The Big Catch-Up Immunise. Prevent. Protect. Immunisation Conference 2023

Paddy Cashman RN, BHSc, MPH&TM, GCertAppMgt, PhD student. Paddy is currently with the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) as the Global Health Technical Officer based in the Solomon Islands. Patrick was the Immunisation Coordinator for Hunter New England LHD NSW where he has initiated a successful closing the gap for immunisation program. Operational and research interests include nurse immuniser education, Aboriginal immunisation, the social science of immunisation and adverse events following immunisation. Patrick manages the Vaxtracker AEFI active surveillance project and is part of the AusVaxSafety team and member of AEFI-CAN & COSSI.

Sarah Joyce is a distinguished advocate for disability and meningococcal. As an ambassador for Meningitis Centre Australia and CoMO, Sarah has been featured on buses, billboards and by numerous large media outlets. Her advocacy journey includes promoting meningococcal vaccines through public speaking and social media engagement, leading to increased vaccination rates. Sarah's dedicated advocacy led to the acknowledgment of World Meningitis Day in Australia by health ministers, who also sent her a letter of gratitude, marking one of her proudest achievements.

Katrina Clark is the Aboriginal Immunisation Manager for at Hunter New England (HNE) Health Local Health District and has experience across Australia in immunisation and infectious diseases.

Katrina is a Barkindji Woman, from far Western New South Wales. She completed a Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotions at The University of Sydney, Diploma of Population Health, Armidale NSW, Certificate IV in Indigenous Research Capacity Building, Aboriginal Health College, Adelaide SA and is currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney. Katrina’s role with HNE involves working with the Immunisation Services to promote culturally safe services and communication between those involved in providing immunisation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Katrina is committed to ensuring equity of access to vaccinations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Dr Sonya Ennis is the Manager of Immunisation at NSW Health. Her interest in immunisation began properly in 2003 when she joined the National Meningococcal C Vaccination Program, and before that was when she had her first daughter vaccinated 28 years ago! Sonya was Senior Policy Analyst in the Immunisation Unit for many years before taking on the Manager’s role in 2018. Sonya completed a Master of Public Health in 2008 and a Professional Doctorate of Public Health in 2018 where her research interests were measles and pertussis control in vulnerable populations.

Dr Pete Murray is a Public Health Physician working in the Health Protection team of Hunter New England Population Health. He has previously worked in pharmaceutical funding and procurement in New Zealand. His areas of interest are immunisation, health equity, and health systems strategy and planning.

Dr Kat Taylor is a Public Health Physician and General Practitioner and has worked in the field of public health for the past 10 years in South Australia and New South Wales. She commenced working with Central Coast Local Health District as Director, Public Health in October 2020. During the pandemic, she led the Public Health response for the LHD, providing regular COVID-19 updates for healthcare providers, external partner organisations and community members across the Central Coast. Kat has a particular interest in Aboriginal Health, emerging infectious diseases, and public health risk communication.

Professor Nicholas Wood is a staff specialist general paediatrician and Professor in Clinical Vaccinology at the University of Sydney. Nick holds an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship. He leads the NSW Immunisation Specialist Service and coordinates the Immunisation Adverse Events Clinic at the Children's Hospital at Westmead. He is a senior investigator on the Primary Health Network Immunisation Support Program. Nick is interested in maternal and neonatal immunisation, as well as research into vaccine safety, including genetics and long-term outcomes of adverse events following immunisation.

Lauren Dalton (B.SC, Hons, MPH) has a background in Public Health and have been working with NCIRS since 2017 managing the Primary Health Networks Immunisation Support Program. Lauren also managed the immunisation portfolio at the South Eastern Sydney Medicare Local and Central and Eastern Sydney PHN. Lauren is committed to ensuring all PHNs have the ability to share and access quality and timely information and resources and are assisted in navigating the complexities of supporting immunisation providers.