Committee

Gabrielle Fisher

Co-President

Gabrielle graduated a Bachelor of Health Science in 2017, where she minored in Public Relations and Human Resource Management and developed a particular interest in Health Promotion. She has been a part of the committee since 2015 through several roles, including treasurer, social media secretary, vice-president. Gabrielle has previously worked for Southern Cross Care and headspace Adelaide in their health promotion and community engagement teams. She is currently working at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation as their National Knowledge Manager (Community of Practice) and undertaking her Masters in Health Services Management at Uni SA. Her career goal is to help individuals live a healthier and safer life and to really make a positive impact within her community.

Liana Bellifemini

Co-President

Liana graduated in a Masters of Public Health mid-2017, having already graduated in a Bachelor of Health Sciences majoring in Health Promotion and Education in 2013; both completed at Flinders University. She has worked in various positions for SA Health and the Department of Communities and Social Inclusion, as a Casual Academic Tutor in undergraduate health promotion topics at Flinders University, and at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation as a Senior Community Development Officer. Currently, Liana works as a Senior Prevention Project Officer for Cancer Council SA. Her motto is: “In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow

Stefania Velardo

Vice-President

Stefania is a senior lecturer in health education at Flinders University. Her research projects broadly centre on social, cultural and economic influences on people’s relationships with food, with a special interest in children’s food-related understanding and experiences. Stefania was born in Adelaide, with strong links to her father’s hometown in southern Italy and she loves travelling. Her career motto is: “One person can make a difference and everyone should try” - John F Kennedy.

Shreyta Pradhan

Minutes Secretary

Shreyta completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery in India and briefly worked as a Dentist and project officer in oral health promotion projects of the country. It was then she developed profound interest in preventative aspect of health. She moved to Australia to pursue her Master of Public health and completed the degree in 2020 from Monash University. She is currently working as a public health officer in SA Health Communicable Disease Control Branch and has been working alongside regional and remote communities in Surveillance and outbreak response. She has great passion for healthy ageing and promoting healthy lifestyle in community settings and is looking forward to working in health promotion sector of South Australia.

Talia Blythman

Correspondence Secretary

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 for the AHPA SA Branch and the Vice-President for the AHPA NT Branch.

Jane Harford

General Member

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.

Caroline Adams

General Member + Minutes Secretary Proxy

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.

Tegan Jefferies

General Member

Tegan is currently studying health promotion at Flinders University. Formerly a personal trainer, Tegan is interested in all thing’s health and wellness related. She is now working for SA Health. This is her first year on the committee, and she is looking forward to working with AHPA to make positive change and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Kainat Nazir

General Member

Kainat Nazir is graduated in Master of Public Health in 2022 from Flinders university. She graduated a Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery in 2011 and attained a diverse background of overseas working experience. She played a role as a house physician, house surgeon, lecturer, capacity building and quality assurance officer as well as medical officer . In SA, she worked as administration officer and respiratory scientist. She joined AHPA in 2022. She is not only interested to treat community as health professional but also has immense interest to empower the community via health promotion for achievement of good health.