School of Nursing and Midwifery Executive

Professor Marie Gerdtz

Professor Marie Gerdtz is Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe University. A leading academic and practitioner in emergency nursing and healthcare systems improvement, she is known for designing and evaluating organisational strategies that enhance clinical decision-making and improve patient safety and quality of care. Her research focuses on scalable and sustainable healthcare solutions, with significant contributions supported by both Australian and Victorian governments. These include improvements to hospital triage systems and strategies for preventing and managing acute behavioural disturbances in clinical settings. Her work has positioned Australia at the forefront of international policy and practice in these areas.

Professor Gerdtz has played a central role in curriculum development and academic leadership, leading comprehensive course redesigns across entry-to-practice, specialty, and advanced nursing programs. She has published more than 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, and reports. She holds a PhD from The University of Melbourne (2003), alongside qualifications in Nursing and Adult Education. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Evaluation at the same university. Her clinical background spans more than a decade in emergency nursing and education. Professor Gerdtz’s leadership extends beyond academia. She has served as an Honorary Professor at the University of Otago (New Zealand) and an Honorary Associate Professor at Hong Kong University, with prior executive roles on the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery ANZ. Her professional impact continues to shape nursing education, clinical policy, and workforce development both nationally and internationally.

Martine Davis

Ms Martine Davis is the Senior Manager for the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Ms Davis has extensive experience managing administrative teams, including nineteen years higher education sector management experience at La Trobe University and the Universities of Waikato and Auckland in New Zealand. In her role as Senior Manager, she leads the professional administrative staff team, and as primary adviser to the Dean and the School Executive, supports the governance, operations, and strategic planning activities for the School.

Professor Jo McDonall

Professor Jo McDonall is the Deputy Dean and Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe University, where she provides strategic leadership for curriculum innovation and the advancement of learning and teaching across the school. She has particular expertise in professional accreditation, curriculum design and has a strong focus on enhancing the student experience.  Jo is a registered nurse with a background in critical care nursing, and over 20 years' experience as an academic, researcher and leader. She leads a research program examining innovative and digital approaches to strengthen consumer engagement in acute care and improve patient participation, safety and quality of care.

Associate Professor Olivia Hollingdrake

Associate Professor Olivia Hollingdrake  is the Associate Dean, Domestic Partnerships in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, responsible for leading the School’s engagement with clinical and academic partners. Grounded in a 25‑year nursing career, Olivia’s research centres on reducing stigma in healthcare and improving access for people who experience social marginalisation. This includes people living with HIV, people experiencing homelessness, and people affected by domestic and family violence. Olivia is committed to ensuring that individuals with lived experience of health vulnerabilities are active partners in shaping research, practice, and policy that directly impact their lives. She brings to her role extensive teaching experience across nursing and public health, including leading large undergraduate programs.

Associate Professor Gulzar Malik

Associate Professor Gulzar Malik is Associate Dean, International Partnerships in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Associate Professor Malik co-ordinates postgraduate nursing subjects and oversees offshore undergraduate nursing courses and leads the School's Nursing and Midwifery Workforce research team. She specialises in evidence-based practice in clinical settings, voluntary assisted dying, empowering international students, pain management and innovative teaching pedagogies. Associate Professor Malik is a highly experienced Registered Nurse and academic who has over 20 years of experience in healthcare settings and academic institutions both in Australia and overseas. She is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and contributes to the Psi Zeta At-Large Chapter of Sigma as a counsellor.

Professor Melissa Bloomer

Professor Melissa Bloomer is the Associate Dean, Research and Industry Engagement for the School of Nursing and Midwifery, responsible for leading the School’s research initiatives and training, and industry engagement, aligning with the School and University’s strategic research priorities. Professor Bloomer is particularly passionate about research mentorship, and building research capacity and capability in others, especially HDR students and E/MCRs. In the ADRIE role, Professor Bloomer’s priority is to help lead the School in initiatives that drive and demonstrate our impact, not just to our industry partners, but to healthcare more broadly. Her research focuses on end-of-life care, which encompasses recognition of dying, clinician preparedness, communication, care planning and decision making, and family support at the end of life in inpatient settings; and clinical care of people with diverse cultural characteristics, which explores the unique and often under-recognised needs of people who are culturally, linguistically, racially, ethnically and religiously diverse.

Professor Amanda Cooklin

Professor Amanda Cooklin is Director of the Judith Lumley Centre, in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She is an ARC Future Fellow and leads the Work and Family Research Program at the Centre. She has expertise in the epidemiology of parents' mental health, the social determinants of parenting, and the work-family interface. Her research comprises epidemiological cohort studies and intervention trials, with a focus on establishing the longitudinal relationships between parents' mental health (anxiety, depression, fatigue), parenting and children's outcomes and the role of parents' employment, job quality and work-family balance on parent mental health and parenting. Professor Cooklin has attracted more than $8 million in research funding, resulting in over 70 scientific publications on parents work and wellbeing.

Professor Helen McLachlan

Professor Helen McLachlan is Head of the Department of Midwifery in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and is a Registered Nurse and Midwife. She has extensive experience teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery and in higher degree supervision. Professor McLachlan is a national and international leader in maternity care research and has published in a range of areas including innovative models of midwifery care, First Nations health, maternal and child health, breastfeeding, postnatal depression, midwifery education and translating research into practice. She has 140 publications in international refereed journals, two book chapters and 250 conference presentations. Professor McLachlan has received over $16 million in competitive grant funding and has received multiple awards, proving her ability to lead large, complex projects which have led to substantial policy and practice change in maternity care.

Dr Jason Watterson

Dr Jason Watterson is Head of the Department of Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. He has a background in intensive care nursing, having spent over 30 years working in various clinical, clinical education and management roles. Dr Watterson's PhD examined alcohol harm reduction in the Royal Australian Navy. His research interests cover education, workforce and leadership in clinical and military settings.

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