Asthma Working Party
Prof Natasha Smallwood is the Professor and Director of Respiratory Medicine at the Alfred Hospital (Melbourne) and School of Translational Medicine at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia). In addition to her respiratory qualifications, she holds postgraduate qualifications in Medical Leadership, Epidemiology and Palliative Care.
Prof Smallwood has authored over 150 publications and been awarded approximately $12 million as major research grants. She has clinical and research interests in severe lung disease, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease.
Prof Smallwood is the President for the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, a past Board Director for the Victorian Doctors Health Program (Australia), and holds multiple leadership roles. She is a taskforce member for various national and international respiratory guidelines. She recently worked with the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare to develop the first ever national clinical care standard in respiratory medicine for people with COPD.
Dr James Fingleton is Clinical Director Sub-speciality Medicine and a respiratory physician at Wellington Hospital. He has a sub-specialist interest in asthma and COPD and was lead for the previous NZ National Asthma audit. He is a Fellow of the Thoracic Society of Australia New Zealand (TSANZ) NZ branch and Co-Chief Investigator of the Australia New Zealand Respiratory Audit Program (ANZRAP).
James also teaches as a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Otago, Wellington and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board and Asthma and COPD guidelines committees of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand.
Prof John Blakey is the Head of Department of Respiratory Medicine at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. He is the medical advisor for Asthma Australia and is proud to be working as part of a multi-professional team towards halving asthma admissions in Australia. John is a Clinical Professor at Curtin University Medical School and has a record of award-winning health services research.
A/Prof Joy Lee leads the Asthma and Allergy Unit at the Austin Hospital and consults for Melbourne Allergy Asthma & Immunology Consultants, as well as in the public sector at the Alfred Hospital and Monash Medical Centre. She has a special interest in the management and treatment of allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma. She has experience in the use of immunotherapy for grass pollen and dust mite allergy as well as monoclonal antibody treatments for severe asthma and urticaria.
Dr Lee has a PhD with the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. Her thesis focus was on improving asthma inhaler usage and difficult to control asthma. She has also undertaken research on epidemic thunderstorm asthma.
Dr Lee is an investigator in clinical trials for therapies in asthma and allergic nasal disease. Her research has been recognised with awards from both the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the National Asthma Council. She is a sought-after speaker, media expert and medical educator.
Prof Vanessa McDonald is a Professor of Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Newcastle, Australia and an honorary clinical nurse consultant in the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at John Hunter Hospital. She is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Asthma Treatable Traits, and the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Asthma and Breathing programme.
Vanessa’s research interests are centred around the development of innovative approaches to the management of chronic airway diseases. She is passionate about the development and implementation of personalised medicine strategies that place the person at the centre of health care delivery.
Over 25 years Vanessa has developed expertise in respiratory clinical nursing practice and education, has contributed extensively to respiratory health advocacy and health policy and, is recognised as an internationally recognised respiratory researcher having published over 250 manuscripts or book chapters. She is committed to improving the health and quality of life of people with lung disease in our region and internationally, and to the mission of lung health.
Dr Johnnie Walker trained in London and graduated in 2001, becoming a Consultant in Acute and Respiratory Medicine in Bradford, UK in 2012. Johnnie moved to New Zealand with his family in 2021 and is now a Respiratory specialist running the severe asthma clinic in Tauranga and is the asthma lead for Bay of Plenty. Johnnie is also an active member of the New Zealand Severe Asthma Network.
Melinda McGinty is a Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialist and Manager at Hutt Hospital. She has 25 years’ experience of working in Respiratory (including 10 years on a High Dependency Unit managing patients on Non Invasive Ventilation). She was also a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Immunology at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, England.
Melinda has an interest in Asthma, COPD and representing the nursing voice. She will become the Respiratory Nurse SIG, New Zealand Co–Convenor at the next SIG annual meeting; is founder and chair for the RN prescribing group, Hutt Hospital and member of RN prescribing Clinical Governance Group for her district. She was also lead for Hutt Hospital in the last NZ National Asthma Audit.
