RN, PhD, MPH, DipOHPrac, DipTertTchg, FCNA(NZ)

Professor Nicolette Sheridan is Head of the School of Nursing at Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa and has extensive governance and leadership experience spanning more than three decades. She is a graduate of the Institute of Directors NZ programme (equivalent to AICD) and holds governance roles on the Massey University Academic Board and Māori Professoriate (equivalent First Nations Advisory to university). Nicolette is currently on the Nursing Council NZ Education Review Advisory Committee, and Nurse Practitioner and RN Prescribing Education Standards Reference Group. In the past she has chaired the Ministry of Health primary health care nursing expert advisory group, Health Research Council funding committees and advised the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Health and Disability Review on health system reform and future workforce planning.

As one of New Zealand’s most senior academic nurses she has a longstanding commitment to research that investigates disparities in primary health care services between indigenous and non-indigenous citizens as a means of monitoring government commitment to indigenous rights and equity in health care. She was the first associate dean equity in health at the University of Auckland. Nicolette recently led a national study investigating patient health outcomes in different models of general practice from the largest-ever collection of primary care data in NZ with researchers from three countries and five universities. In more than 40 research projects she has consistently sought to create a fairer, more just health system for all people. She has tribal affiliations to Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutu, Te Māhurehure, Ngāti Pākau and Ngāti Rauwawe.

Brenda Close – has both Māori and Pakeha whakapapa. Her iwi affiliations include Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Maniapoto. She is a Māori nursing educator and

clinical leader committed to kaupapa Māori, whānaucentred care, and improved outcomes for Indigenous communities across Aotearoa and Australia. With more

than 30 years of experience, she leads the Māori nursing programme at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, mentors emerging Indigenous practitioners, and has

supported workforce development in remote Indigenous communities in Australia.

She brings this transTasman perspective to the CDNM Indigenous Advisory Committee, championing Indigenouscentred education and system change for Māori and First Nations learners.

RN, RM, Master of Nursing Management and Leadership, GradCert Emergency Nursing, GradCert Intensive Care Nursing, GradCert Primary Health Care, GAICD, PhD Candidate

Madeline Ford is a Registered Nurse and Midwife, Senior Academic Lead in Allied Health and Nursing at James Cook University, and a proud Bigambul and Darkinjung woman. She has extensive clinical experience spanning critical care, emergency nursing, primary health care, and rural and remote healthcare, including work with First Nations communities across Australia.

Madeline's academic, clinical, and research interests focus on improving health outcomes for rural, remote, and First Nations populations through workforce development, culturally safe healthcare, and innovative models of health service delivery. Her work is informed by a strong commitment to strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce and creating an environment that supports First Nations peoples to enter, thrive, and lead within the nursing and midwifery professions.

Currently undertaking a PhD, Madeline's research explores First Nations workforce participation in nursing and midwifery. Her broader research interests include rural and remote nursing practice, health workforce sustainability, nurse practitioner models of care, health professional education, and strategies to improve healthcare access and equity for underserved communities.

Madeline is known for her collaborative, relational, and strengths-based leadership style, fostering inclusive environments that empower staff, students, and communities while supporting the development of future health workforce leaders. Through her clinical, academic, leadership, and research activities, she is committed to advancing Indigenous health equity and strengthening the future nursing and midwifery workforce.

RN, MClinNurs, BN, GDipNP (Emerg), PgCertEdLead, PhD Candidate

Colleen Kelly is a Yamatji woman from the Geraldton region of Western Australia. A Registered Nurse, she has extensive experience in Indigenous health, nursing and health professions education, curriculum reform, health equity, and leadership.

Throughout her academic career, Colleen has worked to advance the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, perspectives, and culturally safe practice within nursing and health professional education. Her work has focused on curriculum reform, educational leadership, and building the capability of the future health workforce.

Colleen is a Senior Research Fellow in the Health and Social Care Unit (Public Health and Preventive Medicine) at Monash University. Her research is grounded in Indigenous methodologies and community-led approaches to health service design, implementation, and evaluation. She has contributed to the Birthing on Country in Urban Naarm initiative and the establishment of Victoria's first Aboriginal-led Early Parenting Centre and is currently leading the development of an Indigenous-led evaluation framework for these innovative models of care. Colleen is Chair of the Board of First Peoples' Health and Wellbeing, an Aboriginal Community- Controlled Health Organisation in Melbourne, and a member of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council's Registered Nurse Accreditation Committee (RNAC).

Professor Maria Mackay is Professor of Indigenous Health and Nursing in the School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology. A proud Wiradjuri woman, registered nurse, and midwife, she is a passionate educator and researcher whose work advances culturally safe, person-centred, and equitable healthcare. Her teaching philosophy emphasises the art alongside the science of healthcare practice, challenging traditional approaches to health professional education. Maria’s research focuses on culturally responsive and transformational learning, integrating Indigenous knowledges into curriculum design and fostering inclusive learning environments. Through collaborative partnerships with students, communities, and health professionals, she co-creates innovative curricula that reflect lived experience and prepare future graduates to deliver holistic, compassionate, and culturally responsive care.

BSc (Nsg), Grad Cert PHC, Cert IV TAE

Hayley is a proud Noongar woman, Registered Nurse and Senior Lecturer in the Curtin University School of Nursing, with experience spanning clinical and community nursing, vocational education and tertiary academia. Her early career involvement with the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM), together with her first-hand experiences during undergraduate studies, provided

valuable insight that strengthened her focus on advocacy, leadership and culturally responsive nursing education.

In her current role, Hayley provides strategic leadership in curriculum review, cultural safety integration and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement within nursing education. She is committed to strengthening pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, advancing opportunities that support the future success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, and embedding Indigenous knowledges and perspectives across curricula.

RN, MN, PhD student (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara)

Coral Wiapo is a senior Māori Registered Nurse, emerging Māori academic leader and researcher with extensive experience across clinical practice, workforce development, governance, and tertiary education. As a Professional Teaching Fellow at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, she leads postgraduate nursing education and programme development. In 2026, Coral completed her PhD, using Indigenous research methodologies exploring the lived realities of wāhine Māori nurses. Her growing programme of research focuses on Indigenous nursing leadership, anti-racist nursing praxis, and the development and retention of an equitable and culturally grounded nursing workforce. As a member of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery Australia and New Zealand Indigenous Advisory Committee, Coral brings a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Indigenous nursing and to advancing outcomes that reflect the aspirations of Indigenous communities.