Board of Directors

The ADEA National Board of Directors are a group of diverse and capable professionals. These CDEs and independent directors are recruited through a formal process outlined in the ADEA Constitution.

The President and other Office Bearers are elected at the Board meeting held during the Australasian Diabetes Congress.

Office bearers

Ann Bush, President

Ann has 20 years of experience as a registered nurse. She is a CDE working in metropolitan acute care, rural community health and private practice. Ann has been a member of the ADEA-VIC Branch Executive for six years and is a member of the ADEA Victoria Branch Conference Organising Committee. She has represented the ADEA as a member of a health advisory panel working with the Victorian Department of Education and Training and is passionate about diabetes education.

Ann believes in the sustainability of private practice. Her focus is ensuring the CDE role is evidence-based best practice and continues to support the lobbying and support for ADEA members.


Anna Blackie, Vice President

Anna is a Consultant Pharmacist and Credentialled Diabetes Educator. She has over 15 years’ experience as a Pharmacist in both community and hospital settings in Australia and the UK. She has been a Credentialled Diabetes Educator since 2018 and has worked across a variety of clinical settings, including an Indigenous Chronic Disease Clinic, outreach services within GP Practices, NDIS and private services, and within the Community Health setting.

Anna is a member of the ADEA Expert Reference Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Development, and a member of the Medical Education and Scientific Advisory Council. She was elected to the ADEA Board in 2022.

Anna is passionate about the role of Diabetes Educators and about working collaboratively to empower people, communities and the healthcare professionals who support them, to create meaningful improvements in health outcomes.


Tina Wyer

Tina brings more than 25 years of experience in corporate, financial services, and non-profit organisations.

She has held multiple C-suite roles, where she led significant change and transformation initiatives across both business and technology domains.

Her international experience in the US, Australia, and Singapore has equipped her with a unique understanding of business functions, regulatory environments, controls, and opportunities across various disciplines, geographies, and cultures.

Tina is also the founder of Unbeatable You, a venture dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders and promoting sustainability. She is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.


CDE Directors

Coralie Cross

Over the duration of her career, Coralie has worked across a wide variety of clinical areas and locations, including hospitals, community, urban, rural and remote.

‘I have been afforded the privilege of working with diverse populations such as homeless persons, refugee health and Indigenous Health’, Coralie says,

She has been working primarily within the specialty of diabetes for the past eighteen years, gaining her initial Master’s Degree within the specialty area of Diabetes in Rural, Remote and Indigenous Health, followed by a second Master’s Degree as an NP with the sub-specialty of Diabetes in Pregnancy.

Coralie’s journey into diabetes was largely led by following the clinical need. Oncology led her to investigate wound healing in more detail. The combination of wound healing and oncology led her to Hospital in the Home which then led to diabetes.


Amanda Bartlett

Amanda is a registered nurse and certified midwife with over 30 years’ experience in health. She has been a Credentialled Diabetes Educator for over 10 years working in both public hospitals and her own private practice. Amanda has mentored many CDEs supporting them to achieve their goals and is a guest lecturer at UTS.

She has previously held a directorship of ADIPS, served in the ADEA Complaints Committee and is the current chair of ADEA DIP SIG. She is involved with Medical Education and Scientific Council (MESAC) in an advisory role. She is passionate about supporting all people with diabetes, supporting ADEA members and furthering the direction of ADEA as a professional body.

Amanda was ADEA President for two years, stepping down in October 2024.


ADEA Board Director Catharine McNamara

Catharine McNamara

Catharine is a CDE with both clinical and academic experience. Catharine currently works at Deakin University as Unit Chair in the Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education, and at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in a clinical role supporting people with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts degree and post graduate certificates in Diabetes Education and Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Her primary profession is as an RN.

Catharine has a great passion for educating and creating innovative tools to make the complex concepts around diabetes a little simpler and easier to understand. She has a longstanding involvement with the ADEA as a member of the Education Committee working group and other extracurricular activities such as mentoring DEs who are new to the GDS program.


Shannon Lin

Shannon is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and CDE with about 20 years of experience. She completed her PhD on health literacy and diabetes education. Her clinical area has focused on type 2 diabetes management and prevention, particularly in First Nations health, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and aged care facilities. Providing outreach clinics also forms part of her work. Further, her passion for helping vulnerable groups extends internationally with her role as the Diabetes Education and Training Specialist at Life for a Child.

Shannon also works as a Diabetes Course Director at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) where she has a strong interest in diabetes workforce development. She received several awards for her teaching and research excellence, including the 2023 UTS Alumni Award — Faculty Award of Excellence in Health.

Shannon actively participates in various state, national, and international diabetes committees, including many key ADEA committees and working groups. In 2021, she was voted the ‘Most Influential International Diabetes Educator’ in China after reaching more than 30,000 Chinese healthcare professionals and consumers. In 2023, she was awarded the Jan Baldwin National CDE of the Year.


 

Derek Finch

Derek has more than 22 years of experience in reengineering and is one of Australia’s leading contact centre specialists. Derek has worked in government, not-for-profit and corporates, both as a manager and as a consultant.

Derek is an experienced change manager, contact centre judge and conference speaker. He has been an active member of Auscontact and has held the role of National Director and National Chair.

Board of Directors

The ADEA National Board of Directors are a group of diverse and capable professionals. These CDEs and independent directors are recruited through a formal process outlined in the ADEA Constitution.

The President and other Office Bearers are elected at the Board meeting held during the Australasian Diabetes Congress.

Office bearers

Ann Bush, President

Ann has 20 years of experience as a registered nurse. She is a CDE working in metropolitan acute care, rural community health and private practice. Ann has been a member of the ADEA-VIC Branch Executive for six years and is a member of the ADEA Victoria Branch Conference Organising Committee. She has represented the ADEA as a member of a health advisory panel working with the Victorian Department of Education and Training and is passionate about diabetes education.

Ann believes in the sustainability of private practice. Her focus is ensuring the CDE role is evidence-based best practice and continues to support the lobbying and support for ADEA members.


Anna Blackie, Vice President

Anna is a Consultant Pharmacist and Credentialled Diabetes Educator. She has over 15 years’ experience as a Pharmacist in both community and hospital settings in Australia and the UK. She has been a Credentialled Diabetes Educator since 2018 and has worked across a variety of clinical settings, including an Indigenous Chronic Disease Clinic, outreach services within GP Practices, NDIS and private services, and within the Community Health setting.

Anna is a member of the ADEA Expert Reference Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Development, and a member of the Medical Education and Scientific Advisory Council. She was elected to the ADEA Board in 2022.

Anna is passionate about the role of Diabetes Educators and about working collaboratively to empower people, communities and the healthcare professionals who support them, to create meaningful improvements in health outcomes.


Tina Wyer

Tina brings more than 25 years of experience in corporate, financial services, and non-profit organisations.

She has held multiple C-suite roles, where she led significant change and transformation initiatives across both business and technology domains.

Her international experience in the US, Australia, and Singapore has equipped her with a unique understanding of business functions, regulatory environments, controls, and opportunities across various disciplines, geographies, and cultures.

Tina is also the founder of Unbeatable You, a venture dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders and promoting sustainability. She is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.


CDE Directors

Coralie Cross

Over the duration of her career, Coralie has worked across a wide variety of clinical areas and locations, including hospitals, community, urban, rural and remote.

‘I have been afforded the privilege of working with diverse populations such as homeless persons, refugee health and Indigenous Health’, Coralie says,

She has been working primarily within the specialty of diabetes for the past eighteen years, gaining her initial Master’s Degree within the specialty area of Diabetes in Rural, Remote and Indigenous Health, followed by a second Master’s Degree as an NP with the sub-specialty of Diabetes in Pregnancy.

Coralie’s journey into diabetes was largely led by following the clinical need. Oncology led her to investigate wound healing in more detail. The combination of wound healing and oncology led her to Hospital in the Home which then led to diabetes.


Amanda Bartlett

Amanda is a registered nurse and certified midwife with over 30 years’ experience in health. She has been a Credentialled Diabetes Educator for over 10 years working in both public hospitals and her own private practice. Amanda has mentored many CDEs supporting them to achieve their goals and is a guest lecturer at UTS.

She has previously held a directorship of ADIPS, served in the ADEA Complaints Committee and is the current chair of ADEA DIP SIG. She is involved with Medical Education and Scientific Council (MESAC) in an advisory role. She is passionate about supporting all people with diabetes, supporting ADEA members and furthering the direction of ADEA as a professional body.

Amanda was ADEA President for two years, stepping down in October 2024.


ADEA Board Director Catharine McNamara

Catharine McNamara

Catharine is a CDE with both clinical and academic experience. Catharine currently works at Deakin University as Unit Chair in the Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education, and at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in a clinical role supporting people with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts degree and post graduate certificates in Diabetes Education and Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Her primary profession is as an RN.

Catharine has a great passion for educating and creating innovative tools to make the complex concepts around diabetes a little simpler and easier to understand. She has a longstanding involvement with the ADEA as a member of the Education Committee working group and other extracurricular activities such as mentoring DEs who are new to the GDS program.


Shannon Lin

Shannon is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and CDE with about 20 years of experience. She completed her PhD on health literacy and diabetes education. Her clinical area has focused on type 2 diabetes management and prevention, particularly in First Nations health, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and aged care facilities. Providing outreach clinics also forms part of her work. Further, her passion for helping vulnerable groups extends internationally with her role as the Diabetes Education and Training Specialist at Life for a Child.

Shannon also works as a Diabetes Course Director at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) where she has a strong interest in diabetes workforce development. She received several awards for her teaching and research excellence, including the 2023 UTS Alumni Award — Faculty Award of Excellence in Health.

Shannon actively participates in various state, national, and international diabetes committees, including many key ADEA committees and working groups. In 2021, she was voted the ‘Most Influential International Diabetes Educator’ in China after reaching more than 30,000 Chinese healthcare professionals and consumers. In 2023, she was awarded the Jan Baldwin National CDE of the Year.


 

Derek Finch

Derek has more than 22 years of experience in reengineering and is one of Australia’s leading contact centre specialists. Derek has worked in government, not-for-profit and corporates, both as a manager and as a consultant.

Derek is an experienced change manager, contact centre judge and conference speaker. He has been an active member of Auscontact and has held the role of National Director and National Chair.