When I arrived in Australia 17 years ago, I received tremendous support from people who had no reason to help me other than kindness. That generosity stayed with me. I knew I wanted to give something meaningful back to the community that had welcomed me, and I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than through St John.
I commenced with St John in 2017 and today serve as Director, National Training & Development. My work has spanned education and training, quality and compliance, governance, learning resource development and national initiatives aimed at strengthening how we deliver training and lifesaving knowledge to Australian communities.
For me, the essence of St John is people helping people, often without expecting anything in return. My contribution may not always be visible on the frontline, but I have learned that service takes many forms. Behind every trainer and community program are people building the resources, systems and structures that enable others to make a difference.
A highlight of my journey was attending the first Global Leadership Development Programme in the UK in 2024. Meeting St John women from around the world reinforced something important for me: women across St John are doing extraordinary things in many different ways, united by a common purpose. Their contributions deserve to be recognised, celebrated, and remembered.
I was also privileged to MC the Call to Action Breakfast in 2026, giving voice to a passion shared by many women and creating space for conversations that matter. It reminded me that having a voice also brings the opportunity to amplify the voices of others.
I feel fortunate that my own contribution was recorded in the 2025 paper The Directors of Training of St John Ambulance Australia. That recognition made me reflect on the women who came before me and the stories we may never fully know. I would love to hear more about the women who trained others, mentored colleagues, shared ideas and helped shape St John over generations, particularly migrant women and women from diverse cultural backgrounds who contributed while establishing new lives in Australia.
There is no single way to belong, serve or lead in St John – where you start does not determine where you can contribute.
Most of all, I hope the next generation of St John women feel confident to take up space, contribute their ideas, challenge when needed, support one another and recognise the value of what they build. Our history is shaped not only by the names we remember, but by the contributions we choose to preserve. By recording these stories, we make sure the women who helped shape St John remain part of its story for generations to come.
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John States and Territories). These St John states and territories (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John State and Territory agents). These agents (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
