ASHHNA Information Hub
Scholarships
ASHHNA Carol Martin Scholarship
The scholarship is named in honour of our friend, colleague and former ASHHNA Vice-President, Carol Martin who passed away in February 2011. Carol was a passionate and skilled clinical nurse and educator who was involved in the education and training of many HIV and sexual and reproductive health nurses and doctors. Carol’s legacy will continue through the inspiration and influence she had on all those who worked with her and knew her.
ASHHNA acknowledges and thanks ViiV Healthcare for their generosity in funding the scholarship.
Closed – Re opens 2024
ASHHNA Professional Development Scholarship
This scholarship provides $2,000 in funding for courses, conference attendance, or other professional development activities. This scholarship is funded by ASHHNA.
Closed – re opens 2024
Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference Scholarship
This scholarship funds nurses to attend the Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference.
ASHHNA acknowledges and thanks Gilead for their generosity in funding the scholarship.
Closed – Reopens 2024
ASHHNA Clinical Placement Scholarship
The ASHHNA Clinical Placement Scholarship provides funding to support members to undertake clinical placements relevant to their work.
This scholarship offers financial assistance for travel, accommodation and charges directly associated with the clinical placement.
Closed – re opens 2024
When can I apply for a scholarship?
Scholarships for 2023 closed on the 16/4/23 and are currently being judged by an independent panel
How can I apply for a scholarship?
Application forms are available above, follow links above to download form and apply
Career Advice
How do I get into sexual health nursing?
In many states and territories of Australia the entry point into sexual health nursing is a Family Planning Certificate in Reproductive and Sexual Health.
There are also courses and workshops available through the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM) that give a good theory background.
Each state and territory is different, and sometimes a sexual health service might be looking for an RN with experience, and other times the service may be willing to train and support RNs with no prior experience.
Check out the Education and Training page on the website to do some short modules in sexual health, look for opportunities to do courses, join ASHHNA and attend ASHHNA sub branch meetings.
Call the Nursing Manager of the service near you and ask what experience or educational background they look for when recruiting.
You can also contact any of the ASHHNA Executive Committee members who would be happy to talk with you about your career plans.
ASHHNA Awards
ASHHNA Life Membership Award
ASHHNA awards the distinguished life membership award to individuals who demonstrate dedication and long term commitment in the areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health and/or HIV nursing. Please click on the Policy and Nomination Form headings below.
ASHHNA Conference Awards
These awards recognise the outstanding contribution to Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV that nurses make and is aimed at encouraging nurses to develop research and present that research to a wide audience.
ASHHNA Nurses Award for Best Poster Presentation at Australian Sexual Health Conference
Each year at the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance Sexual Health Conference ASHHNA awards a prize to a nurse for the best poster.
ASHHNA Nurses Award for Best Poster Presentation at Australian HIV Conference
Each year at the ASHM HIV Conference ASHHNA awards a prize to a nurse for the best poster.
Conference Presentation Award Recipients
Sunshine Coast 2022
Liz Crock – Bolton Clarke Victoria
Quality of Life in a New HIV Nursing Tool
Rose Evans – Canberra Sexual Health
Tele-testing in the ACT
Virtual 2021
2021 Australasian Sexual Health Conference
NAME
Type of Award.
.
Virtual 2020
2020 Australasian Sexual Health and HIV/ AIDS Conference:
MELISSA POWER
Barriers to Targeted HIV Testing in a Culturally Diverse Urban Setting in Australia.
Perth 2019
2019 Australasian Sexual Health Conference
MAUDIE TODKILL
Improving N.Gonorroheae (NG) culture rates at Gold Coast Sexual Health Service.
2019 Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference
SHARON ROBINSON
High Prevelance of Late Stage HIV Diagnosis in a Southern Sydney HIV/ Sexual Health Service: a 5 year retrospective review.
Sydney & Auckland 2018
2018 IUSTI AP Sexual Health Congress Auckland
Daniel Seeds
Identifying Those at Elevated Risk of Anal Cancer: Observations from the Front Line
2018 Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference
Sara Bell & Judith Dean
Online HIV self-testing (HIVST) service in Queensland: Users Usage and Usability
ASHHNA Governance
The Australasian Sexual Health Nurses Association formed in 1991 and in 2009 officially included HIV nursing to become the Australasian Sexual Health and HIV Nurses Association (ASHHNA). ASHNNA Inc. is governed by a 14 member Executive Committee. ASHHNA is guided by a Constitution endorsed by the NSW Department of Fair Trading.
ASHHNA is a member of the Coalition of Australian National Nursing and Midwifery Organisations (CoNNMO) and is a founding member of the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance (ASHA)
When are the meetings held?
The ASHHNA executive meets monthly by teleconference.
Annual General Meetings are held in line with the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance Conference which usually occurs in October or November each year
President
Emma Knowland (she/her)
Emma is an endorsed Nurse Practitioner. She currently works for the Metro North Sexual Health & HIV Service in Brisbane and is the current president of the Australasian Sexual Health & HIV Nurses Association. She has served as Secretary on the ASHHNA Executive since 2017 and recently chaired the expert working group for the new ASHHNA Standards of Practice. Emma holds a Master of Nurse Practitioner, Master in Cancer Nursing, certificates in Sexual and Reproductive Health and sexual health program authorisation in Queensland. She is currently working towards her S100 prescriber status to prescribe HIV and Hepatitis B medicines.
Emma has worked for the last 20 years in clinical roles across hospitals, clinics and non-government organisations & has also held clinical teaching, clinical facilitation, and research portfolios. She is passionate about promoting and elevating the role of nurses in our specialities.
Email: emma.knowland@health.qld.gov.au
Vice-President
Frances Turner
Fran is a Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) at Sydney Sexual Health Centre who works with clinicians to facilitate their learning and attainment of clinical skills through practical sessions and mentorship. She completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Hull, but decided to change career after volunteering with a local outreach project educating young people about sexual health and falling in love with the specialty.
After working as an AIN in sexual health, Fran returned to university to complete her postgraduate diploma in nursing with King’s College London. Following this she returned to work in sexual health as an RN, moving to Australia in 2016 to work at Sydney Sexual Health Centre.
Fran’s own experiences as a student nurse led to a passion for education, and she became a CNE in 2017. She is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Education, Learning and Leadership with UTS. She believes that providing the right support and encouragement leads to highly skilled, knowledgeable nurses who can make a real difference to the field of sexual health and HIV.
Fran is a previous recipient of the ASHHNA Carol Martin Professional Development Scholarship and a NSW Health Nursing Postgraduate Scholarship. She describes her best experience to date as working with nurses who are new to sexual health, and facilitating their journey to becoming confident and skilled clinicians.
Secretary
Horas Wong (he/him)
Horas is a Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Sydney and a registered nurse at the Albion Centre. He has a transdisciplinary background in nursing, public health, anthropology, and health social sciences. He has worked as a clinical nurse, community educator and health researcher in the field of HIV/sexual health in Hong Kong and Australia.
Horas is a contributor of the book “Sexualities, Transnationalism, and Globalisation” published by Routledge, and a Guest Editor of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. He is passionate about improving the sexual and reproductive health of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and incorporating sexual health trainings in university nursing programs.
Treasurer
Danielle Collins
Dani is an endorsed HIV nurse practitioner working for the Victorian HIV Service, within the Alfred Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Department. Dani currently works across the HIV prevention and HIV treatment space including the Prep- X Trial from 2016- 2018. Dani has previously worked for Thorne Harbour Health in Pronto! and the Centre Clinic GP clinic where she began her Nurse Practitioner candidacy. Dani has also worked for the Burnet Institute in Population Health (alcohol and other drug and blood borne virus) research as a research nurse and research assistant; was instrumental in developing The B-Vax Project, a randomised control trial examining multiple outcomes through the provision of the HBV vaccine to people who use drugs. As well as nursing in Victoria, Dani also worked in the Northern Territory and the UK. Dani was an endorsed Nurse Immuniser prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner and has previously worked in emergency departments, mental health nursing and general and surgical ward- based nursing.
Dani has been an ASHHNA Executive member since 2018 as Assistant Treasurer, and Treasurer since 2022. Dani represents ASHHNA on the ASHM ARV Guidelines Committee, and the NHSTAC Committee. Dani has participated in numerous working groups developing and updating HIV and sexual health related guidelines, including the nursing & midwifery chapter of the ASHM HIV Management in Australasia: A guide for clinical care guidelines.
The speciality of HIV intersects Dani’s passion for social justice, infectious diseases and human rights. Areas of interest include new HIV diagnosis and navigating the pathway into HIV care, complex HIV & psychosocial care and strengthening the HIV workforce through developing and implementing systems to improve and expand upon HIV care provision in both metropolitan and rural areas.
Membership and Email List Coordinator
Cat Brown
Cat is a Registered Nurse working in Men’s and Women’s Health for Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, based on Thursday Island with travel to remote outer islands. Her role involves working with Indigenous Health workers in a community led environment, providing a primary healthcare focused program incorporating sexual health.
She started her career in Canberra at the public sexual health centre and previously worked in the field of sexual assault and forensic nursing.
Email: cat.brown@health.qld.gov.au
Association
Joanne Perks
Jo Perks is a Nurse Practitioner and Midwife with significant experience within the public health and NGO sector, where she specialises in Women’s Health across the lifespan, working with marginalised populations.
Jo is passionate about the provision of respectful and high quality care for women under her care, where she believes that advocacy plays a significant role.
Jo Perks has been involved with ASHHNA since its inception in 1991 and has been an executive member for 30 years. Jo is also a Council Representative of the Coalition of National Nursing & Midwifery Organisation as an ASHHNA representative in an advisory role.
Jo’s significant contributions to sexual and reproductive health recognised with several awards and nominations. In 2018, Jo received the ASHHNA Life Member Award, a finalist for the HESTA Nurse of the Year award in 2016, and awarded the Liverpool LGA Award for Outstanding Care to the Community in 2014.
Assistant Treasurer
Andrew Buggie
Andrew is a Clinical Nurse Consultant working in the Mid North Coast of NSW
Scholarship Coordinator
Rose Evans
Rose is a Clinical Nurse working at the Canberra Sexual Health Centre. She has been an executive member of ASHHNA since 2021 and is passionate about sexual health and HIV care. She holds a Master of Nursing (UTAS), Graduate Certificate in Infection, Prevention and Control (Griffith Uni) and holds a SRH certificate (FPSW). She is currently undertaking her Master of Nurse Practitioner and looks forward to the opportunities that this role will provide.
ASHA Conference Representative and Coordinator
Frances Turner & Lauren Coelli
See Vice president bio for Fran.
Lauren (she/her) is a Clinical Nurse Consultant in regional NSW, working across two health districts. With a long history within Reproductive and Sexual Health in regional/remote Australia as well as regional Victoria and NSW.
She is passionate about reproductive and sexual health, and increasing access for those who are vulnerable and at risk. Lauren has completed further study in Health Promotion and Sexual health as well as her Masters in Health Management and Public Health.
Newsletter Coordinator
Donna Tilley
Donna Tilley is a Nurse Practitioner in Sexual Health. She has a particular interest in working with marginalised populations and empowering people to be active participants in their health.
Donna works in the Western Sydney Local Health District in NSW, an area characterised by economic, social, and cultural diversity. Donna is an adjunct lecturer at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery at Sydney University.
Website Coordinator
Will Hooke (he/him)
Will is a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) at Launceston Sexual Health. He has completed his Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health through the University in Sydney and has worked in the Sexual health/HIV area since 2012 across metro Sydney, regional NSW and in Northern QLD.
Will has spent the most of his life growing up and living in regional towns and loves to advocate for those outside of metropolitan areas.
Promotions Coordinator
Melissa Power
Melissa Power (she/her) is a sexual health clinical nurse consultant and has worked at the Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Parramatta, NSW since 2003. Melissa is passionate about sexual health and HIV nursing and advocating to improve outcomes for marginalised groups in Western Sydney. Melissa has worked previously as a Midwife and has completed a graduate certificate in Community and Primary Health Care Nursing (Sexual Health) and a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment. Melissa is passionate about research and continues to work on both local and multicentre research projects. Her other passion is supporting the professional development of beginning practitioners to the speciality.
Position Without Portfolio
Vacant
Newsletter Assistants
Maggie Smith (She/They) & Andrea “Ange” Davidson (she/her)
Maggie is the CNC of the Albion Centre in Sydney, NSW.
Ange is a Sexual Health Nurse with a Social work background. She has worked in school, non-profit organisation, hospital and community health settings and has been working as a Sexual Health Nurse at Clinic 35 Gateway Health Wodonga, a sexual health clinic and one of 10 Women’s sexual and reproductive health hubs in Victoria, since 2013.
She has a particular interest in working with marginalised populations in rural and regional areas and advocating in the space of sexual and reproductive health for those living outside metropolitan areas.
Public Officer
Jo Perks
See bio for Social Media and Association Representative Coordinator