Committee

Co-President

Gabrielle graduated a Bachelor of Health Science in 2017, where she developed a particular interest in Health Promotion. She has been a part of the committee since 2015 through several roles, including Student Member, Social media secretary, Vice-President, and President now since 2022. Gabrielle has previously worked for the Alcohol and Drug Foundation as their National Knowledge Manager (Community of Practice). She is currently working at Preventive Health SA as Principal Project Officer, Physical Activity, and finishing her Masters in Health Services Management at Uni SA.

Co-President 

Talia Blythman has completed a Bachelor of Health Science, a Bachelor of Social Science, a Graduate Diploma in Education Studies (Digital Learning) and a Master of Public Health. Talia has worked in the field of health promotion for over 10 years. This work has been based in South Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria and India. Talia has worked on a wide range of health promotion projects including OPAL promoting eat well be active for kids, tobacco prevention and control, emergency management, workforce development and parenting support. Talia is currently working at UniSA Online as an Online Course Facilitator teaching into the Bachelor of Public Health and Bachelor of Community Health degrees. As a long-term AHPA member Talia has previously acted as the Treasurer and Vice-President for the AHPA SA Branch, and the Vice-President for the AHPA NT Branch

Vice President

Dr Belinda Lunnay commenced her career in health promotion 20 years ago, working in State government to deliver population health prevention programs. She then progressed into developing evidence-based programs to increase the capacity of the preventive health workforce. She has designed and taught health promotion programs within the Bachelor of Health Sciences at Flinders University. Now she brings policy/practice experience to public health research, as Research Fellow within

the Research Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing, Torrens University. Her focus is on the socio-political systems and structures that create inequities in the conditions for protecting health. Her research generates translational outcomes for real world improvements, utilising principles of health promotion and community engagement. Her work involves deliberating with local advocacy groups, media representatives, non-government organisations, and government personnel who set health system agendas. She joined AHPA SA Committee as Executive Committee member in 2022 and is current Vice President, she is a member of the Board of Directors and is also an Editorial Board Member of the Australian Journal of Health Promotion. 

Co-Correspondance Secretary

Dr Joanne Flavel is a Research Fellow at Stretton Health Equity in the Stretton Institute at the University of Adelaide. She has qualifications in economics and public health. Her research focuses primarily on health equity and social determinants of health and she has worked on several projects examining the impact of the distribution of social determinants on health equity. She has expertise in quantitative analysis and leads Stretton Health Equity’s social epidemiology work. Joanne is a member of the international Punching Above Weight Network, formed to advance thinking and research about why some countries do much better in terms of health outcomes than would be predicted by their economic status. She is also a Global Burden of Disease Collaborator.

Co-Correspondence Secretary 

Tegan is currently studying her Master of Public Health at Flinders University after completing a Health Promotion degree in 2023. Currently a personal trainer, Tegan is interested in all thing’s health and wellness related. This is her third year on the committee, and she is looking forward to working with AHPA to make positive change and promoting healthy lifestyles. 

Minutes Secretary

Jane is a lecturer in Health Sciences in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She completed her PhD in public health policy at the University of Adelaide. Before arriving at Flinders in 2017, she spent 14 years researching and writing on dental public health. As a result of her work in oral health, Jane retains an interest in working to understand sugar consumption as a public health and health promotion problem, and to explore ideas for how to minimise the effects of sugar on health.

General Member

Caroline originally began her professional career as a Registered Nurse. She has completed further studies in social work, dance, and medical history. She completed her PhD through Monash University, researching nursing in the Boer War. She currently works as a lecturer in Public Health at the University of South Australia, where she teaches health systems and services, project management, sociology and health promotion. Her current research areas include Sporting Memories -  reminiscence and older people and salutogenesis  - looking at what builds people’s health.

General Member

Hannah is the Associate Professor of Public Health at Torrens University Australia. Her background is a pharmacist and gained postgraduate degrees in community pharmacy, public health (primary health care) and health service management at Flinders University. Her PhD project at Flinders University focusing on inequity and accessibility in healthcare among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)populations. She has experiences in health promotions since 1993 in various aspects – health promotion programs, academics and research. Her research projects predominantly address health inequalities and inequities among disadvantaged populations and centre on integrating digital health and co design into health promotions. Hannah has strong passion for improving health and wellbeing in communities and is looking forward to contributing to the AHPA.

General Member

Mel is currently the Program Facilitator for Health programs at UniSA Online. As part of her teaching role Mel coordinates a range of evidence-based practice courses in the Bachelor of Public Health. She holds a PhD in Public Health and undergraduate qualifications in Health Sciences.

Throughout her career, Mel has been involved in a wide range of health promotion projects and evaluations in collaboration with a range of organisations and local governments. Her current research interests include the co-design of wellbeing programs with older people and best practices for online health education.

General Member

Dr. Shyamsundar Muthuramalingam (Shyam), holds a PhD and serves as the Manager for Consumer Engagement and Health Promotion at the South Australian Prison Health Service. His commitment to consumer engagement was sparked by his personal battle with kidney disease. Dr. Muthuramalingam has notably influenced consumer engagement strategies at several prestigious institutions including the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), The George Institute for Global Health, the Australian Medical Council, and Kidney Health Australia. His daily role involves co-designing health service design and delivery with people in custody, emphasizing health promotions across seven state-run prisons in South Australia.

General Member

Ria is a recent graduate from Masters in Public Health from University of Adelaide. Previously had a Bachelor's in Sciences with majors in Microbiology and Biochemistry. She has a keen interest in Policy and Advocacy in the Health Promotion sector. She was previously a Student Representative for AHPA in 2023.

General Member

Dr Amanda Machell is a Research Fellow in Public Health at Flinders University and Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of South Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education from The University of South Australia, Masters of Public Health from The University of Adelaide and PhD in behavioural epidemiology from Deakin University. Her research is focussed on child health and development. Dr Machell currently manages an NHMRC funded project focussed on the co-creation of a strategy to improve ear and hearing health service delivery and access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in remote South Australia. Previously, she was project manager for an NHMRC funded project focused on how children’s daily activity patterns (e.g. watching television and playing sport) and diet differ between in-school and summer holiday periods and how these differences may affect their health and fitness. Her research has featured on television and radio news programs and in The Conversation. 

Student Representative

Amy is currently completing her Bachelor of Health Science (Health Promotion) at Flinders University. With an Associate Degree in Disability and Community Practice, Amy is passionate about health equity and addressing the social determinants of health. This is Amy’s second year as a student representative, and she is excited to continue learning and contributing. 

Student Representative

Camila completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, as well as her epidemiology studies, in her home country, Colombia. Currently, she is studying a Master's in Public Health at Torrens University. Outside of her academic pursuits, Camila volunteers in Emergency Services at the Red Cross. She actively contributes to the field by participating in the review of skin cancer prevention policy statements as a member of a health promotion special interest group in the Public Health Association of Australia. Camila's career goal is to utilize her expertise and abilities to create a positive impact within communities.

Student Representative

Patience is a postgraduate student at the University of Adelaide, completing her studies in the School of Public Health. Her research focuses primarily on refugee and migrant health, sexual and reproductive health and men's health/gender-based health. Patience also has experience working in refugee shelters and for refugee associations within Australia and hopes to continue working in public health and health promotion spaces throughout her studies and future career, striving to improve health outcomes for all people in Australia.

Student Representative

Charlotte is in her final year of studying a Bachelor of Health Science (public health) at the University of South Australia (Unisa) and is completing placement with Telethon Kids Research Institute. She has had developed a great interest in rural and remote public health as well as Aboriginal health, particularly the policy and program development side. At university she is involved in the Public Health Students Society as a member of the executive team where they look to promote public health through planning and organising events. After completing her degree this year, she is looking to complete her master’s in social work using her interests of public health, rural and remote health, and wellbeing. Charlotte is currently involved in an organisation called Teach Learn Grow (TLG) in Western Australia as a program coordinator where I have further developed and gained experience and skills volunteering in rural and remote communities.

Outside of the academic setting Charlotte is in the position of a residential adviser on the student leadership team at her residential college where she provide wellbeing support to residents at the college as well as working to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment which upholds the values of the college. Her goal as she enters her career is to work to aid and advocate for those disadvantaged living in rural and remote community and bridge the wellbeing and education gap between those in metro and rural settings.  

Student Representative

Tharika graduated a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2020 from UniSA which sparked her love for neurorehabilitation and broader interests in health promotion and public health. This led her to complete a Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion and Master of Public Health at Flinders University where her interests of rural, women's and global health were affirmed. She is now currently undertaking her PhD at UniSA under the supervision of Dr. Brenton Hordacre. Her thesis focuses on developing and implementing an intensive upper-limb stroke bootcamp (group intervention) which can be delivered in rural and non-metropolitan areas. She currently works with War Veterans and Stroke patients to assist them in reaching their rehabilitation goals and also works as a clinical educator, to facilitate and pass down knowledge to the next generation of physiotherapists.