Katharine Brown is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Indigenous Cardiovascular Research program at The Kids Research Institute and ANU. Her research draws her experiences in advocacy, policy and translational research to respond to disparities in cardiovascular health and disease experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. She applies interdisciplinary research skills to integrate mixed methods and Aboriginal ways of working. Katharine is motivated to increase understanding and awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander conceptualisation of health and wellbeing to enhance provision of supports and care in this population. Katharine is a non-Indigenous woman living and working on Kaurna country.

Serina Cecchin is nursing professional with over 30 years of acute cardiac nursing experience as well as experience in cardiology service management and leadership positions. She is committed to providing best patient care and quality outcomes whilst demonstrating compassion, careful consideration and respect for the patients and the multidisciplinary health care team she works with. She currently holds the position of Structural Heart Nurse Coordinator for the Joint Structural Heart Program for Austin Health and Warringal Private Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria.

Jackie Colgan is a Clinical Nurse Consultant in cardiac care at Central Coast Local Health District, bringing more than two decades of acute cardiology nursing experience across Australia and the UK. She holds a Master of Nursing and recently completed a Master of Philosophy focused on the use of video-based resources to support clinical procedures. Jackie’s work centres on high‑quality clinical care, evidence‑based practice, and meaningful quality improvement. Her current interests include strengthening patient outcomes through safer, more consistent approaches to cardiovascular assessment and treatment. One of her recent projects—featured later in today’s program—examines potassium replacement practices, exploring their implications for safety, monitoring, and therapeutic decision‑making.

Claire Hines is an Intensive Care Physiotherapist, Lecturer and PhD Candidate and inaugural Bupa Scholarship holder at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. With over 20 years’ of clinical and teaching experience in Australia and Newzealand, Claire is a passionate patient advocate, teacher and enthusiast of digital health and AI in healthcare. Claire’s has research interests in Prehabilitation, point of care ultrasound, Intensive Care Physiotherapy, post-operative respiratory management, and technology in clinical practice and education. Claire has recently worked on a digital health program for long covid patients with Northern Health and is an associate investigator on the MRFF Long-COVID LAMP (Long COVID Assessment and Management in Practice) study. Currently, Claire's PhD studies are investigating digital prehabilitation in Cardiac Surgical patients, with a clinical trial currently underway at Royal Melbourne and Melbourne Private Hospitals.

Danny Huynh is a Advanced Training Resident Pharmacist in Cardiology at Alfred Health, with clinical experience since 2021. He has practised across cardiology, infectious diseases, general medicine and surgical units. His current role focuses on the management of complex cardiology patients, including those undergoing heart transplantation and those supported with durable mechanical circulatory support. His professional interests include advanced heart failure management and the role of pharmacists in optimising multidisciplinary cardiovascular care.

Dr. Matthew Hollings is a Lecturer, Research Fellow and national leader in exercise for individuals with cardiovascular disease. His research aims to improve the quality and individualisation of exercise (sub-specialising in resistance training) after a cardiac hospital admission, particularly for underrepresented groups like older adults, culturally diverse, those with genetic disorders and women.

Dr Katrina Kissock is a Research Fellow at the George Institute for Global Health, Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, and Conjoint Lecturer at the University of New South Wales. Dr Kissock works across various research projects to support the switch from regular salt to potassium-enriched salt across the globe to improve cardiovascular health. Dr Kissock has research interests in cardiovascular disease, sodium reduction, whole grains, dietary intake, and public health and has worked across several international research collaborations. Dr Kissock is also an Accredited Practising Dietitian with experience working in chronic disease and youth mental health.

Erina Korohina is a Māori heart health researcher based in Aotearoa New Zealand. She leads Indigenous focused cardiovascular research grounded in kaupapa Māori approaches, with a focus on culturally responsive prevention, co design, and narrative health communication. Erina serves on the CSANZ Scientific Committee and the Equity, Diversity and Culture Committee, and is a member of the CSANZ Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples Council. Her work centres on strengthening equity in heart health care and advancing Indigenous leadership within the cardiovascular sector.

Ararso Olani recently completed his PhD at Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, where he currently works as a Research Fellow. His doctoral research examined prehospital delays, emergency medical services use, and care pathways for acute coronary syndrome among culturally and linguistically diverse immigrant populations in Australia. Ararso's research interests include cardiovascular emergencies, prehospital care, and health equity. He has authored and co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications.

I am a PhD student at the University of Melbourne and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, applying machine learning/AI, causal inference, and advanced statistical methods to improve long-term cardiovascular health in people recovering from COVID-19. My research focuses on developing a screening tool to identify patients at high risk of heart damage after infection, aiming to prevent serious complications like heart failure and support better care for COVID-19 survivors. My research addresses long-term health consequences of COVID-19, with particular interest in cardiovascular outcomes and functional recovery among survivors. It draws on data from trials and cohort studies such as PERCEIVE, TasELF, VicELF, and statewide data linkage initiatives in Victoria covering a population of 5.8 million. These studies aim to understand the causal relationship between COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease, identify early signs of left ventricular dysfunction, and develop risk prediction models to guide care, informing evidence-based strategies for long-term management.

Kaylee Slater is an early-career researcher focused on sex-specific cardiovascular disease prevention, primary care and health services research. Kaylee is the chair of the Hypertension Australia Early-Career Researcher Committee and a member of the International Society of Hypertension Capacity Building Network and Mentorship and Training Committee. 

Dr Ingrid Stacey is a biostatistician and cardiovascular epidemiologist with a background in preclinical medical research. She is currently a National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow within the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Centre (University of Western Australia) and is affiliated with the Cardiology Population Health Laboratory (Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute). Dr Stacey conducts co-designed and collaborative research that improves the heart health and wellbeing of First Nations people.

Dr. Aaron Conway is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Nursing, QUT with a Conjoint Senior Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Nursing appointment at The Prince Charles Hospital.