Research Standing Commitee

Dr Elizabeth Moore

Chair

Dr Elizabeth Moore is Research Fellow with the Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (MRDR) and Steering Committee member of the Asia-Pacific MRDR in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. She sits on the Research Governance Committee of this School, and is member of the Expert Advisory Group for the MRFF-funded EpiMAP study (Epidemiological modelling to deliver better care for Australian patients with myeloma). She is investigator on the MRFF-funded MY-PROMPT-2 trial to assess whether real-time feedback of patient-reported outcomes to clinicians at clinic visits improves duration on therapy in patients with relapsed myeloma, and led the proof-of-concept trial which informed this project.

Elizabeth has over 20 years of clinical and research experience and her research focuses on improving outcomes for people living with multiple myeloma.

Natalie Williams

Natalie Williams is a registered nurse and Gynaecology Nurse Researcher at the Women and Newborn Health Service in Perth, Western Australia.

Natalie completed a Master of Philosophy (Nursing) investigating nurses’ perceptions of providing psychosexual care for women undergoing gynaecological cancer treatment. She also holds post graduate certificates in Women’s Health Care and Health Professional Education. Natalie has published and performs peer review for multiple international journals.

Her 15 years of clinical experience as a registered nurse have been predominantly in the area of gynaecology. She has been a member of CNSA for over 10 years and also serves as a committee member of the Gynaecological Oncology Nurses Specialist Practice Network (GYN SPN).

Ashlee Stirling

Ashlee Stirling is the McGrath Breast Care Clinical Nurse Consultant for Warwick and the Southern Downs, in rural QLD. She also holds positions as a sessional academic for the Australian College of Nursing, Griffith University and the University of Southern Queensland. She has nearly 20 years of nursing experience primarily in the fields of paediatrics, cancer care and clinical education.

Ashlee is an early-career researcher whose area of interest is women’s health, with a keen interest in improving diagnosis and management of women’s health concerns following cancer treatment. She has completed a Graduate Certificate in Breast Cancer Nursing, a Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care (both with the Australian College of Nursing) and is currently completing a Master of Public Health (Dissertation) at Griffith University. Her intention is to commence a PhD on completion of her Master degree.

Ashlee is thrilled to be a member of the CNSA Research Standing Committee and hopes to encourage and support rural nurses to engage in cancer research.

Professor Benjamin Tan

Professor Benjamin Tan is Professor of Nursing, Chair (Chronic Conditions & Cancer Care Research) and Associate Head of School (Research) in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). He is an Adjunct Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Southwest Medical University Hospital, and Zunyi Medical University. Benjamin has been internationally recognised for his research in integrative oncology and cancer symptom management and has been named in the prestigious Stanford/Elsevier list of the World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists. He and his interdisciplinary team have developed and sustained intensive linkages with collaborators in Australia, HKSAR, Singapore, the UK, and China Mainland, which have so far resulted in over 130 high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations, as well as more than 30 funded projects. Benjamin's research has been adopted in numerous international and national clinical practice guidelines, including those developed by the European Society for Medical Oncology, the American College of Chest Physicians, Cancer Care Ontario, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the US Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense, China Anti-Cancer Association, and the US Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Lauren Parkinson- Zarb

Lauren Parkinson- Zarb is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne. Lauren is an experienced cancer nurse, with clinical experience across a range of cancer nursing settings.

Lauren currently teaches into the Graduate Certificate of Cancer Nursing and is passionate about improving cancer care outcomes, by supporting the development and capability of specialist cancer nurses. She recently completed her PhD, which investigated the job demands and job resources of Victorian cancer nurses, prior to and during the pandemic.

Lauren remains committed to improving the wellbeing and sustainability of the cancer nursing workforce, through education and research.

Carli Shaw

Carli Shaw is a Clinical Nurse Consultant working in Oncology and Haematology Clinical Trials in Mackay, Queensland.
She has completed a Master's of Nursing (Cancer and Palliative care) with a career focus on oncology nursing and nursing education.

Carli is an early career researcher and is currently completing a PhD exploring how cancer-related cognitive impairment impacts daily life after chemotherapy.

Carli is committed to rural and regional cancer nursing and the unique opportunities and challenges this provides.

Dr Bora Kim

Dr Bora Kim is a registered nurse and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

She is an early-career researcher with a strong interest in improving health services to enhance supportive care for people affected by cancer. Bora holds a Master’s in Research Methodology and a Graduate Diploma in Cancer Nursing. She has nearly 17 years of experience across clinical nursing, education, and research, primarily in cancer and palliative care. Her recent and current research work focuses on the areas of chemotherapy symptom management, patient-reported outcomes, and colorectal surgical outcomes.

Bora is passionate about improving the delivery of cancer care through service improvement and is committed to working closely with patients, families, and clinicians to bring tangible and meaningful benefits to clinical care.

Associate Professor Olivia Cook

Associate Professor Olivia Cook is a registered nurse, educator and researcher with 20+ years experience in the fields of cancer nursing and women’s health. In July 2025, Olivia commenced a brand new joint appointment as Associate Professor of Cancer Care Nursing at Alfred Health and Monash University. This role is focused on building a nurse-led research program in cancer care and enabling nurse engagement in research. Prior to this appointment, Olivia was the Head of Nurse Education and Research at the McGrath Foundation, supporting the 300+ McGrath Cancer Care Nurses located across Australia.

Olivia’s research is focused on cancer care and the cancer nursing workforce, with the ultimate aim of driving equity and improving the experience and outcomes of people experiencing cancer. Olivia has been a member of CNSA for 10 years and has served on both the CNSA GYN-SPN and the Research Standing Committee previously and is very pleased to be re-joining the RSC.

Professor Kate White

Professor Cancer Nursing Sydney Local Health District , Director Cancer Care Research Unit & The University of Sydney.

Professor Kate White has worked for over twenty years in clinical, education and research areas specialising in cancer and palliative care. Kate has worked closely with cancer and palliative care organisations at both state and national levels .  Kate is actively involved in the research and education activities to improve the care of those diagnosed with cancer, and their families, with an emphasis on rural communities.  Kate is committed to mentor and support the development of research skills with  clinical nurses, to support improvement in patient outcomes.   She  has supervised >30 HDR students to successful completion. 

Dr Carla Thamm

Dr Carla Thamm is a Senior Research Fellow in the Cancer Survivorship Program at Flinders University, working from the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. She is a nationally and internationally recognised leader in cancer nursing, bringing 20+ years of clinical nursing experience and 10 years of academic engagement. Carla’s career spans diverse roles in Australia and England, including advanced practice cancer nursing, clinical leadership and tertiary teaching and curriculum development. She leads a substantial research program focused on cancer survivorship, patient navigation, financial toxicity and nurse-led models of care, contributing to national programs and frameworks that inform practice and policy. Carla also actively contributes to advancing the nursing profession and cancer care through various professional leadership activities including being the chair of the High-Income Country working group for the American Cancer Society’s Global Alliance of Patient Navigation, Project Lead of the COSA Financial Toxicity working group and immediate past chair of the CNSA Education Standing Committee.