Peter Pangquee
Appointed as the Board Chair and a practitioner member from the Northern Territory
Peter’s family on his father’s side are Marrathiyiel people from Woodikupildiya which is about 350km west of Darwin and his family on his mother’s side are Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people from around Cooper Pedy. Peter grew up in Darwin and this is where he did most of his education and training.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I have been an Aboriginal Health Worker (AHW) for over 30 years and I currently work for the Northern Territory Department of Health as the Principal Aboriginal Health Worker Advisor within the Workforce Strategy Unit. I was the Chair of the AHW Registration Board of the Northern Territory until the national registration arrangements commenced on 1 July 2012 and I was a member of the Northern Territory Board for around 13 years.
I did my initial AHW training at the East Arm Leprosy Hospital on the outskirts of Darwin. I have also worked in Community Development, Community Welfare (Child Protection) and Correctional Services across the ‘Top End’ and I was the AHW Manager for the East Arnhem District for six years. As the Principal AHW Advisor, I have been involved in developing the current National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Primary Health Care qualifications as part of the technical writing team and the National Steering Committee. I have also been involved in many other national workforce projects, including the recent National AHW Review undertaken by Health Workforce Australia and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Along with my broad experience and knowledge around the AHW workforce, I bring strong leadership to the Board as well as a wealth of knowledge in regards to AHW practices in a regulatory environment.
What is your vision for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner (ATSIHP) profession?
I would like to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners as a highly skilled and respected health profession that is admired by other health practitioners and the community in which they practice.
Clare Anderson
Appointed as a community member
Clare is a proud Alyawarr woman with family in the Lake Nash/Camooweal area, which is on the Northern Territory/Queensland border. Her current role is Regional Tobacco Coordinator for the Barkly region. She works for the Anyinginyi Aboriginal Health Corporation.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I have worked in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service sector for over 15 years, for the professionalisation and promotion of AHWs.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
To see AHWs and Aboriginal Health Practitioners employed in the wider health sector, utilizing their comprehensive primary health care qualifications within a multi disciplinary setting.
Karrina DeMasi
Appointed as a community member
She is currently working in the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Business & Science at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I bring valuable experience to the Board as I was a member of the Aboriginal Health Workers Board of the Northern Territory until 1 July 2012, and through my educational and clinical work with AHW qualifications in the Northern Territory. I am also a Registered Nurse and Midwife.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
National recognition for the ATSIHP profession reflecting the importance of the crucial health and cultural knowledge and care ATSIHPs provide.
Sharon Milera
Appointed as a practitioner member from South Australia
Her people are proud Arabunna – Narungga people. Sharon has been a registered Aboriginal Health Worker for the past 15 years. She has managed health workers in remote communities in Central Australia and also worked in her own communities. She is currently the Regional Manager of the Aboriginal Family Clinic, Southern Adelaide Health.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I have been a registered AHW for the past 15 years. I have managed AHWs in Remote Community in Central Australia and worked in my own communities. I have a great understanding of the registration board in the Northern Territory and I have also done some training with AHWs in Central Australia.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
I have a great passion for AHWs and have for the past 15 years. I’m so excited to support the South Australia health workers through my work. I’m hoping that I can bring all my knowledge and experience to the work of the Board to support AHWs in South Australia. Finally, our AHWs in South Australia can be recognised for their training and use the skills that they have.
Lisa O’Hara
Appointed as a practitioner member from New South Wales
She is a Ngyampaa woman, born in Griffith, NSW (Wiradjuri country). Lisa is currently the Practice Manager at the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I started my career as an Enrolled Nurse at Griffith Base Hospital in 1990, and continued to work there for 12 years. Then I went on to become the Aboriginal Health Education Officer at Griffith Community Health Centre, and then to specialise in Vascular Health. After this, I made the move into Community Controlled Health by becoming the Practice Manager at the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service, where I have been for the past eight years. I also spent three years facilitating at the Aboriginal Health College in Sydney while on annual leave, teaching both the Certificate III in Aboriginal Health Work and the Certificate IV in Primary Health Care (both Community and Practice stream). I have had experience in both the mainstream health service and Community Controlled sector and in both the Aboriginal Health Worker and Management roles.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
I would like to see all AHWs nationally recognised, for the skills they have and the professionalism they bring to their roles.
Renee Owen
Appointed as a practitioner member from Victoria
Her people are from Yorta Yorta Cummeragunja on the Border of Victoria and New South Wales. Renee has been an AHW for 13 years and her studies through Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) have included many areas including governance and management. She currently works as an Aboriginal Maternity Health Worker/Health Service Team Leader at Wathaurong Aboriginal Health Service in Geelong.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I have been an AHW at Wathaurong for 13 years, studied at VACCHO and have done lots of training in many areas including governance and management.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
To have all AWHs across Australia recognised for their work and unique skills and to acknowledge the work that they do within their communities. To provide a service for AHWs to be protected in their practice and the community to feel that they are being looked after safely.
Jenny Poelina
Appointed as a practitioner member from Western Australia
Jenny is a Nykina woman from the fresh water country of the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley. She is currently working as the Executive Manager at the Centre for Aboriginal Primary Health Care Training and Research (CAPTER) at the Kimberley Aboriginal Medicare Council (KAMSC).
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I have worked in both the acute care of Aboriginal people in a hospital setting as well as primary care for Aboriginal people in a community setting. I have also worked as an educator and co-ordinator of the Aboriginal Health Worker Training Program and was involved in the development of resources for the National Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care training. I maintain my clinical skills by providing relief from time to time in the KAMSC member services clinics.
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
It is vital and overdue that ATSIHPs are recognised by other health professionals and the rest of the Australian community as registered health professionals. ATSIHPs have a responsibility to Aboriginal people in the community to ensure they have access to culturally appropriate health care. ATSIHPs are best placed to meet this very specific need. The qualifications obtained by ATSIHPs will be recognised as a pathway into tertiary education in other health disciplines and management of health services, particularly in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.
Jane Schwager
Appointed as a community member
Jane lives and works in New South Wales and represents the interests of the general public. Her professional roles include her membership as a non-judicial member of the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal and a consultant in the community services and health policy areas. She also works as a nationally accredited mediator in the area of alternative dispute resolution.
What experience do you bring to the Board?
I am an experienced board director in both ‘not for profit’ and government sectors and I have been involved in running Croc Festivals in many Indigenous communities across Australia for 10 years, as Board Director and worker. I have undertaken a number of national and state consultations and reviews including being involved in a review into welfare reform and as the head of an inter-government taskforce consulting and evaluating Aboriginal youth employment, education and community programs across rural NSW. In addition, I was previously the Chief Executive Officer of The Benevolent Society, Social Policy Directorate (NSW) and the Department of Ageing and Disability (NSW).
What is your vision for the ATSIHP profession?
To build a national accreditation and registration scheme for all AHWs across Australia. To support a training and development scheme that enables all Aboriginal people to have access to registered health workers with their unique skills across Australia.