CANDIDATE: Carla Thamm

Candidate Statement

I am a nationally and internationally recognised cancer nurse and clinical academic with over 20 years’ experience across oncology, haematology, and bone marrow transplantation, and currently hold the role of Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Lead, Cancer Survivorship Program, at the Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University. I bring to the CNSA Board a strong combination of clinical expertise, governance experience, and national strategic leadership in cancer nursing education, workforce development, and research translation.

My career spans senior clinical, educational, and leadership roles across Australia and the United Kingdom, including positions in large tertiary cancer centres and universities. I have extensive experience in governance, accreditation, and quality assurance in both healthcare and higher education settings. This includes chairing and contributing to multidisciplinary safety and quality governance committees, with responsibility for medication safety, blood management, consumer engagement, and compliance with national standards. I have led the development, review, and implementation of cancer-related policies, procedures, and clinical guidelines, supporting organisational accountability, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement.

Within tertiary education, I have held academic leadership roles, including Postgraduate Course Coordinator at Queensland University of Technology, where I led the re-accreditation of a comprehensive suite of postgraduate nursing programs. This work required strong governance oversight, risk management, regulator engagement, and alignment with professional and workforce priorities, experience directly relevant to board-level decision-making.

Advancing the cancer nursing workforce is a central priority of the CNSA, and I have demonstrated leadership aligned to this strategic objective at a national level. I currently lead the CNSA–Flinders University partnership to review and reconceptualise the Australian Framework for Cancer Nurses, strengthening career progression, role clarity, and professional recognition across the sector. I also provide strategic input into large-scale education initiatives and am well positioned to contribute to the governance and future direction of CNSA’s education portfolio.

In addition, I co-led an academic–industry partnership that translated into a statewide, government-funded transition support program for early career cancer nurses in Queensland, with more than 70 enrolments in its first year. This initiative demonstrates my capacity to deliver scalable, sustainable workforce solutions through cross-sector collaboration.

My research program aligns closely with the CNSA’s strategic goals, focusing on survivorship, patient navigation, financial toxicity, and the contribution of cancer nurses to patient outcomes. My work has informed national policy and practice, including Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) endorsed initiatives and commissioned reviews shaping contemporary cancer nursing models of care. I bring a systems-level perspective, evidence-informed approach, and strong commitment to collaborative governance to the CNSA Board.

 Brief overview of current and/or previous contribution towards the CNSA and/or cancer control:

I have a long-standing commitment to advancing cancer nursing practice, education, research and policy through the CNSA and broader cancer control initiatives ensuring that the voice and value of cancer nurses are visible and influential.

Within the CNSA, I am the immediate past Chair of the Education Standing Committee, where I provided strategic leadership to strengthen education pathways, professional capability and workforce sustainability for cancer nurses nationally. I have previously been an active member of the Queensland State Group and have contributed to multiple CNSA initiatives, including the development and delivery of the CNSA 101 webinar series. I have also participated in a CNSA podcast and was an invited plenary speaker at the 2025 CNSA/ISNCC Congress. My research leadership includes serving as Principal Investigator on the CNSA funded redevelopment of the Australian Cancer Nursing Framework and co-investigator on the workforce survey.

Beyond CNSA, I contribute extensively to cancer control through leadership roles across national and international organisations. I am the current Co Chair of the COSA Financial Toxicity Working Group and Chair of the High Income Country Working Group for the American Cancer Society’s Global Alliance for Patient Navigation. I also serve on committees for the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), contributing to international education initiatives, policy development and systematic reviews.

My expertise is frequently sought through invitations to expert panels reviewing models of care for organisations such as the McGrath Foundation and Lung Cancer Foundation Australia. I further support cancer control through peer review for multiple high impact journals and as an international editorial board member of the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Collectively, these contributions reflect a sustained commitment to strengthening cancer nursing leadership, advancing evidence based care and improving outcomes for people affected by cancer.