The objectives of the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health are operationalised through a number of portfolios.

Role of the portfolio holders

• Be a public point of contact from the CMFH and the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health in relation to the portfolio area
• Contribute to a monthly meeting to discuss and plan the program of research and consultancy
• Provide advice and support to the Director in terms of managing current projects and planning future directions
• Assist with decision making and logistical and resources planning
• Promote the work of the Centre and the Faculty in relation to the portfolio and other activities
• Contribute to the education programs as appropriate

Profiles of the portfolio holders

Joanne Gray
Midwifery undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
Joanne is a lecturer in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health and is the coordinator of the Graduate Diploma in Midwifery and Bachelor of Midwifery courses. Joanne has been involved in midwifery education in the tertiary sector for many years. She has worked as a midwife in both rural and metropolitan New South Wales and currently works as a midwife at Royal North Shore Hospital on a casual basis. Joanne is studying in the PhD program at UTS and is exploring the learning experiences of midwifery students.

Lin Lock
Postgraduate supervision and education
Lin Lock is involved in education in relation to midwifery education across all levels in the Faculty. She works with undergraduate students in the maternity care clinical elective, has occasional session with the Graduate Diploma in Midwifery students and coordinates and teaches the Master of Midwifery. As the Coordinator of Doctoral programs in NMH, Lin works with research students in teaching, supervision and management roles. She is the initial point of contact for students making application to the Doctor of Midwifery or Doctor of Philosophy leading students through the processes of making connection with potential supervisors and advising on the application proposal. Lin currently supervises or co-supervises a number of students engaged in these degrees. Research projects in which Lin is engaged have a focus on postnatal care and range from the experiences of women to the practice of midwives and the evaluation of models of maternity care.

Carolyn Briggs
Child and family health
Carolyn is a member of the Faculty and has teaching and research interests in well children and family health. She teaches maternal and child health and health promotion at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Carolyn has clinical experience in child and family health nursing and has worked as a community health nurse, and she maintains close contact with clinicians in child and family health. She has a long standing interest in policy development for children and families and is active in the Child and Family Health Nurses Association (NSW) Inc., the professional nursing association that provides a voice for child and family health nurses at the policy making level in NSW, as well as the national association that lobbies at federal levels. Her current research projects include a study of nursing practice in child and family health, and an examination of the implementation of policy for families and children in community child health services.

Adjunct Professor Virginia Schmied
Family and community health
Virginia is currently Acting Director of the NSW Centre for Parenting and Research in the NSW Department of Community Services She is also Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health at the University of Technology, Sydney. She is a midwife and member of the Australian College of Midwives with over twenty years experience in clinical practice, education, research and consultancy. In her adjunct position Virginia holds a portfolio related to Family and Community Health. She has conducted research in the area of childbirth and parenting education, breastfeeding, transition to motherhood, fatherhood, supporting parents with infants in neonatal nurseries and postnatal care and the role of child and family health nurses. She is currently supervising / co-supervising Masters and PhD students undertaking research in the areas of representations of pregnancy, breastfeeding, child and family health nursing and implementing family centred care in neonatal nurseries. Virginia has been an associate investigator on two previous ARC grant and an NHMRC project grant. She has published in referred journals and presented at over 30 national and international conferences