Karen is the Cardiac Nurse Practitioner at Austin Health where her role focuses on improving outcomes for patients with chest pain and Acute Coronary Syndromes. After completing her Coronary Care course at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in the era of the ISIS 1 & ISIS 2 trials (and if you are old enough to remember the ISIS, GUSTO & GISSI trials and the Datascope 82 and 83 IABPs you are of the same vintage!), Karen has consolidated her cardiac nursing experience in various clinical, managerial, educational and project roles at the RMH, The Alfred and Austin Health in Melbourne. After moving to Austin Health in 2010 to commence as the Cardiac Nurse Practitioner candidate, Karen was endorsed as a Nurse Practitioner by the NMBA in 2013. Karen was a member of the ACS subcommittee of the Victorian Cardiac Clinical Network and the nursing representative on the “Chest Pain” and “STEMI” Writing Groups for the NHFA and CSANZ Australian Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes 2016. As well as a focus on chest pain and ACS, Karen has a special interest in the care provided to patients diagnosed with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. Reduction in the variability in care provided to patients undergoing cardiac procedures and ensuring evidence-based practice is another consideration in Karen’s clinical practice. In order to improve patient outcomes, ongoing professional development is important to Karen. As well as undertaking informal teaching sessions for nursing, medical and allied health colleagues, Karen has been invited to present at local, state and national conferences. Karen was granted membership to the CSANZ in 1995 and is a Board Member, and now Life Member, of the Australasian Cardiovascular Nursing College as well as a member of several other nursing and cardiac specialty groups.

Dr Marie-Claire Seeley is an expert in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). She established Australia’s only POTS patient registry, bringing attention to the high prevalence of autonomic disorders in PASC and highlighting the reduced quality of life in these patients. Her work has earned recognition, including the SACRN PhD Rising Star in Clinical and Medical Science Award. As CEO of the Australian POTS Foundation, she successfully advocated for a unique ICD code for POTS in Australia.

Kristyn is a cardiovascular research nurse at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and a second-year PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne in collaboration with the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Her research focuses on the use of cardiovascular imaging as an educational tool to enhance patient understanding of cardiovascular risk. By integrating visual feedback into patient communication, she aims to improve risk perception and promote sustained adherence to primary prevention strategies. Kristyn is particularly interested in leveraging echocardiographic imaging to bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and patient engagement, ultimately contributing to better long-term cardiovascular health outcomes

Rebecca Woodley is an accomplished Nurse Unit Manager with extensive experience in cardiovascular nursing and procedural services at Monash Health. She currently leads the Cardiac Imaging team at the Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH). With over 20 years in healthcare, Rebecca has successfully managed complex services, including establishment of the Advanced Cardiac Imaging Centre and the Casey Day Surgery Unit. Rebecca has a keen interest in vascular access preservation and improving patient experience and played a key role in expanding the scope of nurses in use of ultrasound-guided PIVC insertion at Monash Health

Leah is a Clinical Nurse Specialist for the inpatient Cardiology service at Christchurch Hospital - Peka Mātai Manawa. Her experience is in acute cardiology nursing care, working with the service to deliver cohesive care for patients during their heart health journeys. She holds a postgraduate diploma in health practice.

Professor Caleb Ferguson is NHMRC Fellow and Director of the Centre for Chronic & Complex Care Research at Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Health & University of Wollongong. He is Chair of the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of CSANZ and Cardiovascular Nursing Editor for Heart Lung & Circulation. His research expertise includes cardiovascular multimorbidity and frailty.