PCNA Committee

PCNA is guided by a committee of dedicated professionals.
We are pleased to introduce the 2025-2026 steering committee below.

Executive Team

  • Kate Swetenham is the Clinical Lead for the End of Life Care Team in the Department for Health and Wellbeing. Kate is a Registered Nurse with extensive leadership experience in specialist palliative care. Kate was the Clinical Director for Southern Adelaide Palliative Services for 15 years, and in that time supported the triple strand of care approach where education and research inform clinical practice.

    Kate is particularly passionate about the psychosocial aspects of illness and suffering and has focused much of her research activities on refractory suffering and the experience of the patient facing an end of life illness. Kate holds a Graduate Diploma in Psycho Oncology a Master of Palliative Care and a Master of Science. She also has academic status with Flinders University and contributes to teaching the communication skills component of the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care.

    Kate has been the beneficiary of 3 international travel scholarships. In 2009 Kate was awarded the Diana Rudd scholarship to attend the Psycho -Oncology conference in Vienna.

    In 2012 Kate was awarded the Premier’s Nursing and Midwifery scholarship and travelled to New Zealand, Canada and United Kingdom where she studied rapid response programs for palliative care and Day Hospice Models.

    In 2017 Kate was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study End of Life Care Strategies: Barriers and Enablers to Implementation. This fellowship was undertaken in Ireland, Scotland, England, and Canada.

    Kate brings her clinical, research and education experience to her work in the Department for Health and Wellbeing and enjoys working at a strategic level to improve the end of life experience for all.

  • Kylie Draper is currently employed as an Improvement facilitator by the University of Wollongong in the national Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) program.

    Kylie is a registered nurse who has worked in the palliative care sector for over 30 years. Kylie has worked both in the inpatient setting at Caritas Christi Hospice and in the community setting with Eastern Palliative Care. Kylie has worked in a number of roles including as a senior nurse, clinical nurse consultant and Manager of Nursing and Medical services.

    Kylie completed her Bachelor of Nursing at Deakin University Melbourne and has completed post-graduate studies in Palliative care at Flinders University, South Australia. Kylie has also more recently completed a Diploma of dementia care at the University of Tasmania and a Graduate Certificate in consumer engagement. Kylie has completed a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

    Kylie is passionate about palliative care, specifically, nursing leadership and palliative care access and provision for First Nations people.

  • Katy is a Chartered Management Accountant and has been acting as Treasurer for PCNA since 2021.

    Katy finished her Bachelor of Nursing degree last year and accepted a role as New Graduate in February 2025, having been fortunate enough to take a career break from her role as Financial Controller at a law firm.

    Katy aims to return there early in 2026 but hopes to continue working as an RN part-time after completing her New Grad year.

    Katy was thrilled to have her first New Grad rotation in palliative care and oncology, and is now enjoying her second rotation in orthopaedics.

  • A highly motivated and compassionate senior nurse with over 17 years’ experience in palliative care across inpatient, consultancy, and community settings. Committed to education, research, respectful leadership, and management, with a focus on equitable, high-quality palliative care, positive work culture, and staff wellbeing.

    Currently Nurse Unit Manager of the palliative care unit at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with expertise in communication, strategic thinking, leadership, risk management, public speaking, and education. Maintains strong networks with stakeholders at local and national levels.

    We are delighted to have Holly as part of the PCNA Steering Committee after having been endorsed at the 2025 AGM.

Committee Members

  • Aileen Collier holds a joint appointment with Flinders University and the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) as an Associate Professor in Aged Care and Palliative Care Nursing.

    She has worked as a palliative care nurse for many years in numerous settings and countries. Aileen is passionate about people receiving the best palliative care possible wherever they live and whatever their circumstances. When not at work you’ll find her in the paddock or out on the trail with her horses.

    You can learn more about Aileen’s work here .

  • Anna has worked for last 21 years in Palliative Care. In this time, Anna has worked in Clinical, Managerial and Education, although predominantly in NSW and as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in both the Community and the Acute Care Setting.

    Since moving to Tasmania, Anna has worked as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care at the Royal Hobart Hospital. This year she has began a project role to improve end of life care in the acute care setting with a focus to develop a state wide end of life care plan. Anna has a particular interest in dying in the Acute Care setting and how we can improve this experience for both the patients and their families.

    Anna will complete her Master’s Degree in Palliative care through Flinders University this November this year.

  • Jessica is a clinical nurse consultant working with the acute inpatient consult team at a metropolitan health service in Melbourne.  Jess has also worked in community palliative care and has post-graduate qualifications in palliative care, psychology and public health.  

    Jessica is a passionate advocate for early-career palliative care nurses and enjoys providing education and mentorship at the bedside and through her casual academic position with Flinders University. 

    She is excited to bring palliative care nurses together at the 2026 Conference to share learnings and celebrate our meaningful work.  

  • Bio coming soon!

  • Jenny is the full-time Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, where she has led and delivered services since 2001. With postgraduate training in oncology and palliative care at St Bartholomew’s in London, Jenny has extensive experience across clinical practice, leadership, and mentoring. She has been instrumental in developing models of care, policies, and resources that support clinicians and strengthen services across regional and rural communities.

    At a state level, Jenny contributes to advisory groups and committees focused on end-of-life and palliative care, and remains committed to improving equitable access and supporting health professionals in the delivery of high-quality care.

    We are delighted to have Jenny as part of the PCNA Steering committee after having been endorsed at the 2025 AGM

  • Sarah is a Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Consultant with over 15 years’ experience, mainly in community palliative care. She currently leads a clinical team at Danila Dhilba supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders in the Darwin community. Her work has included roles in Far North Queensland, rural and remote New South Wales, metropolitan services, and in India. She has also worked as a Clinical Nurse Educator, developing EPC Foundations, a 10-day simulation-based program for community palliative care workers. Sarah sits on the Board of Palliative Care Australia, holds a Master of Advanced Nursing Practice, has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ course, and is undertaking an MBA.

    Sarah is passionately committed to improving access to palliative care in lower socio-economic communities and supporting the next generation of palliative care nurses. She works in a team that delivers the PCNA webinars and loves supporting and connecting palliative care nurses across Australia.

    Sarah moved into the Vice President role at the 2025 AGM.