VSA Committees

The Business Development Committee informs and makes recommendations to the VSA Board of Management. We work to identify and secure partners, business opportunities and industry partners.

Members

Professor Debra Kiegaldie (Chair)
You can read more about Debra here. 

Beverley Sutton
You can read more about Bev here. 

The purpose of the VSA Research Committee is to foster a culture of scholarship among Alliance subscribers to promote evidenced-based application of simulation methodologies in health professional education by:

1. Formulating a strategic plan for the development of collaborative research projects among subscribers of the VSA.
2. Promoting dissemination and sharing of research findings to VSA subscribers through local seminars and symposiums.
3. Providing leadership and advice where possible to Alliance subscribers on the development and implementation of research projects related to simulated learning environments.
4. Adding to the body of knowledge of simulated learning environments through the publication of peer reviewed articles in scholarly journals.
5. Dissemination of information to Alliance subscribers of research grants and funding opportunities related to or applicable to simulated learning environments.

Members

Andrée is a lecturer in Nursing & Midwifery at Monash University. Andrée is a paediatric nurse with a wealth of paediatric clinical experience, having previously worked at Royal Children's Hospital (RCH). Andree has recently submitted her PhD - a qualitative analysis of the engagement of young people as simulated participants in health professional education programs.  As part of her PhD, Andrée has presented at both national and international and has published work in peer-reviewed journals.

Kelly Bowles

Kelly is the Director of Research at the Department of Paramedicine and the School of Primary and Allied Health Care at Monash University. Her background training is in Biomechanics and she remains an Accredited Exercise Scientist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Kelly has over 60 publications in a range of areas including health professional education, health services research and clinician health and wellbeing. She has received grant funding to complete research using simulation education and has numerous Quartile 1 publications as a result of this work.

Raymond Yap

Raymond is a colorectal and general surgeon that serves the south-eastern community and beyond. Raymond completed general surgical training through the Austin Hospital, and subsequently the Colorectal Surgical Society's 2-year subspecialty training program in Colorectal surgery. He then worked at AdventHealth Orlando, USA who are pioneers in complex abdominal and transanal minimally invasive surgery for colorectal conditions.

He has a keen interest in surgical and clinical education, completing his Masters of Surgical Education with a thesis in the validity of virtual reality simulation in colonoscopy. He continues to educate medical students through Monash University and is involved in the training of general surgeons through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. His research interests include colorectal cancer outcomes and the use of simulation in skills education.

Shane Pritchard

Dr Shane Pritchard is Adjunct Lecturer (Physiotherapy) at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Shane completed his PhD in 2020 that investigated innovative simulation-based education approaches for physiotherapy students, and has published several simulation-based educational research papers exploring the practices and experiences of simulated participants and educators. He regularly works with simulated participants both at Monash University and also externally in a range of education and assessment contexts.

Shane has been a faculty member and facilitator of the National Health Education and Training in Simulation programme (NHET-Sim) since 2013, and has a particular interest in simulated participant methodology. Shane has also co-authored several educational modules for the Simulated Patient Network. Previously, Shane has worked with various health professional educators to design and facilitate simulation-based education sessions that include simulation scenarios, SP training, and debriefing. Shane is also the Director of an organisation that provides simulation-based education and training to international physiotherapists seeking registration in Australia.

Separate from his simulation and educational research interests, Shane works clinically part-time as a physiotherapist, primarily involved with providing multidisciplinary pain management services for clients with complex chronic pain conditions.

The purpose of the Finance and Risk Committee (FRC) is to provide information to assist the Board to make decisions and deliver recommendations by monitoring the following: 

1. The annual budget
2. Accounts processing
3. The financial statements
4. Financial and operational risk

Members

The Events Committee (EC) informs and makes recommendations to the Board by organising and managing the following:  

• Events
• Conferences
• Workshops / Symposia
• Webinars 
• Discussion Forums

Members

Melissa is a passionate advocate for simulation and in developing learners to become capable, knowledgeable, and compassionate individuals ready for success in the healthcare and human services field.  

With 25 years of experience in paediatric intensive care nursing, she holds graduate and postgraduate qualifications in nursing and education and recently completed a Master of Adult and Vocational Education.   

She is currently the Simulation Program Leader for the Faculty of Health Sciences, Youth and Community Studies at Holmesglen Institute, Melbourne. Particularly interested in delivering simulation experiences that explore communication competencies crucial to professional life, in addition to intra and interprofessional collaboration and teamwork.  

The Marketing and Communications Committee (MCC) is responsible for the strategy and execution of VSA marketing initiatives, and informs and makes recommendations to the Board with regard to the following:  

• Marketing campaign strategy
• Content strategy
• Management of the VSA website 
• Social media management 
• Promotion of VSA events (in conjunction with the Events Committee)

Members

You can read more about Liana here.