The Australian Multiple Birth Association is excited to welcome the following speakers and experts to share their insights at AMBA National Convention 2022.
Amelia Haddock
Amelia Haddock, MC
- As a born and bred Canberra girl, of course Amelia is a public servant! She’s a bit of a jack of all trades having worked in finance, HR, policy, admin, strategy and design. Amelia loves working with people and solving problems. So when she landed a great management job with a magical opportunity to find real work-life balance without the late nights or weekends at her desk, along with her ability to juggle being a professional with being a twin mum, Amelia realised she was missing a creative outlet. With encouragement and support from her hubby Amelia became a registered marriage celebrant (and MC). That’s right…just when life was settling into a lovely rhythm, instead of just taking up a hobby,Amelia found a way to monetise joy, and started a small business.
- So now, Amelia is still a public servant during the week, and (in her own words) a lover of love by weekend (and weeknights, and some early mornings…). When people ask her ‘what do you do’, the answer always makes her smile.
Joyce Keating
Joyce Keating, Keynote Speaker
- Joyce has been passionate about all things AMBA since she first took a position on HKHMBA committee in 1987 as Vice President, when her twins were 6 months old. Since then, at club level, she has held positions in not only HKHMBA, but also Wollongong MBA, Multinet MBA & M-BABS. Including President; Vice President; Bereavement Officer; Casserole “Queen”; Membership Secretary; Minutes Secretary, Hospital Visitor; Area Co-ordinator.
- At state level, Joyce has been active on the NSW State Committee since 1989. Positions held include President; Telephone Co-ordinator; Bereavement Officer during this time. At AMBA National level positions held include Chairperson, International Liaison, State Representative, Bereavement Officer, Bereavement Working Group Leader.
- Joyce has been supporting bereaved multiple birth families since 1988. Since the death of her eldest son Liam in 1994, Joyce channelled her energies into supporting the bereaved within AMBA and The Homicide Victim’s Support Group (HVSG). Initially Joyce began her support of bereaved families training as a telephone counsellor for the HVSG becoming the founding President of the Multiple Birth Association - Bereavement Support Group in 1997 (M-BABS). Following up on the lack of information for parents of older multiples, she was part of the founding committee for Multinet MBA.
- Joyce has always enjoyed connecting with multiple birth families during her affiliation with AMBA especially at the many functions she has attended, which include 47 state seminars, (6 Interstate) 30 National Conventions and 3 NSW Inservice Days, and untold social functions. She has also been on the organising committees for 2 National Conventions; 4 State Seminars & 4 NSW Inservice days & the NSW Twins in School back in 1991.
- Joyce has represented AMBA at 3 International Congresses and met with other multiple birth families & groups in Canada, USA, even attending an expectant parent’s evening in San Jose.
- Joyce is proud to be a Life Member of HKHMBA, ISCMBA, SSMBA & AMBA (NSW) and is reliving the joys and trials of raising children with her 7 grandsons, including a set of fraternal twin boys.
Professor Mark Umstad
Professor Mark Umstad (AM)
- Professor Umstad is the Clinical Director of Maternity Services at the Women’s Hospital in Melbourne and the Patron of the Australian Multiple Birth Association.
- Mark is a highly experienced Obstetrician, who has a strong interest in high-risk obstetrics, particularly multiple pregnancies, pregnancy loss, premature delivery and recurrent miscarriage but also thoroughly enjoys the management of completely normal pregnancies.
- He has personally delivered more than 10,000 babies including many sets of twins, triplets and quadruplets. Including his public hospital contributions, he has been involved in the supervision of more than 2000 twin pregnancies, more than 60 triplet pregnancies and four quadruplet pregnancies. His passion for the best possible care for women with a multiple pregnancy led him to establish Australia’s first multiple pregnancy clinic in 1997 and subsequently, in 2010, be appointed as the National Patron of the Australian Multiple Birth Association.
- He has a strong research and teaching profile, believing these two aspects ensure he remains at the leading edge of obstetric practice. He has more than 60 scientific publications including several chapters in textbooks, has written four fetal monitoring manuals, and developed several guidelines for multiple pregnancy management. These academic achievements have resulted in his appointment as a Clinical Professor in the University of Melbourne.
- Mark was honoured to receive an Order of Australia (AM) in 2018 for significant service to medicine in the field of obstetrics, particularly complex pregnancies, as a clinician, consultant and academic.
- Read more about Mark
Dr Brittany Mitchell
Dr Brittany Mitchell, Post Doctoral Research Officer, QIMRT Berghofer Medical Institute
- Brittany graduated from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) with an MSc in Genetics in 2016. After receiving a highly competitive international research scholarship from the Queensland University of Technology, Brittany moved to Australia in 2018 to commence a PhD under the supervision of Prof. Nicholas Martin in the Genetic Epidemiology lab at QIMR Berghofer. Her work was focused on identifying and understanding genetic and environmental influences on neuropsychological traits including depression, cognitive ability and Alzheimer’s disease. Since completing her PhD, Brittany has joined the Psychiatric Genetics lab at QIMR Berghofer, under the supervision of Prof Sarah Medland.
Rocky Biasi
Rocky Biasi, Founder & Trainer, Human Connections
- Rocky Biasi created the Accidental Counsellor Training in 2008 from his experience as a secondary high school teacher, school counsellor also in private practice. Since that time he has presented the Accidental Counsellor to over 10 thousand people online and face to face across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. Rocky will be presenting on ways to provide meaningful support for our members during those incidental conversations that can happen in our volunteering capacity, as well as how to look after our own wellbeing and self care in our busy lives.
Kerrie Edwards
Ms Kerrie Edwards
- Kerrie loves being a mum to her 6 year old twin girls and witnessing the uniquely close and special relationship her kids share as they grow. The pregnancy left Kerrie suffering a significant Rectus Diastasis which led to several problems, including chronic lower pain. The condition impacted her life in many ways, making everyday activities particularly difficult. Kerrie undertook an intensive physiotherapy program to assist in healing her diastasis, however it did not completely resolve the problem. Abdominoplasty was recommended for Kerrie however she soon learnt that Medicare no longer covered the surgery for postpartum women.
- After reaching out to various networks on social media, Kerrie learnt that she was not alone, with many postpartum women in a similar position. Without cover, they would have to fund the surgery privately and at substantial personal cost. She also learnt that it was only postpartum women with symptomatic rectus diastasis that could no longer obtain public cover for this treatment, with the item remaining for cases of massive weight loss or in cases following surgical removal of a large intra-abdominal or pelvic tumour.
- Kerrie felt that this was discriminatory and decided to lodge a petition with the Australian Federal Parliament to reinstate Medicare cover for rectus repair for postpartum women. The petition gained a lot of attention and amassed 13,022 signatures. Dr Fiona Martin MP presented the petition to Parliament. Following the success of the petition, Kerrie has been appointed as the Community Representative on the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Council.
- In her spare time, Kerrie loves camping trips, bush walks and adventures of all kinds with her family.
Dr Siobhan Fitzpatrick
Dr Siobhan Fitzpatrick
- Siobhan is a plastic surgery trainee completing a Phd on post-partum rectus diastasis (tummy-muscle separation after pregnancy) under the supervision of Associate Professor Nicola Dean. She is conducting some Australia-wide studies on rectus diastasis and its impact on women's quality of life, as well as the effectiveness of abdominoplasty (muscle repair surgery) as a treatment option. Siobhan is passionate about women's health and hopes that her research will help Australian mothers to live their lives to the fullest. In her spare time, Siobhan loves running, dancing, music and art.
- Read more about Siobhan's research
Trisha Ching
Trisha Ching, Physiotherapist & Director, Sydney Women’s Physiotherapy
- Trisha is the founder of Sydney Women's Physiotherapy and has over 17 years of clinical experience in Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Physiotherapy. Early in her physiotherapy career she gained a firm foundation in assessing and treating a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Her most rewarding and challenging role was working as a civilian physiotherapist within the British Army, where she gained a strong interest in treating complex musculoskeletal conditions. This grounded her skills in biomechanics of the human body.
- Working opportunities within the hospital system in Women's Health Physiotherapy allowed exposure to working collaboratively with other health clinicians within Ante-Natal Care, Maternity Wards and Pelvic Floor Outpatient Clinics both in Australia and the UK. Conditions treated included pre and postnatal pain, pelvic floor dysfunction (incontinence, sexual pain, prolapse etc), abdominal muscles separation, young babies with musculoskeletal and developmental concerns.
- Trisha has done extensive post graduate training within the areas of Women's Health, Pelvic Health Physiotherapy (women/men/children) and Pain Science. She believes in a holistic and integrated body systems approach to assessment and treatment. Her expertise in external and internal pelvis assessment is a key feature in the successful outcome of her patient's care.
- Trisha is a wife and mother of three daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys Karaoke with her girlfriends, exercise training in the backyard with her kids and sports mad husband.
Sarah Wood
Sarah Wood, Mental Health Social Worker
- Sarah has been working with children and families for the past 16 years. She is an accredited mental health social worker, holds a masters in couple and family therapy, a graduate certificate in child and adolescent mental health, and is a Circle of Security Parenting educator. Most of her career has been spent working with children who have experienced trauma, and this has developed a strong understanding of the way children develop skills in regulating their emotions. She has worked for many heads in a major paediatric hospital but has more recently moved into working in perinatal mental health with a strong interest in parent-infant relationships/bonding and attachment.
- Sarah is a mother of four who went from two to four kids instantly when she became a twin mum. She understands the chaos and drama of juggling multiple kids and getting to school run on time, with minimal sleep. She has been known to order double shot coffees at her local cafe after making the school run on time after a tough night with the babies. Sarah enjoys reading, catch ups with friends, and has recently learnt to keep a veggie patch alive.
Brendan Bennett
Brendan Bennett, SMS4Dads Program, SMS4Dads & Father Inclusive Practice
- Brendan has more than 10 years working in the health system across Health Promotion and Project Management settings like Child and Family Health, Mental Health, Carers and Drug and Alcohol. Brendan has a strong interest in community health, father inclusive practice and is passionate about addressing social disadvantage.
- Brendan will be presenting on the SMS4Dads initiative, developed by Prof Richard Fletcher at the University of Newcastle. SMS4dads delivers child development and parenting support and information to dads via their mobile phones. It’s FREE and is now available to ALL DADS across Australia.
Steven Kennedy
Steven Kennedy, Founder and Executive Director, Prepare Foundation
- Steven has lived experience of birth trauma and post natal depression following the birth of his son in 2017. After extensive research (in an attempt to understand his own struggles) Steven concluded that most expectant fathers are not adequately prepared for supporting childbirth – even though 95% of dads are placed in a critical birth support role.
- Steven is an internationally recognised advocate for the inclusion of fathers in maternity care and has been developing ground breaking resources defining the role of fathers in perinatal health since 2019. Steven's favourite thing is running away from shore breaking waves with his son screaming in delight over and over again.
