Our Team

Management

Prof. Stephen LordSenior Principal Research Fellow

Professor Stephen Lord is a Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). A leading international researcher in his field, Stephen has published over 400 papers in the areas of balance, gait and falls in older people. His research follows two main themes: the identification of physiological risk factors for falls, and the development and evaluation of fall prevention strategies. His methodology for fall-risk assessment has been adopted by researchers and clinicians across the world. Stephen is actively engaged in initiatives aimed at implementing falls prevention evidence into policy and practice. In 2019, Stephen was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the President of the British Geriatrics Society in recognition for his contribution to falls research.

Prof. Cathie SherringtonSenior Principal Research Fellow

Professor Cathie Sherrington FAHMS, FACP, PhD, MPH, BAppSc (Physio) is a Senior Principal Research Fellow at the University of Sydney School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the promotion of physical activity and the prevention of falls in older people and people with chronic disabling conditions. She has authored 248 refereed journal articles which have been cited over 24,600 times, used in 38 international guidelines in 15 countries, and used by Health Departments such as the NSW Ministry of Health. Cathie is the most prolific author of reviews and trials about falls and exercise in the past 10 years (Web of Science, Dec 2019). She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and Australian College of Physiotherapists.

Dr Daina SturnieksSenior Research Scientist

Dr Daina Sturnieks has a PhD in human biomechanics from The University of Western Australia. She is Senior Research Scientist at NeuRA, where she manages the Balance and Gait Analysis Laboratory and is a Lecturer in Anatomy at UNSW. Her research focuses on understanding biomechanical, sensorimotor and neurocognitive contributions to balance and falls in older people and clinical groups, and randomised controlled trials of novel interventions to prevent falls involving balance, stepping and cognitive training. Dr Sturnieks is active in translating research findings into community, aged care and hospital settings. She is Executive Board Member of the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society.

Prof. Kim DelbaarePrincipal Research Scientist

Professor Kim Delbaere is a Principal Research Scientist at NeuRA, supported by NHMRC, and Associate Professor at UNSW, Sydney. Kim graduated in 2001 with a master in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy from Ghent University in Belgium and in 2005 completed her PhD on falls in older people. In 2006, she moved to Australia to work at NeuRA on reducing fear of falling in older people. Her research has contributed to the understanding of physical, psychological and cognitive factors that cause falls. Her multidisciplinary approach to preventing falls and promoting healthy ageing incorporates elements from physiotherapy, psychology, brain imaging and software engineering.

Lorraine LovittSenior Improvement Lead, Older Persons Safety Unit, CEC

Lorraine Lovitt a Senior Improvement Lead in the Older Persons Safety Program at Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC). Lorraine has a nursing background with considerable experience in aged care, in both community and acute care settings, as well as in the residential aged care sector. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), a non-executive director of a residential aged care provider, and has a long association with the NSW Fall Prevention Network.

Project Officers

Cameron HicksProject Officer and Research Assistant

Cameron Hicks graduated with a Bachelor of Health and Exercise Science from UNSW in 2010. He began his career treating older adults in residential aged care facilities before moving into fall prevention research. He is currently a Project Officer for the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network and Research Assistant at the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre at NeuRA. Cameron has worked in research for 10 years and at NeuRA for the past seven years, focusing on studies that involve walking, dizziness, fatigue and exergaming to prevent falls. He has co-authored five papers and published one paper as the lead author. Cameron has a keen interest in translating research into practice, especially in the area of physical activity to prevent falls.

Natassia SmithProject Officer and Research Assistant

Natassia graduated with a Bachelor of Exercise Physiology from UNSW in 2016 and has worked as a Research Assistant at the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre at NeuRA since 2017. During that time, she has supported two national Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT) that investigated motor and cognitive training in healthy older people and people with multiple sclerosis. In 2019, Natassia took up the additional role of NSW Falls Prevention Network Project Officer, which sees her collaborating with aged care services providers, advocacy groups and researchers to develop, implement and deliver new falls prevention education and training programs.

Local Health District Falls Prevention Coordinators

Margaret Armstrong
Northern Sydney Local Health District
Email: margaret.armstrong@health.nsw.gov.au

Cheryl Baldwin
Central Coast Local Health District
Email: cheryl.baldwin@health.nsw.gov.au

Jamie Hallen
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Email: jamie.hallen@health.nsw.gov.au

Carmelle Moses
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Email: carmelle.moses@health.nsw.gov.au

Kim Miners
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Email: kimleanne.miners@health.nsw.gov.au

Kitty Kaur
Sydney West Local Health District
Email: kitty.kaur@health.nsw.gov.au

Cathleen Addison-Wilson (Quality Development Manager)
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Email: cathleen.addison-wilson@health.nsw.gov.au

Cassandra Chan
Sydney Local Health District
Email: cassandra.chan@health.nsw.gov.au

Briony Chasle (Falls Prevention and Management Coordinator)
South Western Sydney Local Health District
Email: briony.chasle@health.nsw.gov.au

Julia Dayhew
Northern NSW Local Health District
Email: julia.dayhew@health.nsw.gov.au

Allison Wallis – CNC Inpatient Falls
Northern NSW Local Health District
Email: allison.wallis@health.nsw.gov.au

Michael Fahy – Nurse Manager, Clinical Practice and Leadership
Hunter New England Local Health District
Email: michael.fahy@health.nsw.gov.au

Desley Johnson
Western NSW and Far West Local Health Districts
Email: desley.johnson@health.nsw.gov.au

Linda Sutherland – Nurse Executive
Far West Local Health District
Email: linda.sutherland@health.nsw.gov.au

Niccola Follett
Southern NSW Local Health District
Email: niccola.follett@health.nsw.gov.au

Jo-Anne Mcshane
Mid North Coast Local Health District
Email: JoAnne.Mcshane@health.nsw.gov.au

Elizabeth Roberts
St Vincent’s Health Network
Email: Elizabeth.Roberts@svha.org.au

Joanne Taylor
St Vincent’s Health Network
Email: joanne.taylor@svha.org.au

Karen Bowen
Northern NSW Local Health District
Email: Karen.Bowen@health.nsw.gov.au

Wendy Tilden
Sydney Local Health District
Email: Wendy.Tilden@health.nsw.gov.au

Nicole Hill
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
Email: Nicole.Hill@health.nsw.gov.au

Nazmul Ahasan
Murrumbidgee Local Health District
Email: Nazmul.Ahasan@health.nsw.gov.au

Brian Julien
Western Sydney Local Health District
Email: Brian.Julien@health.nsw.gov.au