Women in Healthcare Panelist Biographies

FACILITATOR

Antonette Collins

Senior Manager, Media and Communications, Governance Institute of Australia 

Antonette is renowned for shaping strategic thinking, achieving results and cultivating productive working relationships. She prides herself on her personal drive and integrity and her ability to communicate with influence. Antonette has two decades of newsroom and government experience and excellent management and leadership skills with a proven track record in delivering accurate and responsible decision making in a time critical environment.

PANELISTS

Catherine Finneran

Inpatient Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultant, Credentialled Diabetes Educator, Diabetes Service, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney

I completed my Nursing studies in 1993 at the University of Sydney, where I went on to work for NSW Health at a hospital in the South-West of Sydney, working across the Emergency, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine departments. During my time there, I also completed a Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education and Management at UTS in 2011 and then a Diploma of Leadership and Management in 2016.  I have been working in diabetes since 2007. I commenced my current role at St Vincent’s in 2019 as an Inpatient Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultant.

I observe the mission of the Sisters of charity is alive and well at SVH. As the Inpatient Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultant, I see an extensive complex variety of patients with diabetes within the hospital.  My job is to provide diabetes education that is evidence based, best practice and patient centred. I am passionate about patient advocacy and trying to ensure the patient remains empowered, involved and consulted in the Inpatient Diabetes therapy management.

Jen Cordingley

Strategy, Engagement and Collaboration Practitioner, Strategy, Planning and Partnerships, St Vincent’s Health Australia

Jennifer Cordingley graduated from boarding at St Vincent’s College in 1988.  She went on to study Communications at UTS and worked in the advertising industry, eventually starting up and selling two ad agencies.  She’s completed an MBA at Australian Graduate School of Management, UNSW, and several other university courses.

Inspired by the Sisters of Charity and the social justice lessons she learned at St Vincent’s, she then started working in social services, then at a start-up that aims to end rough sleeping in NSW.  Since she 2021 has worked at St Vincent’s public hospital in the Strategy team where she looks after projects like research-building developments, helping the St Vincent’s hospitals develop new strategies for services like cancer and brain health and working with the St Vincent’s Precinct Partners.

Jessica Cheng

Senior Clinical Dietitian, Bone Marrow Transplant In patients and Post BMT Out Patients, Haematology In patients & Outpatients, TPN dietetic co-ordinator, St Vincent’s Public Hospital Sydney

As a mother of a year 9 student at St Vincent's College, Jessica is proud to have so many aspects of her life immersed in the mission and values of The Sisters of Charity. 

Jessica completed a Bachelor of Applied Science at the University of Canberra, followed by a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sydney. She believes St Vincent's Hospital Sydney is a unique place to work, because each day you really can live the motto of what makes you proud to be a healthcare worker and success lies in great team work.

After 23 years as a clinical dietitian at St Vincent's, Jessica has specialised in nutrition support in haematology and bone marrow transplantation. Where the broad complexity of this clinical specialty makes each day a new and challenging adventure.  

NOTABLE GUEST

Alice McAuliffe

Art Curator, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney

Alice McAuliffe is a creative producer who has worked in the arts and cultural sector for over twenty years. She has undertaken projects for a variety of institutions, galleries and grassroots organisations in Australia and internationally.

Her work develops and implements art projects and programming, often outside of the gallery context, artists and people together in the creative process. This work aims to empower participants and activates spaces for community benefit.

Previously, she has initiated UTS ART Live, a series of temporal arts performances developed collaboratively by university students and contemporary artists, and the Warrabura Nura garden, a permanent installation of indigenous medicinal plants and accompanying resources to connect audiences with Country within the urban environment. 

She is currently art curator at St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, implementing a patient centred arts health program across the hospital and ancillary spaces.

For any enquiries from our current families, please contact our Careers Adviser, Helen Marshall on marshall@stvincents.nsw.edu.au.

For all other enquiries please contact our Advancement team on advancement@stvincents.nsw.edu.au.