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 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.
Carly Green
Clinical Practice Manager
Carly brings a strong, career-long commitment to promoting health and wellbeing across both clinical and community settings.
As a Midwife and Specialist Community Public Health Nurse, Carly has extensive experience supporting individuals and families, particularly within the specialised field of perinatal and infant mental health. She has also supported colleagues through reflective and restorative supervision, developing a deep understanding of the importance of mental health support for both service users and the workforce.
Carly holds a Master of Science in Public Health Practice, providing a strong theoretical foundation for her work. She has undertaken further training in leadership and management in healthcare and has held roles managing teams, strengthening her focus on supporting the wellbeing of those delivering care in our communities.
Education has been a central part of Carly’s career. She has led a range of training initiatives in clinical settings and worked in higher education as a Nursing Lecturer. She also holds a postgraduate qualification in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Prior to joining the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia, Carly worked as a Continuing Professional Development Lead for a national professional body, where she gained valuable experience operating within the not-for-profit sector and at a national level.
Emma Lewis
Eastern Regional Coordinator
Emma brings over 20 years of experience working in healthcare, with 10 years of this working as a Registered Midwife. She has worked extensively across private healthcare, including complex, high-demand and culturally diverse hospital and health service environments. Her experience also spans community and educational settings, where she has contributed to workforce development through the design and delivery of CPD courses for nurses and midwives, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Emma holds a Bachelor of Midwifery and a Master of Primary Maternity Care, reflecting her commitment to evidence-based practice and excellence in maternity care. She is also a qualified Naturopath, with a Bachelor of Health Science, bringing a holistic and integrative perspective to her work.
With strong business acumen and experience in private practice, Emma is focused on delivering sustainable, high-quality models of care. She has demonstrated leadership within the profession, commencing as a clinician with NMHPA and, since 2025, has led our team Eastern region.
Emma understands the demands and realities of working in today’s healthcare environment and is committed to fostering a stronger, healthier, and more resilient nursing and midwifery workforce.
