President: Georgina Frank (NSW)

Georgina is a podiatrist specialising in diabetes-related foot disease (DFD). She is deputy director of podiatry for the Sydney Local Health District where she works with a wonderful team of podiatrists providing preventative foot care and acute management for DFD. More recently she also had the great fortune to have been project officer for the national Foot Forward Project which aims to develop an Integrated Diabetes Footcare Pathway to support early referral for people with diabetes-related foot diseases.

Georgina currently practices in outreach with the Outback Vascular Health Service, Endocrinology team from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Diabetes Centre, working with the fantastic Maari Ma Aboriginal Health Service in Broken Hill and Wilcannia. Georgina has completed her Master of Public Health which was a labour of love while working full-time and has made her more determined to improve health equity within the Australian health system.

Georgina has been on the APP-HRF Committee since 2019 and was Vice President from 2020-2023.

Vice President: Emma Farmakis (VIC)

Emma holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Podiatric Practice. Emma has obtained her Endorsement for Scheduled Medicines and is currently working towards a Master of Healthcare Leadership and Management.  Emma is an enthusiastic Podiatrist who currently works across multiple High Risk Foot Services in Metropolitan Melbourne including Northern and Eastern Health. Emma is passionate about providing holistic, evidence-based  patient centred care, and mentoring podiatry students and new graduate podiatrists as they embark on their  podiatry careers. Emma hopes to mentor podiatrists wishing to obtain their Endorsement of Scheduled Medicines.  Emma joined the APP-HRF Group Committee as Secretary in 2020 and became the Group's Vice President in 2023.

Treasurer: Stephen Tucker (VIC)

Stephen has been a podiatrist for a long time, having spent many years working with the High Risk Foot at St. Vincent's Hospital, and Eastern Health in Melbourne. He has also been on the A.Pod.A. (Vic), A.Pod.C. and Podiatry Board of Victoria executives.

More recently Stephen has moved to administrative roles managing Specialist Clinic (outpatient Departments) and currently works as an Electronic Medical Records analyst at the Royal Children's Hospital. He was an inaugural committee member of the APP-HRFG, and continues to be an active committee member acting as Treasurer. Stephen has special interests in health policy and funding.

Secretary: Dr Pam Chen (TAS)

Pam is a Podiatrist working at the Tasmanian Health Service, and has experience working in both acute and rural and remote community podiatry settings. She is also a PhD graduate from the University of Tasmania (thesis topic: the associations of health literacy with foot ulceration in people with diabetes). 

Pam has been on the APP-HRF Group's Committee since 2014 and President from 2016-2023. Her interests include research, audits and credentialing.

Charlotte Cooke (VIC)

Charlotte has been an APP-HRFG committee member since 2015.   She moved from the UK in 2013 and joined the High Risk Foot service at Western Health Melbourne. She provides a valuable insight into offloading strategies for the high risk foot with her knowledge of musculoskeletal presentations.  She has completed her masters studies in Clinical Podiatric Biomechanics and is currently practicing as an Advance Practice Orthopaedic Podiatrist.  Improving access to the right care for those patients presenting with musculoskeletal pathologies.  She is commencing a research project, exploring the offloading properties of the focused rigidity casting technique, in the prevention and management of pressure injuries to the heel.

Julie Nguyen (QLD)

Julie is a lecturer in Podiatry at Charles Sturt University. Julie has a Bachelor of Podiatry (LTU), Master of Public Health (UOM) and Graduate Certificate in Tertiary & Adult Education (CQU). She has extensive clinical experience in the area of high risk foot and has worked in both the public and private health sectors prior to academia.

Julie has worked in various roles including Podiatrist (community-based health services and acute hospitals); Internal Care Coordinator in acute care; Project Officer in public affairs, health promotion and healthcare projects including Department of Health funded projects.

Julie received the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Exemplary Practice in Learning & Teaching (Tier 1) in 2021. She received the 2017 Opal Award for Excellence in Engagement-Engaged Service “Balance 4 Life”. She led her team to win the 2018 Opal Award for Excellence in Engagement-Engaged Service “Multi-disciplinary Homeless Initiative”. Julie’s research interest is in podiatry, chronic disease, models of care, health workforce, health policy, digital health, medical technology and 3D printing.

Julie currently leads the APP-HRFG National Mentor Program.  

Morica Tran (VIC)

Morica received her Bachelor of Health Sciences and Masters of Podiatric Practice from La Trobe University. She is a Podiatrist working at Eastern Health's High Risk Foot service (Melbourne), and is passionate about providing excellent care to her patients. Her interests include quality improvement and research.

Morica has recently published a systematic review and is an associate research investigator, exploring plantar pressures pre and post partial foot amputations. Morica is in the process of completing a single unit of study "Principles of Health Care Quality Improvement" at Monash University, and is looking forward to translating theory into practice.

Thuy Enright (VIC)

Thuy is a podiatrist who has had diverse public health experience across rural, regional and metropolitan areas. She has worked in High Risk Foot at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Western Health, Eastern Health, Ballarat Health Service and Cabrini Health, as well as being a sole practitioner at Colac Area Health. Using her clinical experience from many hospitals, Thuy has now ventured into the Electronic Medical Records space as a Workflow Analyst. 

Thuy is currently working towards her Master of Public Health and joined the APP-HRF Group’s Committee in 2021.

Chloe Katsanos (VIC)

After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne University, Chloe went on to complete her Bachelor of Health Science, and Masters of Podiatric Practice at La Trobe University and has since gone on to work within community, acute and post-acute sectors within the public health field in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney.

Chloe’s passion within public health has been working within the High Risk Foot field, inpatient services, providing early education and intervention to complete holistic and patient centred evidence-based care. Chloe also enjoys being a mentor in the APP-HRF Group’s Mentor Program.