WASHA Committee 2025 Bio Notes
Hannah Midani
Hannah Midani is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and simulation educator with 16 years’ experience working in mental health across inpatient and community settings. Her experience in delivering the Royal Perth Bentley Group Mental Health Emergency Response Program sparked her passion for simulation, and since then she has been active in promoting the value of simulation to her specialty and advocating for the inclusion of mental health clinicians in simulation programs. Hannah is a faculty member of the SimStart program delivered at Perth Children’s Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital and has been a WASHA Executive Committee member since 2023.
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.
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
Hannah Midani is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and simulation educator with 16 years’ experience working in mental health across inpatient and community settings. Her experience in delivering the Royal Perth Bentley Group Mental Health Emergency Response Program sparked her passion for simulation, and since then she has been active in promoting the value of simulation to her specialty and advocating for the inclusion of mental health clinicians in simulation programs. Hannah is a faculty member of the SimStart program delivered at Perth Children’s Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital and has been a WASHA Executive Committee member since 2023.
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.
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
Jane is an experienced Educator in the public health sector. Having worked for many decades clinically in Surgical, High Dependency and post anaesthetic care units in Australia and the UK she moved into the education space. She developed an interest in simulation based education over the last decade recognising it as a powerful tool to assist in educating multi disciplinary health care providers to be able to provide safer practice in patient care. Currently working as a Staff Development Educator for Simulation, Deterioration and Resuscitation Providing Simulation Based Education for all levels of staff both in the simulation centre and across the health campus taking the simulations to the clinical areas. The advent of COVID highlighted the relevance of simulation when we were able to rapidly respond and used it to educate staff and test processes throughout the hospital to be able provide a safe environment for all patients staff and visitors attending the site.
Hugh Davies
Dr Hugh Davies has over 25 years’ clinical experience in the area of critical care nursing and has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on the topics of acute kidney injury and the use of continuous renal replacement therapy, as well as other topics related to the care of the critically ill patient. He joined the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in 2016 and is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer . A focus of his teaching has been on the use of simulation and has published several peer-reviewed papers on the topic. In 2023 he was appointed Director of Simulation. Dr Davies has a graduate certificate in clinical simulation and his research interests now extends to include interprofessional simulation-based learning.
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
Jane is an experienced Educator in the public health sector. Having worked for many decades clinically in Surgical, High Dependency and post anaesthetic care units in Australia and the UK she moved into the education space. She developed an interest in simulation based education over the last decade recognising it as a powerful tool to assist in educating multi disciplinary health care providers to be able to provide safer practice in patient care. Currently working as a Staff Development Educator for Simulation, Deterioration and Resuscitation Providing Simulation Based Education for all levels of staff both in the simulation centre and across the health campus taking the simulations to the clinical areas. The advent of COVID highlighted the relevance of simulation when we were able to rapidly respond and used it to educate staff and test processes throughout the hospital to be able provide a safe environment for all patients staff and visitors attending the site.
Hugh Davies
Dr Hugh Davies has over 25 years’ clinical experience in the area of critical care nursing and has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on the topics of acute kidney injury and the use of continuous renal replacement therapy, as well as other topics related to the care of the critically ill patient. He joined the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in 2016 and is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer . A focus of his teaching has been on the use of simulation and has published several peer-reviewed papers on the topic. In 2023 he was appointed Director of Simulation. Dr Davies has a graduate certificate in clinical simulation and his research interests now extends to include interprofessional simulation-based learning.
Emelyn Lee
Dr Emelyn Lee is a consultant anaesthetist at King Edward Memorial Hospital & Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who is also a Director of Clinical Training with the Medical Education Unit at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Her portfolio covers simulation and skills training within the hospital.
She has a wealth of experience as an instructor for ALS (Advanced Life Support), EMAC, ANZCA Educators Program and is the director of SIMAC (Simulation Instructor Modular Advanced Course) at SCGH. With a keen interest in Human Factors and patient safety, she is also the director of Refresher of Anaesthetic Crises and THRIVE (Teams, Human Factors, Resources in Vital Environments) at SCGH.
Hannah Solomon
Hannah is the Manager of Simulation Education at the Simulation Centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. With more than a decade of experience in simulation-based education, she has a strong background in designing, delivering, and leading high-fidelity, interprofessional simulation programs. She maintains clinical currency through her work in the Emergency Department and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Nursing as well as a Masters of Nurse Education. Previously, as the Nurse Educator of Statewide Trauma, Hannah led the development and implementation of WA’s first interprofessional Trauma Team Simulation Training (TTST) and has played a pivotal role in establishing several high-fidelity training programs aimed at strengthening professional education across the health system. Hannah has a passion in simulation educator training and capability building. Her work focuses on advancing leadership, curriculum design, and interprofessional education, with a strong commitment to innovation and long‑term sustainability in healthcare simulation.
Kelly Bennison
Kelly has nearly two decades of nursing experience across both clinical practice and simulation-based education support. With a strong background as a Surgical Clinical Nurse (CN), Kelly’s most recent clinical experience was in the fast-paced environment of Day Surgery, where she developed extensive expertise in perioperative care, patient safety and team coordination.
Transitioning from clinical practice into simulation, Kelly now works behind the scenes supporting undergraduate nursing education by coordinating Murdoch University’s simulation laboratories. She plays a pivotal role in designing and delivering realistic, immersive simulated clinical environments that enhance student learning and build confidence.
Through thoughtfully designed simulation experiences, Kelly helps bridge the gap between theory and practice. She is passionate about preparing students for the realities of healthcare by fostering critical thinking, clinical competence and compassionate, patient-centred care.
Dr Emelyn Lee is a consultant anaesthetist at King Edward Memorial Hospital & Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who is also a Director of Clinical Training with the Medical Education Unit at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Her portfolio covers simulation and skills training within the hospital.
She has a wealth of experience as an instructor for ALS (Advanced Life Support), EMAC, ANZCA Educators Program and is the director of SIMAC (Simulation Instructor Modular Advanced Course) at SCGH. With a keen interest in Human Factors and patient safety, she is also the director of Refresher of Anaesthetic Crises and THRIVE (Teams, Human Factors, Resources in Vital Environments) at SCGH.
Hannah Solomon
Hannah is the Manager of Simulation Education at the Simulation Centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. With more than a decade of experience in simulation-based education, she has a strong background in designing, delivering, and leading high-fidelity, interprofessional simulation programs. She maintains clinical currency through her work in the Emergency Department and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Nursing as well as a Masters of Nurse Education. Previously, as the Nurse Educator of Statewide Trauma, Hannah led the development and implementation of WA’s first interprofessional Trauma Team Simulation Training (TTST) and has played a pivotal role in establishing several high-fidelity training programs aimed at strengthening professional education across the health system. Hannah has a passion in simulation educator training and capability building. Her work focuses on advancing leadership, curriculum design, and interprofessional education, with a strong commitment to innovation and long‑term sustainability in healthcare simulation.
Kelly Bennison
Kelly has nearly two decades of nursing experience across both clinical practice and simulation-based education support. With a strong background as a Surgical Clinical Nurse (CN), Kelly’s most recent clinical experience was in the fast-paced environment of Day Surgery, where she developed extensive expertise in perioperative care, patient safety and team coordination.
Transitioning from clinical practice into simulation, Kelly now works behind the scenes supporting undergraduate nursing education by coordinating Murdoch University’s simulation laboratories. She plays a pivotal role in designing and delivering realistic, immersive simulated clinical environments that enhance student learning and build confidence.
Through thoughtfully designed simulation experiences, Kelly helps bridge the gap between theory and practice. She is passionate about preparing students for the realities of healthcare by fostering critical thinking, clinical competence and compassionate, patient-centred care.