Dr Jana Pittman

Two times World Champion, four times Commonwealth Champion, in the sport of athletics, Jana Pittman personifies resilience and determination. When continued injuries hampered her athletic career could have signalled retirement, she swapped the track for the ice. Jana joined the Australian Women’s bobsleigh team, to become the first women to represent Australia in both a Summer and Winter Olympic games. Outside of sport Jana has completed a Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery and a Masters of Reproductive Medicine, she is now a practising Doctor in the field of Women’s Health. In 2021 Jana joined the cast of Channel 7’s SAS Australia making it to the last day and the only woman remaining in the final four recruits. With Jana’s passion for women’s health Jana is an ambassador for the ‘Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation’ and writes a regular column in New Idea. Jana is a mother to six children with the youngest being twins who are now 18 months old.

Melanie Briggs

Walawaanii, nyama Melanie Briggs and descend from the Gumbaynggirr and Dharawal peoples.

Melanie is a mum to two beautiful children living on the traditional sacred lands of the Maramarang people. Melanie has a Bachelor of Midwifery, Master of Primary Maternity Care and an Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management. Melanie is an Endorsed midwife who works at Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation and manages the Birthing on Country program. Melanie possesses knowledge and experience of the co-design and legislative change for NSW Private Health Facilities Act 2023 for standalone birth centres to remove requirements that restrict and reduce midwifery led continuity of care and autonomy. She has been involved in the review and development of national strategies, frameworks, and governance to enhance First Nations perspectives on cultural safety and the inclusion of raising awareness of racism in the health system, First Nations maternal and neonatal outcomes. Melanie feels her ancestral responsibility is to use her knowledge and skills to create and nurture a culturally safe maternity workforce by raising awareness of racism, that will improve outcomes for First Nations women and their babies. .

Dr Helen Cooke PhD, MNRes, BHScMan, RM, RN

A registered midwife for the past 43 years, Helen has a PhD in Interprofessional Education based on her work as the NSW Health Project Officer for the Fetal welfare, Obstetric emergency, Neonatal resuscitation Training (FONT) program. Helen has been an instructor and Board member for AMaRE (Advanced Maternity and Reproductive Education) for the past 23 years, teaching AIMS/PIMS and BABE. Working with AMaRE provided Helen the opportunity to meet clinicians from across Australia learning about different hospitals and the variety of care and clinical practices. Passionate about providing midwifery support for all women Helen has a special interest in caring for women with complex pregnancies. Helen’s clinical work for the past 20 years has been as a Clinical Midwifery Consultant firstly based at Nepean Hospital in Sydney and then across the Nepean Blue Mountains Health Service and then at the Perinatal Services Network working across NSW. Now semi-retired, Helen is able to focus on the areas of maternity care that have held her interest over the years, clinical case review and maternity service review.

Sarah Mumm

Sarah Mumm is a mum, wife, founder, solicitor and all round super human. As a solicitor, she is general counsel at Silico Quantum Computing and formerly of the Australian Olympic Committee. Drawing on her experience as a grieving parent, Sarah’s story of managing the unthinkable and turning your worst nightmare into a force for good, will enthral you. Her heartbreaking, raw, real life story will touch your heart, inspire you and unlock your untapped resilience.