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/- Acting Operations Manager Gemma Smith
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Manager (job-share)
Cassandra Quigley, Dip Mgt, AdDipMgt
Simulation appointment: Operations Manager (Mon-Tue)
Contact: Email Cassandra Quigley or phone (02) 4985 5569
Gemma Smith, Grad Cert Corporate Communication
Simulation appointment: Operations Manager (Wed-Fri)
Contact: Email Gemma Smith or phone (02) 4985 5569
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Admin / Support
Liz Taggart
Simulation appointment: Simulation Delivery Support Officer
Contact: Email Liz Taggart or phone (02) 4921 4268
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Mark Amey, RN, RM, G Dip Genetic Couns, MN (NP), Grad Cert Epid.
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Improving communication and timework, as well as clinical skills, in the setting of Newborn Resuscitation. Looking at the way ad hoc teams work together,
and mange to debrief in difficult circumstances.
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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 Simon Campbell, MBBS, BMedSc
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Visiting Medical officer Anaesthetist HNE Health
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Medical Education, Crisis Resource Management
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Dr Anna Carter, MBBS, GCertHealthProfEd
Simulation appointment: Provisional Fellow in Simulation
Other appointments: Provisional Fellow in Anaesthesia John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Fellow Faculty of Heath and Medicine University of Newcastle
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, Australian Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support Instructor
Interests: Medical education, Obstetric anaesthesia and training, Welfare of medical officers and doctors-in-training
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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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Dr David Donnelly, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointment: Visiting Medical Officer Anaesthetist HNE Health
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training, Patient safety
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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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Dr Sabry Eissa, MBBS, BSc, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Burns & Reconstructive SSU Supervisor & Part 2 Medical Viva Practice Co-ordinator
Simulation specific training: Instructor HNE Simulation Centre 2014-present, NHET-Sim Training 2014, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Debriefing Workshop 2014
Interests: Team skills training, Human factors issues in the workplace
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Dr Elyse Farrow, MBBS, B. Sc (Mol Bio & Gen), Grad Cert Clinical Education
Simulation appointment: Anaesthetics Education Fellow
Other appointments: Provisional Fellow in Anaesthesia John Hunter Hospital, APLS Instructor
Simulation specific training: Graduate Certificate in Clinical Education (Flinders University)
Interests: Paediatric anaesthesia, Communication in crisis resource management
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Carmel Fox, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Registered Nurse
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
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Max Henriette
Simulation appointment: Simulation Technical Officer
Interests: Technology
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Dr Michael Hicks, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, Giving Feedback with Impact
Interests: Medical Education, Crisis Resource Management and Simulation in Anaesthesia
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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 Luke McConnell, MBBS, BPhty
Simulation appointment: Provisional Fellow in Simulation
Other appointment: Provisional Fellow in Anaesthesia
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Clinical education, Crisis resource management
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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: Conjoint Teaching Fellow 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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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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Dr Rebecca Scott, BMed, BSc (Biotechnology)
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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Ellen Seib, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Registered Nurse Operating Theatre John Hunter Hospital, Clinical Educator Australian College of Nursing, Nurse Instructor Definitive Perioperative Nurses Trauma Course (DPNTC)
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Operating Theatre team training, Simulation in multi-disciplinary teams
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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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Dr Jodie Williams, FRACS
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: VMO Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, VMO Warners Bay Private Hospital, Staff Specialist Royal Darwin Hospital
Simulation specific training: National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre Instructor Training (Darwin), HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Use of simulation in trauma and theatre scenarios
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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:
Asad Abdi, Josh Anderson, Rachel Baran, Brian Chan, Rebecca Hogbin, Janice Hui, Rose Khosh, Joshua Lin, Sian Myers, Andrew McKeown, Harry Pearce, Ben Pons, Rebekah Potter, Elsa Russell, Lucy Sutherland, Hannah Watson and Daniel Zardawi.
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
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 ...
