Dr. Salenna Elliott, Jethro Romer, Rani Lawler and Jane Wallace: ENDING-STI Synergy Project

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Speakers

Dr. Salenna Elliott, ENDING-STI Synergy National Coordinator: Dr Salenna Elliott (MBBS, PhD, MPH) is a Senior Research Fellow in the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland. She is a medical practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in infection and immunity research and public health, and has worked in Aboriginal health since 2016.  She is committed to addressing inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly young people, in relation to sexual and reproductive health. Salenna She is Chief Investigator on a funded NHMRC Ideas grant led by James Ward (IMPACT-STI study: Implementing a precision public health approach to move toward elimination of STIs, control of HIV and inform on other BBVs in regional Australia) and Associate Investigator on two additional projects focused on sexually transmissible infections and/or blood borne viruses in Aboriginal communities.

Jethro Romer, ENDING-STI Synergy Study Coordinator: Jethro is a Gangulu man from Central Queensland. Jethro has a 20+ year career in health services with both government and non-government organisations within Central Queensland. During this time Jethro has had the opportunity to work in various capacities ranging from Indigenous Health Worker, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Nurse Unit Manager. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted infections, Health Equity and Public Health have been particular interest areas during this time. Jethro is a current MPhil candidate and plans to complete further studies with the goal of aiding improved Health Equity and reduction of health expectancy gaps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations within Australia.

Rani Lawler, ENDING-STI Synergy Study Coordinator: Rani is a Torres Strait Islander woman who in 2011 completed a Bachelor of Health Science (Podiatry) at Charles Sturt University. During her Gap Year she worked with Indigenous students in an effort to keep them at school, engage them with learning and help them into sustained post-secondary sustainable employment. Rani now works with the Katherine West Health Board and is a Study Coordinator on the ENDING-STI Synergy project. 

Jane Wallace, Principal Research Technician: Jane is a Yiman and Bidjara woman from Central and South-Western Queensland and Jane has completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Nursing and a Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics. Jane has worked as a Registered Nurse in Queensland Health, and has experience in Acute Mental Health, Clinical Trials, Adult Mental Health and Child and Youth Mental Health Research. Jane has also worked in the Higher Education sector and supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in their journey of academic studies with specific focus in the area of Midwifery and Nursing. Jane’s goal is to undertake further studies and continue to contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within Australia.

Seminar Overview

In this seminar, our speakers will share details of the ENDING-STI Synergy project and how it aims to reduce the prevalence and improve management of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in Indigenous communities in Central Queensland and the Northern Territory. 

STIs have remained at high, endemic levels in some Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for too long, despite being easily detected and treated. The ENDING-STI Synergy project seeks to develop a detailed understanding of the drivers of STI transmission in select regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland and Northern Territory. Through synthesis of multiple local data sources and a genuine collaborative partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives, we are applying a precision public health approach to identifying the best combination of interventions to trial and evaluate in each location. Not only will this directly benefit participating communities, but we will then look to later expand the model in other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.