Maxi is 38 years old, originally from Kilkenny, Ireland and has been living in Western Australia for just over 15 years now. Maxi’s journey with St. John started almost 10 years ago and since qualifying he has spent the majority of his Paramedic career in rural Western Australia with secondments in Volunteer Education and as a Community Paramedic. Maxi thoroughly enjoys the Community Paramedic role and the challenges that come with it, which can be quite diverse depending on the location. Outside of work, Maxi likes to switch off down at the coast, catch up with friends and get away camping.

PhD candidate, University of Sydney School of Medicine Northern Clinical School and Research Assistant, HammondCare Centre for Learning & Research in Palliative Care ~ Madeleine is a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, investigating the role of paramedics delivering palliative and end-of-life care in community-based settings. She has a background in paramedicine, public health, health policy and palliative care. Madeleine’s key interests lie in public health approaches to palliative care and reducing avoidable hospital admissions, and she is particularly passionate about improving systems of care in rural settings

Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine USC ~ Dr Belinda Flanagan has been involved in various areas of health since 1990 and over this period has gained extensive experience in healthcare, emergency medical services and education sectors. Prior to her appointment with USC, Belinda was an Advanced Care Paramedic with both the NSW and Qld Ambulance Service and a Registered Nurse/Midwife with NSW and Qld Health. Belinda frequently collaborates with the Queensland Ambulance Service in guideline development and education in the area of obstetrics and neonatal resuscitation. Belinda has completed a PhD exploring the paramedic response to obstetric emergencies, this will provide recommendations for the management of emergency obstetric cases. ~ Connect with Dr Flanagan on Twitter: @3PEL

Course Coordinator Post Graduate Critical Care Paramedicine, Edith Cowan University ~ David is a Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) with over 20 years’ experience in Paramedicine including nine years as a CCP on the Western Australian Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service (ERHS). He is the Course Coordinator of the Post Graduate Critical Care Paramedicine program at Edith Cowan University. David has conducted a clinical trial of intranasal fentanyl and is currently researching helicopter retrieval of severely injured trauma patients.

Flight Nurse ~ Breeanna Spring Walsh – AKA Bree grew up in Jurien Bay, WA, relying heavily on the RFDS and silver chain nurse for medical support. Bree is now based in far north Queensland, Townsville. She is a passionate RN since 2004 and RM 2012. BNurs, GCertNurs(IntCare), GCertAeromedRetrieval, GDipMidwifery, GDipAeromedRetrieval. With a critical care background – ICU, CCU, HDU, NCCU Flight Nurse since 2009, worked across northern Australia and internationally. Bree is currently on maternity leave from RFDS, upskilling between cardiothoracic ICU and maternity unit. Finishing the Master of Medical and Health Science by Research, which has led to this research project. Passionate about remote health care, especially obstetric and premature neonate care.

Meg Marino, MD, FAAP, is the Deputy Medical Director for New Orleans EMS, Medical Director of Pediatric Prehospital Education for Ochsner Health, and a pediatric emergency medicine physician. She serves as the Chair-Elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics EMS subcommittee. She lectures internationally with the aim of improving the emergency care that pediatric patients receive. Dr. Marino has a strong interest in provider wellness. She is leading the Diversity and Equity Council at New Orleans EMS to help acknowledge biases in healthcare, working to improve access to care to marginalized communities and promoting diversity in EMS

Prof Nosaka worked in Japan before relocating to ECU in April 2004. Over the past 16 years, his main responsibilities were to coordinate Postgraduate and Honours research programs (2007-2014), direct the Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research (2007-2012), and lead the Exercise and Sports Science discipline (2015-present). He has published more than 280 peer-reviewed articles, and approximately 70% of his publications are related to “eccentric exercise.”

Kirsty joined the ambulance sector in 2006 and since then has held operational, clinical and governance roles in various locations across Te Waipounamu, Aotearoa. She now works as a crewman and intensive care flight paramedic with GCH Aviation based in Greymouth. She is passionate about pursuing equity in pre-hospital care for rural and remote communities and optimising patient outcomes through the use of pathways.

Nicole is an Aboriginal woman with a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Hons) and a Master’s degree in Public Health. Nicole has spent the last 3 years yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations and working with non-Indigenous stakeholders in order to collaboratively break down the systemic barriers to accessing palliative care experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Nicole is passionate about ensuring that communities receive equitable access to knowledge, resources and care that are of genuine benefit and delivered in a way that empowers, dignifies and respects our rich and diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A descendant of the Meriam people from the Torres Strait, Kerry’s work has brought her to the forefront of Indigenous affairs in Australia. A former social worker with a Doctorate in Environmental Science, Kerry has held senior positions including Chair of Indigenous Health at the University of Melbourne, Executive Director of First 1000 Days Australia, President of EcoHealth International, CEO of the Lowitja Institute, and Director of Indigenous Health Research at Monash University. With an extensive background in public health, administration, community development and research, Kerry has led a wide range of organisations and committees including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council and the National Congress of Australia’s First People. Currently a Director of Kinaway Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director of First 1000 Days Australia (F1000DA) and Karabena Consulting. Kerry holds an honorary professorial position with the University of Melbourne and has a number of entrepreneurial programs in development.

Tēnā Koutou,He uri ahau ō Te Whakatōhea, No Ōpōtiki ahau. E noho ana au ki Ōtepoti inaianei, he manapou me he tauira takuta taku mahi. (Greetings, I am a descendant of Te Whakatōhea, I am from Ōpōtiki. I live in Dunedin now, I work as a manapou and as a medical student.) Carlton hails from the east coast of the North Island and is of Māori ancestry. For most of the last two decades Carlton has worked in ambulance, the last decade as an ICP mostly in the aeromedical/rescue environment operationally. Outside of operations Carlton helped to set up the Māori advisory group for ambulance in NZ. Developed out of hospital referral pathways and systems for high need low acuity patients and set up a charity to improve access to education and healthcare for remote and rural communities.

David is currently the Executive Manager of Primary Health & Community with Coast and Country Primary Care and brings over 19 years of experience in emergency and community services, within both the paid and the voluntary sectors. David is a results-oriented, patient focused and accomplished Clinician and Health Leader, with extensive experience developing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving business management and recovery strategies, plans and procedures, across the public sector, notably NSW Ambulance. Employing a strategic mindset, David has a proven track record of investigating, developing and implementing best practice service delivery policies and guidelines to improve patient outcomes. This includes the implantation of community paramedics within the primary health and community settings to elevate pressure on other healthcare practitioners while improving patients healthcare experience.

Amy moved to the NT in 2017 and continues to work as a paramedic in Alice Springs. Amy started the online platform Outback Responders with a colleague and continues with her team to collate and disseminate professional development content that goes further than just the clinical. Amy is still very early into her career and enjoys learning from the fantastic team around her in the Red centre.

Heulwen is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours) from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. She is a novice researcher with a keen interest in trauma and rural paramedicine, having recently completed her Honours thesis on the role of paramedics in regional and rural communities of Australia. She is currently working on publishing the findings of this study, while also beginning a Bachelor of Emergency Management. In her free time, Heulwen volunteers at the local SES unit as a Deputy Rescue Officer and Deputy Team Leader.

Whilst completing his Nursing education in the early 1990s Dave became a volunteer ambulance officer and has worked in a mixture of environments in both roles. Dave completed a master's in nursing from Melbourne University with a thesis on pain scores and there meaning to patients. Dave currently works as a Paramedic in Cromwell, Central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand and teaches on the post graduate diploma pathway for extend care paramedicine.