WASHA Committee 2025 Bio Notes
Alina Miranda
Alina is a Senior Lecturer at Curtin Medical school, Bentley campus Perth. She is the lead academic responsible for developing the curriculum and heavily teaches into the Anatomical Pathology combined Histo/Cyto major as part of the four-year BSc Laboratory Medicine undergraduate course, at Curtin University. Alina has worked as a medical scientist in cytopathology for more than 30 years in both private and public sectors. She is currently a committee member on the WA Local ASC committee and is an active committee member on the National ASC Board of examiners. Alina is the current Chair of the West Australian Simulation Healthcare Alliance (WASHA), and her research interests include development of EBUS/ROSE simulation for 4th year Lab Med students and digitising histo/cyto cases via a custom built virtual microscopy platform, compatible with Curtin University’s learning management system (LMS). She is currently working with a great team of experts on a larger digital project, called ‘Human VR Dissection (ProSection XR)’, which aims to develop an advanced virtual reality (VR) human dissection simulation that provides an immersive and interactive learning experience for all healthcare professionals. She was a recipient of a Curtin Medical School Teaching Excellence award in 2023, and a recipient of a 2024 Curtin Medical School award for Contribution to Engagement. In October 2024, she was part of a project team, awarded a Faculty of Health ISOLT Research Impact Award for the digital works on 3D photogrammetry, to produce photorealistic digital replicas of anatomical specimens, used widely on campus and at our international global campuses as part of the larger first year cohort teaching into interprofessional anatomy units.
Janet Vince
Richard Riley
Richard was an anaesthetist at RPH, having trained in Perth and Pittsburgh. Currently he is Clinical Debriefing Manager for 3rd and 4th year PPD at UNDA and is Asssoc. Prof. of Anaesthesia at UWA. He was Editor of “Manual of Simulation in Healthcare” and “Australasian Anaesthesia” and was the State Director of Simulation. His interests include patient safety and staff welfare, simulation in healthcare and difficult airway management.
Hannah Mindani
Brennen Mills
Dr Brennen Mills is a Senior Lecturer who leads the Simulation & Immersive Digital Technology Group (SIDTG) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia. Dr Mills’ background is in the development and evaluation of innovative technologies and high-fidelity simulation-based learning environments for education and training, with a focus on resilience building and enhancing preparedness in pressurised settings. This includes development and evaluation of novel pathways for digital, augmented and virtual reality technology. Dr Mills is also Founder and CEO of Alpha Immersion Pty Ltd, a tech-based start-up with a mission to safeguard frontline healthcare professionals against workplace aggression and violence by revolutionising training methodologies through immersive virtual technologies.
Brid Phillips
Dr Bríd Phillips has many years’ experience working collaboratively in simulation, both in her clinical role as a Senior Nurse in Emergency departments and as a health professions educator across medicine and nursing. In her current role as Course Director for the new Honours Nursing course at UWA, she is a champion for both simulation and interdisciplinary learning. Alongside her clinical and teaching experience, her research in the humanities has given her a critical lens with which to approach to role play in simulation, emotional dynamics and collaborative practice. While she has a doctorate in Shakespearean Studies and The History of Emotions, she is also completing a Masters in Clinical Simulation. https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/00072426 https://sites.google.com/view/theheartofthematter/about-us
Katie Janz
Katie Janz is an academic nurse at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Notre Dame, Australia, bringing nearly two decades of diverse clinical experience in emergency nursing. Her career spans across remote, rural, interstate and international settings, encompassing roles such as Nurse Unit Manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Manager. Currently, she works as a Course Coordinator and Lecturer for a clinical skills-based course in the undergraduate program for nursing, whilst maintaining a casual position in a local emergency department. Katie is deeply invested in simulation-based education, actively contributing to clinical skills and trauma-based education. She is currently studying for her PhD on Virtual Reality (VR) simulation, focusing on non-technical skills in undergraduate nursing students, with the hope of determining positive outcomes for teaching these soft skills using VR technology. Her dedication to advancing nursing education through innovative technologies underscores her commitment to fostering competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.
Jane West
Holly Denton
Holly is an experienced nurse academic with a strong background in simulation-based education, wound care, and community nursing. Originally trained in the UK, she has over two decades of clinical and academic experience across both the UK and Australia. In her current role as Academic Lead for Simulation at Murdoch University, she works collaboratively to embed innovative, technology-enhanced simulations, including high-fidelity and avatar-based learning, throughout the Bachelor of Nursing program. Holly is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, holds a Master of Research, and is currently completing a PhD focused on assessing wound care competence in undergraduate nursing students.
Kirsty Freeman
Darren Bailey
Alina is a Senior Lecturer at Curtin Medical school, Bentley campus Perth. She is the lead academic responsible for developing the curriculum and heavily teaches into the Anatomical Pathology combined Histo/Cyto major as part of the four-year BSc Laboratory Medicine undergraduate course, at Curtin University. Alina has worked as a medical scientist in cytopathology for more than 30 years in both private and public sectors. She is currently a committee member on the WA Local ASC committee and is an active committee member on the National ASC Board of examiners. Alina is the current Chair of the West Australian Simulation Healthcare Alliance (WASHA), and her research interests include development of EBUS/ROSE simulation for 4th year Lab Med students and digitising histo/cyto cases via a custom built virtual microscopy platform, compatible with Curtin University’s learning management system (LMS). She is currently working with a great team of experts on a larger digital project, called ‘Human VR Dissection (ProSection XR)’, which aims to develop an advanced virtual reality (VR) human dissection simulation that provides an immersive and interactive learning experience for all healthcare professionals. She was a recipient of a Curtin Medical School Teaching Excellence award in 2023, and a recipient of a 2024 Curtin Medical School award for Contribution to Engagement. In October 2024, she was part of a project team, awarded a Faculty of Health ISOLT Research Impact Award for the digital works on 3D photogrammetry, to produce photorealistic digital replicas of anatomical specimens, used widely on campus and at our international global campuses as part of the larger first year cohort teaching into interprofessional anatomy units.
Janet Vince
Richard Riley
Richard was an anaesthetist at RPH, having trained in Perth and Pittsburgh. Currently he is Clinical Debriefing Manager for 3rd and 4th year PPD at UNDA and is Asssoc. Prof. of Anaesthesia at UWA. He was Editor of “Manual of Simulation in Healthcare” and “Australasian Anaesthesia” and was the State Director of Simulation. His interests include patient safety and staff welfare, simulation in healthcare and difficult airway management.
Hannah Mindani
Brennen Mills
Dr Brennen Mills is a Senior Lecturer who leads the Simulation & Immersive Digital Technology Group (SIDTG) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia. Dr Mills’ background is in the development and evaluation of innovative technologies and high-fidelity simulation-based learning environments for education and training, with a focus on resilience building and enhancing preparedness in pressurised settings. This includes development and evaluation of novel pathways for digital, augmented and virtual reality technology. Dr Mills is also Founder and CEO of Alpha Immersion Pty Ltd, a tech-based start-up with a mission to safeguard frontline healthcare professionals against workplace aggression and violence by revolutionising training methodologies through immersive virtual technologies.
Brid Phillips
Dr Bríd Phillips has many years’ experience working collaboratively in simulation, both in her clinical role as a Senior Nurse in Emergency departments and as a health professions educator across medicine and nursing. In her current role as Course Director for the new Honours Nursing course at UWA, she is a champion for both simulation and interdisciplinary learning. Alongside her clinical and teaching experience, her research in the humanities has given her a critical lens with which to approach to role play in simulation, emotional dynamics and collaborative practice. While she has a doctorate in Shakespearean Studies and The History of Emotions, she is also completing a Masters in Clinical Simulation. https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/00072426 https://sites.google.com/view/theheartofthematter/about-us
Katie Janz
Katie Janz is an academic nurse at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Notre Dame, Australia, bringing nearly two decades of diverse clinical experience in emergency nursing. Her career spans across remote, rural, interstate and international settings, encompassing roles such as Nurse Unit Manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Manager. Currently, she works as a Course Coordinator and Lecturer for a clinical skills-based course in the undergraduate program for nursing, whilst maintaining a casual position in a local emergency department. Katie is deeply invested in simulation-based education, actively contributing to clinical skills and trauma-based education. She is currently studying for her PhD on Virtual Reality (VR) simulation, focusing on non-technical skills in undergraduate nursing students, with the hope of determining positive outcomes for teaching these soft skills using VR technology. Her dedication to advancing nursing education through innovative technologies underscores her commitment to fostering competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.
Jane West
Holly Denton
Holly is an experienced nurse academic with a strong background in simulation-based education, wound care, and community nursing. Originally trained in the UK, she has over two decades of clinical and academic experience across both the UK and Australia. In her current role as Academic Lead for Simulation at Murdoch University, she works collaboratively to embed innovative, technology-enhanced simulations, including high-fidelity and avatar-based learning, throughout the Bachelor of Nursing program. Holly is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, holds a Master of Research, and is currently completing a PhD focused on assessing wound care competence in undergraduate nursing students.
Kirsty Freeman
Darren Bailey