My background is midwifery and primary health care. I have 25 years of experience as a private midwife, providing continuity of care to women and their families. With my colleague Maralyn Foureur, I obtained admitting rights to the Mater (1984) and later to the John Hunter Hospital. We started Australia's first midwife-run public antenatal clinic (1987) at Western Suburbs Hospital in Newcastle.
In 1991, I was appointed Senior Midwifery Educator in the Hunter and advanced midwifery education by incorporating consumers into the education process and conducting workshops for midwifery students on grief and loss, complementary therapies, and interpersonal relationships. I oversaw the transition of midwifery education from the hospital certificate course to the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery offered by the University of Newcastle.
The next ten years were spent traipsing around different parts of the world and Australia, exploring midwifery practice and life from the excesses of a private London maternity hospital to desolate remote communities in the Himalaya 'foothills' in Tajikistan. My exploration took in remote communities in Australia and Saudi Arabia, interspersed with teaching and working in various Australian maternity services and universities. I returned to the Hunter and midwifery education full time in 2002.
In 1991, I was appointed Senior Midwifery Educator in the Hunter and advanced midwifery education by incorporating consumers into the education process and conducting workshops for midwifery students on grief and loss, complementary therapies, and interpersonal relationships. I oversaw the transition of midwifery education from the hospital certificate course to the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery offered by the University of Newcastle.
The next ten years were spent traipsing around different parts of the world and Australia, exploring midwifery practice and life from the excesses of a private London maternity hospital to desolate remote communities in the Himalaya 'foothills' in Tajikistan. My exploration took in remote communities in Australia and Saudi Arabia, interspersed with teaching and working in various Australian maternity services and universities. I returned to the Hunter and midwifery education full time in 2002.
In 2005, I was appointed commissioning and foundation manager for the Belmont Birthing Service, a stand-alone, midwifery-led maternity service within Hunter New England Health. Homebirths became part of the services provided at the end of 2007.
The first baby born at home, attended by midwives (I'm thrilled to say one of the midwives was me), from this service was born on Christmas Day 2007.
I joined the University of Newcastle in May 2009, where my main responsibilities were: midwifery education, developing midwifery as primary health care and promoting relationship-based midwifery work (continuity of care). Together with Kathleen Fahy, the Professor of Midwifery at the time, wrote the highly acclaimed Bachelor of Midwifery Program which commenced in 2011.
Research projects include: doctors and midwives' interaction in the care of birthing women and their impact on health outcomes; a cohort study examining the safety of holistic physiological 3rd stage of labour care to identify the relative predictive strengths of risk factors of postpartum haemorrhage and how midwives work with women to help them optimise their reproductive psychophysiology. My PhD involved group work projects to help midwifery students develop the social, emotional, and relational skills that underpin good teamwork in the health system.
Research projects include: doctors and midwives' interaction in the care of birthing women and their impact on health outcomes; a cohort study examining the safety of holistic physiological 3rd stage of labour care to identify the relative predictive strengths of risk factors of postpartum haemorrhage and how midwives work with women to help them optimise their reproductive psychophysiology. My PhD involved group work projects to help midwifery students develop the social, emotional, and relational skills that underpin good teamwork in the health system.
Maralyn, Kathleen, and I co-wrote and edited a midwifery textbook, "Birth Territory and Midwifery Guardianship," which has been, and still is used as a required text for many University midwifery programs.
In January 2011 I freelanced. I worked as a midwife in a private hospital and taught at Canberra and Southern Cross Universities. In August, I joined a team to strengthen midwifery in Papua New Guinea. On January 10th, 2012, I joined Southern Cross University and taught in the Bachelor of Midwifery program. Subsequently, I have had the privilege of working as an AMIHS (Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service) midwife in Kyogle and in policy in the NT.
In January 2011 I freelanced. I worked as a midwife in a private hospital and taught at Canberra and Southern Cross Universities. In August, I joined a team to strengthen midwifery in Papua New Guinea. On January 10th, 2012, I joined Southern Cross University and taught in the Bachelor of Midwifery program. Subsequently, I have had the privilege of working as an AMIHS (Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service) midwife in Kyogle and in policy in the NT.
In 2018, I joined the dynamic midwifery team at Griffith University, where continuity of care and reflective practice are core tenets of transformative midwifery education and practice. In 2026, I was appointed Director of the Primary Maternity Care postgraduate programs at Griffith University, programs which extend midwifery thinking and planning for the future of midwifery practice and maternity care.
Here are some links to various social media items that you may like to explore:
A presentation, Entangled bodies and entangled minds, I gave at the Virtual International Day of the Midwife in 2013
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