Asthma remains one of the most common chronic conditions affecting children in Australia, with rural and remote communities facing significant barriers to accessing evidence-based care. This event will explore innovative strategies to make asthma management equitable and accessible for children living outside metropolitan areas.
Join leading experts, clinicians, and researchers as they share insights on:
Why Attend?
Melinda Gray is a Nurse Manager in the Medical Stream at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, where she has worked for over 25 years. Growing up in a rural community, Melinda developed a deep commitment to connection, compassion, and paediatric care, inspired by her family’s involvement with ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children). Her leadership philosophy centres on creating conditions for others to thrive, and in 2024 she received the Chief Executive’s Award for Leadership. Melinda’s experience and passion for child health make her a strong advocate for equitable care and collaborative teamwork.
Cathryn Cox is Chief Executive of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.. She has extensive experience in health policy, planning, infrastructure, and strategic reform through senior roles within the NSW Ministry of Health. Cathryn began her career as a physiotherapist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and has since led major initiatives, including the COVID-19 system planning response. Passionate about delivering world-class, patient-centred care for children and young people, she also serves on multiple health boards and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2018 for her outstanding contribution to healthcare.
A/Prof Nusrat Homaira is a respiratory epidemiologist and health services researcher at UNSW Sydney and Sydney Children’s Hospital. Her work focuses on improving health outcomes for children with chronic respiratory conditions, including asthma, through evidence-based interventions and innovative models of care. She has led numerous projects on respiratory infections and asthma management, aiming to reduce hospitalisations and improve access to care for vulnerable populations. Nusrat’s research bridges clinical practice and policy, ensuring equitable and sustainable healthcare solutions for children.
Dr Ryan Mackle is a paediatric trainee at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, and a member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He has extensive experience in childhood asthma management and paediatric respiratory medicine in both Australia and the UK. Ryan is passionate about improving health equity for children and began his PhD at UNSW in 2022, focusing on innovative models of care for paediatric asthma. His current research, supported by Asthma Australia, is trialling a virtual asthma care model aimed at reducing unscheduled hospital presentations and improving access to specialist care for children in rural New South Wales.
Dr Carmen Crespo is a Research Associate at the School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, and a member of the Population Child Health Research Group. Her expertise lies in health services research, with a focus on implementation science and the sustainability of healthcare interventions. Carmen’s work aims to design strategies that ensure the continuous provision and improvement of services to enhance patient outcomes and quality of life. She holds a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Technology Sydney and a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Care from the University of Granada, Spain. Currently, she is involved in evaluating the implementation of projects such as Strengthening Care for Children (SC4C) and Asthma Care from Home, bridging the gap between research and practice to improve child health equity.
Anthony oversees the organisation’s research program, strategic evaluation plans, and the development of high-quality consumer information and education resources. A registered nurse specialising in critical care, Anthony plays a pivotal role in connecting the needs of people with asthma to strategic research and evaluation decisions, ensuring these translate into tangible consumer benefits.
Professor Adam Jaffe is a leading paediatric respiratory specialist whose research has significantly advanced asthma care for children. He chairs the Aiming for Asthma Improvement in Children program and previously led the paediatric writing group for the Australian Asthma Handbook. Through his role on Asthma Australia’s Research Advisory Committee, Adam has helped shape national strategies to improve asthma outcomes and health equity. A leading researcher in paediatric respiratory medicine, he has published over 275 papers and secured more than $46 million in research funding. His work spans gene therapy for cystic fibrosis, rare lung diseases, and asthma care, and he has played a pivotal role in shaping national health strategies, including the National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases.