NewsStudent Login
Search site

Search site

Enquire Now

Our Team

    Abby Illing

    Clinical nurse educator, Goondiwindi
    Learn More

    Tiffany Cover

    Medical educator, Dalby
    Learn More

    Amanda Ebzery

    Clinical Educator Toowoomba & Facilites Coordinator
    Learn More

    Jessica Hockey

    Medical educator, Warwick
    Learn More

    Megan O’Shannessy

    Chief executive officer, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Lydia Smith

    Clinical nurse educator, Kingaroy
    Learn More

    Chantel van Werkum

    Medical educator, Stanthorpe
    Learn More

    Brendan Carrigan

    Medical lead - Year 3 LongLook, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Anthony Reimers

    E-Learning coordinator, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Declan Flynn

    Medical lead - Year 4 LongLook, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Janani Pinidiyapathirage

    Research lead, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Julie Reid

    Chief financial officer, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Robert Heffernan

    Rural sub-dean, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Sellina Bate

    Registered Nurse/Nurse Educator
    Learn More

    Cindy Stehbens

    Financial accountant, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Tammy Dickeson

    Executive Officer, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Demitri Perera

    Medical lead - ShortLook, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Emma Leu-Marshall

    Medical educator, Kingaroy
    Learn More

    Hannah Woodall

    Researcher & medical educator, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Jessica Land

    Clinical nurse educator, Dalby
    Learn More

    Jill-Anne Wheeler

    Clinical nurse educator, Kingaroy
    Learn More

    Jo Buckley

    Clinical nurse educator, Beaudesert
    Learn More

    Kaitlyn Anderson

    Rural stream coordinator, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Kendall Hawtin

    Clinical nurse educator, Warwick
    Learn More

    Matt French

    Medial educator, Beaudesert
    Learn More

    Nardia Ricca

    Clinical nurse educator, Stanthorpe
    Learn More

    Paul Purea

    Director of training, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Sherrilyn Walters

    Researcher, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    Sisira Dharmaratne

    Researcher, Toowoomba
    Learn More

    William MacAskill

    Researcher, Dalby
    Learn More

    Linda Furness

    Research Fellow
    Learn More

Abby Illing

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 20
Clinical Specialty: Education/Paediatrics/Rural Health
Education: Bachelor Of Nursing, Grad Cert Child/Youth/Family Health, RIPRN
Research: https://www.sciencedirect.com

Personal

Best Book Ever: Anything by Tess Gerritsen
Movie that makes me cry: Stepmom
Coffee making skills: Minimal yet effective!
Superpower: Speed grocery shopping!
Feed me: Moussaka or anything Greek!
Fun Fact: Have started running half marathons this year at the age of 40!

Tiffany Cover

Professional

Profession: Rural Generalist
Years in Profession: 10 years
Clinical Specialty: Advance Skills Training in Adult Internal Medicine
Education: Graduated Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from James Cook University 2015
Research: N/A

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Running Man by MICHAEL GERARD BAUER
Movie that makes me cry: The Land Before Time
Coffee making skills: Novice at best

Superpower: Strong Empathy
Feed me: Salt and Vinegar Chips
Fun Fact: Born and raised on a cattle property 250km west of Toowoomba which my parents still own and operate

Amanda Ebzery

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 4 Years
Clinical Speciality: General practice and Hopsital Wards
Education: BNursing USQ

Personal

Best Book Ever: anything Enid Blyton
Movie that makes me cry: My sister’s keeper
Coffee making skills: 7/10 – used to work in a coffee shop
Super Power: Multitasking
Feed Me: Chocolate or Pork Belly
Fun Fact: I used to play tenpin bowling, played for North QLD in state completion. I bowled for 16 years.

Jessica Hockey

Professional

Profession: Rural Generalist and GP Anaesthetist
Years in Profession: 10
Education: I completed a Bachelor of science before studying Medicine at UQ. After deciding rural medicine was for me, I undertook rural generalist training with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. Along the way I have also completed a diploma of child health (University of Sydney) and an Emergency Medicine Certificate (Australian College of Emergency Medicine), as well as my advanced skill in Rural Generalist Anaesthesia.

Personal

Best Book Ever: I love pretty much everything by Neal Stephenson
Coffee making skills: Pragmatically designed to imbue the means with which to survive the daily toddler wake up apocalypse.

Superpower: Creating an unplanned meal for 6 from bedraggled fridge dregs and cupboard scrapings.
Feed me: Anything with melted cheese!

Megan O’Shannessy

Professional

Profession: Nursing and Midwifery
Years in Profession: 35 + years
Clinical Speciality: Rural Nursing
Education: RN,RM, BNursing, MPHTM
Research: beginning

Personal

Best Book Ever: Love In the Time of Cholera
Movie that makes me cry: Red Dog
Coffee making skills: 6/10 but coffee I make for my husband he says is 10/10
Super Power: Making apple pie from scratch
Feed Me: my mums Pineapple Meringue Pie
Fun Fact: I keep bees

Lydia Smith

Professional

Profession: Registered Nurse
Years in Profession: 10 Years
Clinical Specialty: Emergency and Paediatrics
Education: Bachelor of Nursing

Personal

Best Book Ever: Spot goes to the Farm
Movie that makes me cry: Red Dog
Coffee making skills: Soon to be professional after my barista course
Superpower: Flat Packs
Feed me: Tacos
Fun Fact: I am born on Christmas Day

Chantel van Werkum

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 9
Clinical Specialty: Rural Medicine, General Practice, Mental Health, Medical Education
Education: BMedSci MBBS FACRRM DipPsychMed

Personal

Best Book Ever: LotR
Coffee making skills: Perfectly adequate
Superpower: Being in the right place at the right time
Feed me: Soft cheeses and Hazelnut chocolate
Fun Fact: Competed in outrigger canoeing in the Cook Islands

Brendan Carrigan

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 13 years
Clinical Speciality: General Practice, Rural Medicine, Colposcopy, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Administration, Clinical Education
Education: BSc(Hons),MBBS, FACCRM, DRANZCOG (Adv), GCAHP, AFRACMA, enrolled MClinEd
Research: Rural Health, Rural Clinical Education

Personal

Best Book Ever: Whats a book?
Movie that makes me cry: Nil
Coffee making skills: 9/10 but 0/10 milk skills

Super Power: Accumulating appointments.
Feed Me: As many hats as you can.
Fun Fact: In past life was the leader of the most sucessful independent UQ student political party. Currently amature throws coach.

Anthony Reimers

Professional

Profession: eLearning Coordinator
Years in Profession: 3 years
Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and Business (Operations and Logistics), Cert IV in Fitness

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Tomorrow Series, John Marsden
Movie that makes me cry: Hatchi
Coffee making skills: 0/10 –
Super Power: Building random carpentry things
Feed Me: Chicken Tacos
Fun Fact: I play drums that light up!

Declan Flynn

Professional

Profession: Doctor
Years in Profession: 1
Education: Doctor of Medicine with Distinction
Research: Efficacy of telemedicine on glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis

Personal

Best Book Ever: “This is Going to Hurt” by Adam Kay
Movie that makes me cry: Space Jam
Coffee making skills: Comfortably average
Super Power: meal prep
Feed Me: milk
Fun Fact: my brother only has 1 eye

Janani Pinidiyapathirage

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 22
Clinical Speciality: Public Health
Education: MBBS, MSc, MD, PhD
Research: Chronic disease prevention and management, Rural health, Innovative teaching & learning

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Tipping Point
Movie that makes me cry: A man called Otto
Coffee making skills: 0/10
Super Power: Stamina and strength to work long hours
Feed Me: Kottu
Fun Fact: I was born in the ”City of Gems”

Julie Reid

Professional

Profession: Accounting
Years in Profession: 27 years
Education: BCom (Acc) USQ; GAICD; CPA; MBA Deakin

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Bible, of course!
Movie that makes me cry: Miracle In Cell No. 7 (2019)
Coffee making skills: 2/10, not much of a coffee drinker
Super Power: Spot The Difference puzzles
Feed Me: Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs
Fun Fact: I came second in a Catch And Win competition run by the National Rugby League to catch footballs at half-time on Grand Final Day and won $10,000

Robert Heffernan

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 15 years
Clinical Speciality: General Practice, General Medicine
Education: BSc (Biomedical Science), MBBS, FRACGP FARGP, Grad Cert Clinincal Education
Research: Med Educ Online . 2021 Dec;26(1):1972506.

Personal

Best Book Ever: Deepak Chopra Quantum Healing
Movie that makes me cry: Not a movie but my daughter in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
Coffee making skills: 5 out of 10

Super Power: Noxious olfactolocation
Feed Me: Pizza, Lasagna and Icecream
Fun Fact: Won tickets to the 2021 AFL Grandfinal for most dedicated supporter from a radio station by wearing full body paint and a G-string

Sellina Bate

Professional

Profession: Registered Nurse/Nurse Educator
Years in Profession: 27 Years
Clinical Speciality: Emergency
Education: BNursing USQ, Grad Cert Emergency Nursing QUT, Grad Cert Wound Care Monash, Grad Cert Clinical Education USQ, RIPEN.

Personal

Best Book Ever: Anything by Marian Keyes
Movie that makes me cry: P.S I love you
Coffee making skills: nil, I don’t drink it, I never have
Super Power: Feeding large crowds
Feed Me: Cheese and crackers
Fun Fact: I’ve walked the Kokoda Track in PNG

Cindy Stehbens

Professional

Profession: Accounting
Years in Profession: 15 years
Education: BCom (Acc/BLaw) USQ; CPA

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Barefoot Investor
Movie that makes me cry: Ghost
Coffee making skills: 1/10 – a dodgy instant coffee at best! (I don’t drink coffee)
Super Power: Analysing and overthinking
Feed Me: Chocolate!
Fun Fact: As a child I competed in (and won) Line Dancing competitions

 

Tammy Dickeson

Professional

Profession: General Practice, Practice Manager

Years in Profession: 20 years

Education: Diploma of Practice Management

Personal

Best Book Ever: Harry Potter series or Jack Reacher by Lee Child
Movie that makes me cry: Any movie where the dog dies..
Coffee making skills: Certified Barista!

Superpower: Empathy with impact: I lead with heart and lift others up
Feed me: Japanese food, any day of the week
Fun Fact: I once travelled to Canada and Hawaii with Girl Guides to represent Australia

Demitri Perera

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 8
Clinical Speciality: General practice
Education: BA (Psychology), MBBS, FRACGP
Research: A national study of choanal atresia in tertiary care centers in Canada. Parts 1 and 2. (2021)

Emma Leu-Marshall

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 18 years
Clinical Speciality: General Practice, JCCA Anaesthesia
Education: MBBS, FRACGP, JCCA

Personal

Best Book Ever: There are far too many to chose from! Just one – White Tiger, by Kylie Chan
Movie that makes me cry: Red Dog
Coffee making skills: I drink tea…..
Super Power: convicing others I know things!
Feed Me: sushi
Fun Fact: My family property was built in 1846, and in my mum’s family since 1878

Hannah Woodall

Professional

Profession: Medical
Years in Profession: 15 years
Clinical Specialty: General Practice, current Public Health Registrar
Education: Bachelor of Medical Science and Medicine / Surgery, Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Personal

Best Book Ever: Anything by Jonas Jonasson
Movie that makes me cry: Not a big movie watcher, and definitely nothing too sad
Coffee making skills: 5/10
Super Power: Getting stuck in a book

Feed Me: Anything new – I love trying a new dish or cuisine
Fun Fact: I have had the privilege of living and working in both Cambodia and India through my career.

Jessica Land

Professional

Profession: Registered Nurse / Nurse Educator
Years in Profession: 14yrs
Clinical Speciality: Rural Emergency
Education: Bachelor of Nursing (University of Queensland). Grad Cert Academic Health Practice (Griffith University). Transition programs for Adult ICU RBWH and Paediatric ICU Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital. Part way through Masters in Clinical Education (Flinders University).

Personal

Best Book Ever: Have recently read “The Alice Network” Kate Quinn – loved it!
Movie that makes me cry: Marely & Me – every time
Coffee making skills: Pretty Pro. Bit of a coffee snob.

Super Power: Interpreting and assisting Dr Rob and Dr Brendan for hubs.
Feed Me: Salty Carbs
Fun Fact: I have 2x beautiful fur babies Golden Retrievers & 1x human baby.

Jill-Anne Wheeler

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 19
Clinical Speciality: Rural Nursing
Education: Diploma Nursing, Cert IV Training and Assessment

Personal

Best Book Ever: Black Box Thinking – Matthew Syed
Movie that makes me cry: Patch Adams
Coffee making skills: some days are better than others!
Super Power: empathy
Feed Me: Fruit salad and fresh cream

Jo Buckley

Professional

Profession: Nursing and Midwifery
Years in Profession: 20 years Nursing, 14 years Mid
Clinical Speciality: OT and Midwifery
Education: BNursing CDU, MMid GU, GCert Clin Ed Flinders

Personal

Best Book Ever: Pride and Prejudice
Movie that makes me cry: Dead Poets Society
Coffee making skills: Nada
Feed Me: Dark Spirits and Cheese

Kaitlyn Anderson

Professional

Profession: Paramedic
Years in Profession: 3 Years
Clinical Speciality: Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine
Education: BSc Science (Psychology & Biology) BSc Paramedicine, GCert Tertiary and Adult Education, Currently completing GCert Tactical Medicine
Research: Commenced

Personal

Best Book Ever: Cut & Run, Abigail Roux
Movie that makes me cry: Anything where an animal dies.
Coffee making skills: 7/10 (Was a barista for a moment in time)
Super Power: Jigsaw Puzzles
Feed Me: Ice Cream & Hot Chips with Gravy
Fun Fact: I came first in the Toowoomba Show Novelty Cake section & can fire twirl.

Kendall Hawtin

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 20 years
Clinical Speciality: Emergency and Rural Nursing
Education: BNursing QUT, GCert Academic Health Practice Griffith University

Personal

Best Book Ever: Boy Swallows Universe, Where the Crawdads Sing
Movie that makes me cry: Phar Lap
Coffee making skills: Very poor, I’m a tea girl
Super Power: Picking up the emotions of others
Feed Me: Gin, dark chocolate and cheese
Fun Fact: I love horses, yoga and the quiet simple life of living on a farm.

Matt French

Professional

Profession: Medicine / Doctor
Years in Profession: Over 15 years
Clinical Speciality: Rural Generalist with Advanced Specialised Training in Anaesthesia – broad scope, steep learning curves, satisfaction in implementation
Education: MBBS(UQ), FACRRM – with most of the real learning done in clinical practice.

Personal

Best Book Ever: Hard to choose but a recent read was “Atomic Habits” – which proves that small changes matter, in life and in medicine
Movie that makes me cry: A long time favourite has been Cool Runnings for me a classic that proves that heart and determination can defy expectations.

Coffee making skills: Strong and broad skillset practice daily, with near fervour.
Super Power: Translating training requirements into plain English (usually)
Feed Me: Just about anything!
Fun Fact: Most things can be explained simply using coffee metaphors.

Nardia Ricca

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 20 years
Clinical Speciality: Emergency
Education: Bachelor of Nursing

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Power of One
Movie that makes me cry: Beaches
Coffee making skills: 10/10 Just add water!
Super Power: I can make lasagne and pizza from scratch
Feed Me: Anything that doesn’t taste awful
Fun Fact: I am a twin

Paul Purea

Professional

Profession: Nursing
Years in Profession: 28 years
Clinical Speciality: Anaesthetics, Aboriginal Health, General Practice, Emergency
Education: RN, BNursing, Dip PrctMgmt, Gcert GP, GDip Anaes, MClinEd
Research: LICs

Sherrilyn Walters

Professional

Profession: Research
Years in Profession: 3 years
Clinical Speciality: Sport and Exercise
Education: BAppSc (Animal Science), Grad Cert (Sports Coaching), MScR (Sport and Exercise), currently undertaking PhD
Research: Exercise Physiology, Occupational Health in military and emergency services, Rural Health

Personal

Best Book Ever: Lord of the Rings
Movie that makes me cry: The Dog of Flanders
Coffee making skills: 5 / 10 – I drink green tea mostly

Super Power: Manifest alternate reality
Feed Me: Thai green curry with tofu, Sushi
Fun Fact: I love anime and fantasy tabletop RPGs

Sisira Dharmaratne

Professional

Profession: Medical

Years in Profession: 22 years

Clinical Speciality: Medical Education (not necessarily clinical)

Education: MBBS, MD, Board Certification as a Specialist in Medical Education

Research: Clinical Reasoning, Place-based Medical Education, Student selection, Qualitative Research Methods, Access to Medicine and some more…

Personal

Best Book Ever: The Sand Fly

Movie that makes you cry: A few, none stood out.

Coffee making skills: Getting there

Super Power: Never say die

Feed Me: Anything edible

Fun Fact: I am officially one day older than me

 

 

 

 

William MacAskill

Professional

Profession: Research
Years in Profession: 2
Clinical Speciality: Medical Education
Education: PhD, BAppSci, BEd
Research: Rural health, Reflective Learning, Workforce Recruitment, Exercise Physiology

Personal

Best Book Ever: Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Movie that makes me cry: Red Dog
Coffee making skills: 9/10
Super Power: Public Speaking
Feed Me: Lasagne
Fun Fact: I’m great at firetwirling!

Linda Furness

Professional

Profession: Occupational Therapy
Years in Profession: 35 years
Clinical Specialty: Clinical Education, Aged care
Education: Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Master of Professional Studies (MPRST), Doctor of Professional Studies (DPRST)
Research: Falls prevention, Clinical Education, Workplace learning

Personal

Best Book Ever: King James Bible, 1611 Edition
Movie that makes me cry: Titanic
Coffee making skills: Rural
Superpower: I can turn wheat berries into sandwiches!
Feed me: Any home cooking
Fun Fact: I love completing unfinished vintage embroidery pieces.