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VAHPA Unity

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Experience
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VAHPA Unity

Andrew Hewat

Secretary

National Council

Andrew Hewat
Union Official
Previously Radiographer / Sonographer

I've been an Allied Health Professional my whole career. Radiographer, then sonographer, across public hospitals and private practices, metro and regional, in several states. I know what it's like to work in settings where allied health is treated as an afterthought. That experience is why I joined the union, and it's why I've stayed ever since.  I've been a member my entire working life, a delegate for over a decade, and until recently, Assistant Secretary of VAHPA, helping lead the branch through the most significant period of growth in its history.  As the former Assistant Secretary of VAHPA, I gained extensive experience at running the branch, managing more than 20 staff, administering  a multi-million dollar operating budget, worked on enterprise bargaining, organising, and responding to member issues. I have been part of the leadership team that transformed allied health from fractured craft groups of health professions into a unified workforce now identified collectively as Allied Health Professionals, growing the union from 2,800 to nearly 8,000 members.  I have been involved in many union, government, AHPRA and WorkSafe working groups and workforce committees and consultations. I am at home representing allied health professionals at the highest level. Allied health professionals are deserving of respect and recognition, and I will continue to fight to achieve that. Currently, we are on the verge of a generational jump in public sector pay rates. I am deeply invested in making that happen. If elected, I will continue to work hard towards an even stronger union that can stand in solidarity with members across the health sector in their many diverse roles, to fight for the best possible outcomes and to stand for equity, justice, and shared governance. I'm asking for your vote because for me, this work matters.

Bernarda Cavka

Assistant Secretary

National Council

Bernarda Cavka
Physiotherapist
Public Health

This is a defining moment for Victorian Allied Health Professionals. The decisions we make now will shape our professions, our workplaces and our future for years to come. At a time when Allied Health Professionals are fighting for fair pay, better career pathways and greater recognition, we need experienced leadership, a clear vision and a union prepared to deliver meaningful change. I began my career as a physiotherapist in the public sector in 2001 and have dedicated my working life to improving public health outcomes and advocating for Allied Health Professionals. A long-standing VAHPA member, I currently serve as Assistant Secretary, a delegate at Melbourne Health and a Bargaining Representative in public sector negotiations. I have also served on the Branch Committee of Management and represented members in previous rounds of public sector bargaining. I was seconded to the union in 2022 to work with the Public Sector Organising team. Since then, I have helped lead our public sector Enterprise Agreement campaign, strengthen union governance and build a highly effective bargaining team. I believe Allied Health Professionals deserve a stronger voice and a stronger union. Together, we have welcomed more than 1,000 new members in less than 10 months and mobilised thousands of Allied Health Professionals in the fight for fair pay and better conditions. Every day, I hear from members frustrated by workforce shortages, limited career progression, pay inequity and increasing workloads. We cannot afford to accept the status quo. If elected, I will continue building a stronger union that delivers real outcomes for members. I will fight for fair pay, professional recognition, better career pathways and safe, sustainable workplaces, while ensuring every member has a strong voice in their union. Together, we can secure the future that Allied Health Professionals deserve.

Anthony D'Amore

President

National Council

Anthony D'Amore
Sonographer
Private Practice
 

I am an Allied Health Professional (Sonographer) with 20 years of clinical experience in the public and private sectors. I have spent over 10 years sitting on the VAHPA Committee of Management in total, primarily in the role of Trustee. I also sat on VAHPA's Governance and Finance Committee from its inception in 2012 to 2022. I understand VAHPA’s mission, and the role of President specifically, and am deeply committed to VAHPA and to excellent governance standards. I recognise that the Committee’s primary function is to ensure robust governance, financial management, and compliance with our obligations under the Registered Organisations Act. The Committee is focused on supporting our staff, as they act to improve wages and conditions, and advocate for Allied Health Professionals in the workplace. As an organisation based on the principles of delegated democracy, VAHPA’s governance must be transparent and accountable, and I am committed to maintaining this standard. The Branch Committee of Management (BCOM) role is to represent the collective interests of all Allied Health Professionals, not to advocate for specific groups or sectors. This work is best left to profession and sector specific reference groups and working parties. In this role, personal or narrow interests must be set aside to ensure unified decision-making. The adherence to this important principle, ensures that all actions and decisions reflect the best interests of the diverse VAHPA membership. I believe my experience as a previous Trustee and Governance and Finance Committee member, and recently as an ordinary member of the branch committee, combined with my commitment to transparent and unified governance, makes me well-suited to serve as President of BCOM. I look forward to contributing to VAHPA’s ongoing success and ensuring the best interests of all Allied Health Professionals are represented.

Stephanie Hawkins

Ordinary Member

Stephanie Hawkins
Physiotherapist
Public Health

I am a Grade 3 Physiotherapist and Clinical Educator at Austin Health and have proudly served as a VAHPA Delegate since 2024. I am passionate about advocating for Allied Health Professionals and ensuring our members have a strong voice in decisions that affect our workplaces and our profession.   Over the past 16 years working in Victorian public health, I have seen firsthand the increasing pressures facing allied health staff—rising workloads, workforce shortages, retention challenges and the need for greater recognition of our skills and contribution to patient care. As a delegate, I have represented members locally, supported colleagues, and actively participated in our recent Enterprise Agreement campaign and industrial action, standing alongside thousands of members calling for fair pay and conditions.   My leadership experience extends beyond the workplace through roles leading multidisciplinary projects, education programs and organisational change, as well as serving as President of a large community sporting club. These experiences have strengthened my skills in collaboration, governance, communication and advocacy. If elected to Branch Committee, I will be an approachable, hardworking and solutions-focused representative. I will advocate for fair pay and conditions, improved career pathways, safe staffing, professional recognition and a strong, member-led union. I believe every member deserves to be heard, regardless of their profession, workplace or location, and I am committed to helping build an even stronger VAHPA for the future.

Ordinary Member

Cassandra Eaves

Cassandra Eaves
Radiographer
Public Health

I have worked as a Radiographer since 2019 across both the public and private healthcare sectors and currently work as a Senior Medical Informatics Radiographer. My experience in clinical practice and medical informatics has given me an appreciation of the diverse and often highly specialised professions represented within VAHPA, each with unique skills, impact, career pathways and workplace challenges. Since becoming a VAHPA delegate in 2019, I have represented colleagues through reclassification applications, workplace disputes, organisational changes and a broad range of employment matters. I have worked to support members through complex workplace issues by listening, advocating fairly and pursuing practical, achievable outcomes. I am standing for Branch Committee to provide a pragmatic, evidence informed, member focused and outcomes driven voice. I believe equality and fairness are achieved by recognising the diversity of allied health professions and ensuring every member, regardless of the size or profile of their profession, is understood, valued and effectively represented. Equitable representation is not always achieved through identical approaches, particularly within a workforce as diverse as ours. I also believe members deserve a union built on stability, transparency, responsibility and accountability. Good governance, open communication and informed decision-making are essential to maintaining members' trust and ensuring the union remains focused on delivering practical outcomes. If elected, I will advocate for fair classification, career progression, strong workplace representation and transparent communication. I will work collaboratively, think independently, and remain accountable to members. My commitment is to help build a stable, trusted and effective union that represents every allied health profession fairly and delivers meaningful outcomes for all members.

Nicole Erlich

Vice President

Nicole Erlich

National Council

Speech Pathologist
Private Disability

I am a Paediatric Speech Pathologist with a PhD in Psychology, proudly running for Vice President as part of the VAHPA Unity team. I have been a dedicated VAHPA member for nine years, with previous experience serving on the Branch Committee of Management (BCOM) and as a workplace Union Delegate during enterprise agreement negotiations. These roles gave me valuable insight into the profound difference strong, organised member representation can make in achieving better outcomes for workers. My background spans roles as a research, lecturer and clinician across community health, not-for-profit, and private sectors. Additionally, I have recently spent three years in an allied health leadership role where I managed transdisciplinary teams, implemented strategies to improve workflow and working conditions, and oversaw budgets. This comprehensive experience equips me to safely, securely, and strategically advocate for our branch. I am particularly concerned by the 2026 NDIS structural reset.  With the government aggressively rationing the scheme, allied health professionals are facing frozen rates and real-terms funding cuts, immense administrative fragmentation, and the dangerous erosion of clinical autonomy - including provisions allowing the NDIA to disregard our direct clinical evidence. While some point to the Professionals Australia Union for NDIS advocacy, that union is tailored to self-employed business needs; Health Professionals require a union dedicated to healthcare to secure our essential advocacy. I admire VAHPA’s long-standing commitment to improving workplaces and championing broader social justice. If elected Vice President, I will thoughtfully listen to members, fiercely push back against detrimental NDIS reforms, and work collaboratively to ensure the clinical expertise of Allied Health Professionals remains respected, recognised, and protected.

Meghan Jenkins

Ordinary Member

National Council

Meghan Jenkins
Sonographer
Public Health
 

I have been working as a sonographer at Barwon Health for the past 12 years and prior to that as a Radiographer. Though a union member my whole career, I am a new union delegate. I felt I needed to step up to protect and enforce the rights and conditions prior union members have fought so hard for. I am now running to be on the Branch Committee of Management to help steer our union forward to build on these foundations. I also see the vital importance of improving pay and conditions to attract new allied health care workers and relieve the burden of short staffing.   I have a strong commitment to social justice campaigns and fighting to help protect the vulnerable in our community.   I am standing for Ordinary Member of the Branch Committee of Management to be a strong advocate for the hardworking members of this union.

Kaye Kingham

Ordinary Member

Kaye Kingham

National Council

Speech Pathologist
Community Health

I have worked as a Speech Pathologist in the Community Health Sector since 2005. I served on BCOM as an ordinary member for 3 years between 2014 and 2017, and have been a delegate for my workplace for more than 10 years. I have worked with our amazing organisers throughout various Community Health bargaining campaigns and have participated in bargaining. I look forward to building on the strong foundations that VAHPA has laid over recent years, and ensuring that all allied health sectors are represented by our union.

Andrew Video Presentation.mp4

Georgina Lonergan

Ordinary Member

National Council

Georgie Lonergan_edited.png
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Public Health

I am a Nuclear Medicine Technologist with more than 20 years of clinical experience across both the private and public health sectors, including the past 16 years in public health. I have been a proud union member since graduating from university and have served as a workplace delegate since 2014. Throughout my career, I have participated in enterprise bargaining and remain committed to advocating for meaningful change and improved outcomes, particularly for the smaller craft groups within our union. My experience working across a diverse range of departments has given me a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing allied health professionals. I firmly believe allied health professionals deserve recognition and respect for the essential role we play in every patient’s journey through the healthcare system. Our expertise is integral to delivering safe, high-quality care, and our voices should be heard at every level of decision-making. Having witnessed significant change and progress throughout my career, I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to VAHPA as it enters a refreshed era. I am passionate about building a strong, inclusive union that continues to advocate effectively for all members and ensures every profession has a seat at the table.

Experienced in Advocacy

VAHPA Unity

Stabiliy

Experience

Integrity

VAHPA Unity

A history of Service.

The leadership team committed to growth, unity, and excellence in Allied Health representation.

Experienced in Advocacy

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