I started my perfusion life straight out of an honours degree in physiology at Prince Charles Hospital back in 1994. Yes, it’s been over 30 years since I took my first sojourn into a cardiac theatre. In that time, my most significant stints have been 10 years at Geelong Hospital and coming up to 15 years at John Hunter Hospital (JHH) as Director of Perfusion Service. In between the two, I completed a master’s degree in nutrition & dietetics and worked shortly as a dietitian at Wollongong Hospital and in primary care for patients on chronic disease management plans. To be a dietitian was always my plan A. After satisfying that curiosity, I realised being a perfusionist again was a better fit.

My allied health trainings in both perfusion and dietetics, together with being part of the broader leadership team in Surgical Services at JHH, has enabled me to become more well-rounded as a clinician and a bigger picture thinker.

I have worked in a total of 7 perfusion units as far as Townsville to the north and Hobart to the south, and have taken on ideas from every one of them.

I have a passion for patient blood management (PBM) and have long been a member of the Hunter New England district PBM committee, and more recently co-lead of the JHH NS7 blood and blood products committee.