policy for Kosovo NATO hospital 2017 -Nauru Cadmium exposure literature search and letter to Aspen Medical CEO for senate estimates Re: Immigration Detention on Nauru - Test for cadmium 2017 -Environmental public health planning advice for WHO sponsored, Australian managed hospital near Mosul, Iraq supporting a global humanitarian relief effort to assist civilians due to war. 2016 -PNG TB program and healthy workplace workshops for PNG business houses including Steamships, ANZ, Bank of South Pacific and Toyota. Pitch to DFAT Innovation Fund. 2016 / 2017 -Training Origin Energy food service staff, food safety plan reviews, environmental health site assessments, Amoeba in water advice and report. 2016 -Trachoma Eye Simulator (App) consulting project with Bondi Labs, Swinburne, QUT 2016 -DFAT Business Partnerships Platform (BPP), various.
Overseeing all in country operations whilst Country Manager was on leave including, personnel management, board reporting, sales and marketing, human resources, corporate finance and communications. Manage day to day operations of Aspen Medical Harbor City, a Port Moresby based medical centre. Manage existing contracts and grow Aspen Medicals PNG subsidiary's country wide business by engaging with high-profile clients requiring healthcare, AME and public health services including personnel of the Government of Papua New Guinea, Australian Government, Total, ExxonMobil, Toyota, Bank of South Pacific, Steamships, ANZ, Westpac and many more. Manage operations of personnel and property in a high security environment. Acknowledgements: Gavin Whiteside, Aspen Medical Country Manager PNG and Guy Barnard, Aspen Medical Director - Australia & APAC Accounts, Janet Sios, Director Finance and Administration - Paradise Private Hospital and Fabien Segura, HSE Manager Total E&P PNG Limited.