Meet The Expert Contributors

Dr Howard Chilton
Neonatologist

Dr Chilton has been a neonatologist for 40 years. He was Director of Newborn Care at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney from 1978 to 1999. Since then, he has continued to fulfill a clinical and educational role there and at the Prince of Wales Private Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital.

Nadine Richardson
Founder, She Births®

Nadine Richardson is a mother and has been a childbirth educator, doula and prenatal yoga teacher for over 20 years. She is creator of the world's only scientifically verified childbirth education program, She Births®.

Nadine is a health education innovator, a social impact entrepreneur and an expert facilitator. She is currently writing her book, hosting the extremely successful She Births® Show and developing a ground breaking TV series that celebrates birth diversity.

Dr Vijay Roach
President, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Vijay is an obstetrician and gynaecologist with more than 20 years experience. He consults in general gynaecology with interests in miscarriage, traumatic birth experience, contraception, menopause, infertility, menstrual disturbances, vulval and vaginal disorders and abnormal cervical pathology. He has a particular interest in the importance of integrating psychological and physical health.

Professor Mary Steen
Professor of Midwifery, University of South Australia

Mary Steen is a Professor of Midwifery at UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences. She is the Chair of the Mothers, Babies and Families Research Group and facilitates the promotion of research and scholarly activities both nationally and internationally.

Kate Levitt
Doctor

Dr Kate Levett is a Research Fellow at the University of Notre Dame, School of Medicine, Sydney. She is also an Adjunct Fellow at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine, Western Sydney University. She has a private acupuncture practice and treats mainly pregnancy and fertility related conditions, hormonal and mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression. Below are some articles on current topics.

Renee Adair
Founder, Australian Doula College

Renee Adair is the founder and director of the Australian Doula College, the Groundwork Program and the ADC’s charity-arm Doula Heart Network. She first began working with women and babies in 1994 as a massage and Aromatherapist and Reiki Practitioner and in 1998 after the birth of her two children began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator. She has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life over the course of her career.

Dr Nicole Highet
Founder and Executive Director, Centre of Perinatal Excellence

Nicole has a Doctorate in clinical psychology and joined Beyondblue in 2001 to lead a range of programs, campaigns and activities. COPE provides a dedicated focus to reduce the impacts of emotional and mental health problems experienced by mothers, fathers, infants and families. The focus of Nicole's work is increasing awareness, reducing stigma and supporting health professionals by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to provide timely and effective care for women and their families.

Arabella Gibson
CEO, Gidget Foundation

Arabella joined Gidget Foundation Australia in early 2017 after a 20 year career in executive leadership roles in the media and communications industry in both Australia and the UK. Arabella recently participated in the closed group to devise the Australian Government’s Women’s Health Strategy for 2020 to 2030 in Canberra and she was a finalist in The CEO Magazines’ 2018 and 2019 Not-For-Profit Executive of the Year Award and a Finalist in the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards for 2019.

Julie Borninkhof
CEO, Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia

Julie brings significant experience as a recognised leader in the primary health sector.

Julie is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked across primary and tertiary settings, namely with people from vulnerable and diverse communities. She is passionate about ensuring that people’s lived experience informs the development of progressive services and supports. Julie loves leading the dedicated team at PANDA.

Dr Richard Fletcher

Associate Professor, University of Newcastle (NSW)

Richard leads the Fathers and Families Research Program (FFRP) within the Family Action Centre at the University of Newcastle. The FFRP team focus on research and teaching around fathers, particularly fathers of young children and babies. Richard believes that we as a society need to change our expectations and beliefs relating to the role of fathers, for the benefit of the whole family and wider society.

David Marishel

Clinical Psychologist

David is a Clinical Psychologist who has over 10 years’ experience working with adults who are experiencing life changes or challenges including depression, anxiety, work-related stress and burnout, chronic health conditions (including chronic pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulties), grief and loss, recovery from trauma, and relationship difficulties. David has a special interest in working with men before the birth of their child and during the early years of parenting.

Elly Taylor

Founder, Becoming Us Family

Becoming Us is a new evidence based and research backed approach to parenthood.

Becoming Us supports positive mental, emotional and relationship outcomes for mothers, fathers and babies. We want parents to do more than cope with parenthood...we want them to know how to grow and thrive all the way through it.

Rob Mills

CEO, Tresillian

Robert is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with almost 30 years’ experience working in the speciality field of maternal and child health. He holds a Masters of Public Health, is a former CEO of Karitane and has been the CEO at Tresillian since 2013. Robert was the former President of the Australasian Association of Parenting and Child Health Inc, and currently Treasurer of the NSW Health Services Association. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr Rakime Elmir

Senior lecturer, University of Western Sydney.

Dr Elmir is a Senior lecturer and Deputy Director of Clinical Education Midwifery in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney. Dr Rakime has successfully led a number of research projects on birth trauma and the psychosocial impact on mothers, fathers and midwives.