Conference Committee 2024

Conference Working Group

Our Internal Conference Working Group is comprised by some members of our staff and management committee (MC).

• Christy Fischer
• Nia Arteta
• Tess Conaghan
• Kari Vallury
• Katrice Bulgarelli
• Ellaine Grondin
• Mal Kanagasabapathy
• Claire Mohr (MC)

Anna Noonan

Anna is a rurally-based research academic who is passionate about rural sexual and reproductive health and rights in Australia and beyond. In late 2023 Anna submitted her PHD thesis investigating the experiences of rural people and healthcare providers in Australia managing unintended pregnancies with a focus on abortion. Anna has a multidisciplinary tertiary background in media and communications, international studies and public health. After a decade working in international development and human rights, a brief stint at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva inspired a career shift into the University research sector where Anna has worked for 13 years on research projects on so-called ‘taboo’ topics, including prevention of torture in law enforcement, recovery-oriented psychiatric rehabilitation and access to abortion care. Anna loves all things spicy and lives and works on Wiradjuri country in Orange NSW.

Carolyn Mogharbel

Carolyn is the manager of the 1800 My Options service by Women’s Health Victoria, and has over 15 years of health promotion and service delivery experience, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health. Carolyn is committed to access and equity in health services and reducing stigma in the health system, and to centering the experiences of all women in health system development, delivery and evaluation.

Erin McBride

Erin lives and works in beautiful Gimuy, Cairns. She combines 15 years of nursing experience with a Masters in Sexual and Reproductive/Public Health to improve rural and remote abortion access and workforce sustainability. Erin coordinates two Clinical Excellence Queensland projects: Pregnancy Options and Culture and the Queensland Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Community of Practice. She is also co-chair of the Queensland ToP working group.

Dr Jessica Phillips-Yelland

Dr Jess Phillips-Yelland is a GP with a special interest in Women’s health, holding a DRANZCOG Advanced qualification. Since graduating medical school in 2012, she spent 4 years working in Obstetrics and Gynaecology before deciding to pursue a career in General practice with Women’s Health Special interest. She has spent 3 years in the rural town of Kingaroy where she completed her Rural General Practice training and offered Womens’ health services. Now back in Brisbane, she has taken up the role as Senior Medical officer for the True relationships Ipswich clinic. She is passionate about Women’s health and reproductive rights.

Larissa Hudson

Larissa is a Senior Sexual and Reproductive Health Nurse and Nurse Educator at Sexual Health Victoria. She started her sexual health nursing journey as a Secondary School Nurse before advancing her interests by working in abortion and contraceptive and sexual health clinics in the UK. She advocates for the fundamental right to positive sexual health experiences, considering them essential to one’s identity and well-being, and thinks it’s a privilege to support clients at a time when they need non-judgemental and genuine support from a healthcare worker. Larissa is currently working in a team to coordinate Sexual Health Victoria’s new teleabortion service.

Natasha Chong

Senior Health Worker, Cultural Safety Project at Cairns Sexual Health Service, Qld Health.

I am passionate about supporting and inspiring women of all ages to become empowered to take their stance of ownership for their health and well-being by providing my support doing their journey.

Nicola Sheeran

Nicola is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist with a particular interest in health communication, domestic and family violence (particularly reproductive coercion), and adjustment to parenting. My research interests sit generally in the social health psychology field and I have a particular interest in women’s mental health. Specific projects have looked at reducing prejudice towards ethnic minorities, stereotypes of teenage mothers and fathers, the transition to parenthood for teenage parents and parents of preterm infants, effective and ineffective communication in health contexts, the use of interpreters, and unplanned pregnancy, domestic violence and reproductive coercion. Nicola is also an experienced supervisor having successfully supervised 28 PhD, masters and honours students and has experience using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. In regards to teaching, I have a strong interest in the supervision of research students and professional practice students (i.e. postgraduate provisional psychologists). I am also interested in supporting students in the transition to university and have taught across a range of subjects including professional and applied skills (i.e., interpersonal skills, group facilitation, ethics, motivational interviewing). I am also passionate about Interprofessional learning and how we can help our health practitioners of tomorrow to work together effectively to support clients.

Sarah Ratcliffe

Sarah Ratcliffe (she/her) combines collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches with her research skills to build structural and systemic support for social and health equity. She brings expertise from a variety of international professional and personal experiences, including leading research projects about stigma, reproductive health, gender, sexuality, and disability. As a post-doctoral researcher she is establishing evidence-based ways to address abortion stigma and advance workplace gender equity and disability inclusion. Her work has developed multiple tools for measuring abortion stigma in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and has informed Government initiatives for equity.