Our Team
Our team of highly skilled instructors share a common interest and passion in education and patient safety.
Simulation-based team training requires special expertise in addition to clinical ability. The HNE Simulation Centre provides extended instructor training and has processes for certifying its instructors. Instructors are Specialists and Fellows and senior nursing staff, largely from Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, who are active clinically in their area of specialty.
We also have a group of dedicated junior medical staff who are in the process of learning how to become simulation instructors.
We welcome visitors who are interested in learning about simulation-based team training in healthcare. Please email us for more information about teaching, research and Fellowship opportunities.
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Director
Dr Cate McIntosh, FANZCA 
Simulation appointment: Director
Other appointments: Senior Staff Specialist in Anaesthesia HNE Health, Conjoint Senior Lecturer University of Newcastle, Simulation Fellowship Supervisor, ANZCA Supervisor of Training – Provisional Fellowship, ANZCA Clinical Fundamental Tutor – Resuscitation, Trauma & Crisis Management, ANZCA Scholar Role Supervisor
Simulation specific training: Fellowship in Simulation Stanford University 2004-5, Crisis Resource Management Instructor Certificate Stanford University 2005, EMAC Instructor Certificate 2005, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2009, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Graduate Course 2011
Interests: Human Factors, Understanding how and why simulation works as a teaching tool, Instructor training and development
Contact: Email C/- Operations Manager, Casssandra Quigley
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Management
Kerry Ward
Simulation appointment: Manager Strategy and Business Development
Other appointments: Extensive experience as Clinical Nurse Consultant, Intensive Care Nursing across HNE Health
Interests: Rural and Regional healthcare teams support, education and networking, deteriorating patient recognition and escalation, standardisation of practice, equipment and evidenced based care across HNE Health
Cassandra Quigley, Dip Mgt, AdDipMgt
Simulation appointment: Operations Manager (Job Share: Mon-Thur)
Contact: Email Cassandra Quigley or Phone (02) 4985 5569
Elizabeth Doyle, CNS
Simulation appointment: Operations Manager (Job Share: Fri)
Contact: Email Elizabeth Doyle or Phone (02) 4985 5569
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Administration / Support
Liz Taggart
Simulation appointment: Simulation Delivery Support Officer
Contact: Email Liz Taggart or phone (02) 4921 4268
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Technical Support
Max Henriette
Simulation appointment: Simulation Technical Officer
Interests: Technology. Electronic design engineering
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Dr Ursula Beckmann, FRCP, FCICM
Simulation appointment: Faculty Lead for Intensive Care
Other appointments: Senior Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer University of Newcastle
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2011, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Advanced Instructor Course 2014, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2011 - 2014
Interests: Incorporation of simulation training into the overall training of Intensive Care staff
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Dr Michael Dobbie, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor - Paediatrics
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Paediatric training, Medical education
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Elizabeth (Liz) Doyle, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Performance Improvement Coordinator, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training, Debriefing
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Dr Delyth Edwards, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor – Head & Neck, ANZCA Clinical Fundamental Tutor – Airway Management
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2008 – 2014
Interests: Medical education, Patient safety, Difficult airway management training
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Carmel Fox, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator - Casual
Other appointment: Registered Nurse
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
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Sophie Hoffman, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator - Casual
Other appointments: Registered Nurse, Emergency Department John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
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Dr Kate Howson, MBBS (Hons), B AppChem (Hons), GCertClin Teach (Hons)
Simulation appointment: Provisional fellow in simulation
Other appointments: Provisional fellow in anaesthesia
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Using simulation as a medical education tool, crisis resource management
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Dr Chris Jenkins, FACEM
Simulation appointment: Faculty Lead for Emergency Medicine
Other appointments: Staff Specialist in Emergency Medicine John Hunter Hospital, Staff Specialist in Retrieval Medicine John Hunter Hospital, Director of Emergency Medicine Training John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer University of Newcastle and University of New England
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training, Instructor training and development
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Janelle Keers, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Anaesthetics and Recovery John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Operating theatre team training
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Dr Lee-ann Kitto, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor - Orthopaedics
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2008 – 2014
Interests: Use of simulation for assessment, Team training, Medical education
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Dr Michael Law, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Retrieval Specialist Hunter Retrieval Service
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Pre-hospital medicine, Airway management, Wilderness medicine, Thoracic anaesthesia, Paediatric anaesthesia
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Greg Little, RN
Simulation appointment: Senior Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Registered Nurse, Anaesthetics and Recovery John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Advanced Debriefing Course 2016.
Interests: Interdisciplinary team training, Debriefing in simulation education
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Dr Dane Lohan, BMed
Simulation appointment: Provisional Fellow in Simulation/Education
Other appointment: Provisional Fellow in Anaesthetics
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Medical education, Crisis training
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Jess Martin, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
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Dr Sacha Muller-Botti, FANZCA
Simulation appointments: Faculty, Spanish speaking faculty of the Institute for Medical Simulation, Boston, USA
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2013, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Advanced Instructor Course 2014
Interests: Crisis resource management and training in anaesthesia, Simulation instructor training
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Dr Rob O'Connor, FCICM, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointment: Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training, Crisis resource management
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Narrell O'Dea, CNS, MPS
Simulation appointment: Senior Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Simulation instructor training, Team training
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Dr Aditee Parab, MBBS, M.Med (Infection and Immunity)
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointment: Postgraduate Fellow in Intensive Care Medicine
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training - Basic and Advanced Debriefing
Interests: Medical education, Critical care infectious diseases
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Dr Candice Peters, B Sp Path, MBBS, Grad Cert Clin Ed, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer University of Newcastle/University of New England, Morbidity & Mortality Chair Department of Anaesthesia, John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2014-present, ANZCA Emergency Response Series Can't Intubate Can't Oxygenate Instructor training 2016, Essentials of Debriefing 2017
Interests: Crisis Resource Management, Human Factors & how they relate to patient pafety, Medical education, Welfare of medical officers & doctors-in-training
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Donita Pilton, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
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Dr Ben Porter, MBChB FRCA FFICM PGCert
Simulation appointment: Post Graduate Education Fellow
Other appointments: Provisional Fellow, Anaesthesia John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: PGCert Multidisciplinary Healthcare Simulation, EMAC Instructor
Interests: Human Factors and System Ergonomics
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Dr Sancha Robinson, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Teaching Fellow University of Newcastle, ANZCA Supervisor of Training John Hunter Hospital - Introductory Training, Basic Training, Advanced Training
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2013
Interests: Communication, Reflective learning, Leader ship and followership, The patient experience
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Annika Schryver, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emergency Department John
Hunter Hospital, A/Clinical Nurse Educator, Emergency
Department John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Quality improvement, research, crisis resource management
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Dr Rebecca Scott, BMed, BSc (Biotechnology), FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Crisis Resource Management, Medical education and research
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Fiona Smith, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Clinical Supervisors and Educators Feedback Workshop, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Communication in crisis management, Teamwork skills
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Dr Gavin Sullivan, FRCA, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Clinical Lecturer University of Newcastle
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Undergraduate and junior postgraduate simulation
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Dr Amanda Taylor, BMed, GradDipPainMgt
Simulation appointment: Provisional Fellow in Simulation
Other appointments: Provisional Fellow in Anaesthesia John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, NHET-Sim Training
Interests: Using simulation as a tool for medical education, Crisis Resource Management (CRM) and simulation in anaesthesia
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Dr Lee-Tam Teo, MRCPC (UK), CICM (PAEDIATRIC)
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, IPSS (International Paediatric Simulation Society) Paediatric Simulation Instructor Workshop 2014
Interests: Paediatric critical care related simulation, and incorporating various aspects of simulation into the current paediatric intensive care teaching, including the Paediatric BASIC course and interprofessional teaching in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
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Dr Tom Walker, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Obstetrics
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The following doctors are currently participating in the HNE Simulation Centrer Volunteer Instructor Program, starting as Trainee Instructors with the option to continue their instructor development via the Associate Instructor pathway:
Joshua Anderson, Rachel Baran, Brian Chan, Tavish Fernando, Janice Hui, Rose Khosh, Joshua Lin, Sian Myers and Elsa Russell.
Trainee Instructors
Congratulations to the following people who have completed the requirements of the Trainee Instructor Program as part of our Volunteer Instructor Program:
- Dr Mari Koyanagi
- Dr Shalini Rajan
- Dr Shaun Young
- Dr Hannah Hall
- Dr Harry Pearce
- Dr Timothy Wong
Associate Faculty
From SSO to Associate Faculty

As a 5th year medical student, Rheily Wood completed her Special Study Option placement at the HNE Simulation Centre in 2013 and has never looked back.
Rheily has remained involved in the centre and was our first volunteer instructor to be awarded the title of Associate Faculty. Read Rheily's story ...