Our people
Lori-Anne Sharp - CEO
Appointed as CEO in August 2025 after acting in the role since March 2025, Lori-Anne is recognised for her leadership and commitment to strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce. She works to foster collaboration, support nurses and midwives to thrive, and advocate for meaningful change within the health and community sector.
Lori-Anne was a key champion for the establishment of the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (NMHPA), successfully lobbying for the initial funding during her eight-year tenure as Federal Assistant Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).
Lori-Anne brings significant experience, strong national connections and a longstanding commitment to the nursing and midwifery professions. A Registered Nurse, Lori-Anne spent a decade working in the community sector, including with Victoria’s Homeless Persons Program, before moving into leadership roles at the ANMF, where she served for over two decades.
Lori-Anne has previously been a trustee director on the HESTA superannuation board and is the current Chairperson for the Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad (APHEDA).
Tayla Vella - Partnerships and Communications Lead
Tayla brings a passion for supporting the health of nurses and midwives to this role.
Tayla has worked as a nurse within various community, acute, and specialist mental health services. She has a Bachelor of Nursing and specialised training in mental health nursing and addictive behaviours.
Tayla worked on the startup of Nurse & Midwife Support. This experience fuelled her passion for advocating for the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers. This led Tayla to the United Kingdom, where she completed a Master's in Workplace Health and Wellbeing at the University of Nottingham.
Tayla contributed to the implementation of the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation and associated services and is committed to developing sustainable health services that meet community needs while safeguarding the wellbeing of those delivering care. Tayla has a Master’s in Hospital Management and Leadership and is a strong advocate for the health and wellbeing of our current and future industry.
David Rodda - Risk and Compliance Officer
David is a registered nurse with experience in critical care and hospital management, before moving into correctional health to gain more flexibility for parenting. This led him into quality and risk roles, where he now works to make healthcare safer and more practical for patients and staff.
He focuses on spotting risks early, improving processes, and creating cultures where learning and improvement are part of everyday practice. Drawing on both data and clinical know-how, David helps turn good ideas into changes that stick, always aiming to support staff and improve outcomes.
