CANDIDATE: Olivia Cook
Candidate Statement
Associate Professor Olivia Cook is a registered nurse, educator and researcher with 25 years’ experience in the fields of cancer nursing and women’s health. Olivia is a collaborative and connected leader dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes of people with cancer and to the development of a skilled cancer nursing workforce to achieve this.
Olivia has skills, expertise and demonstrated success across all four of CNSA’s key strategic pillars of Advocacy, Research, Professional Development and Networking.
In July 2025, Olivia commenced an inaugural appointment as Associate Professor of Cancer Care Nursing at Monash University and Bayside Health in Melbourne. Her role is focused on building a nurse-led program of research in cancer and developing cancer nurses’ research capability and capacity. 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. In this role she was a key leader in the expansion of the McGrath Foundation as a provider of nursing services across all cancer types. The role connected her with cancer nurses and cancer organisations across the country, enabling the formation of a wide professional network and a broad understanding of the challenges faced in delivering equitable cancer care across different settings.
Olivia holds a Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing) and a Diploma of Quality Management. Prior to completion of her PhD in 2018 in gynaecological oncology nursing and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in 2021 at Monash University, Olivia held clinical and nursing management appointments at Epworth Healthcare for over a decade. She’s a dynamic people leader with experience building and managing high performing and cohesive teams of up to 40+ clinical and administrative staff.
Olivia has led and contributed to key research projects in partnership with CNSA to progress the professional development of cancer nurses including: the Cancer Nurse Self-Assessment Tool (CaN-SAT) to be made freely available to all cancer nurses via CNSA; the Cancer Nurse Practitioner Mentorship Program which is now run bi-annually by CNSA; the development of GyN-Care, a national guidance resource for gynaecological cancer nursing due for release in late 2026; and the development of digital onboarding pathways for McGrath Cancer Care Nurses. She has led the design and development of award-winning digital learning resources, including the use of telepresence robots to enable remote clinical learning for cancer nurses.
Driven by a desire to improve equity and inclusion in cancer care, Olivia is an active advocate for priority population groups and was a founding member of the diversity and inclusion team at the McGrath Foundation. This role included the development of their ‘Reflect’ and ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plans. She also chaired the First Nations Advisory Committee and supported the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identified nursing role at the McGrath Foundation. Working with the ‘Out with Cancer’ study team and McGrath Foundation, Olivia co-led the development of the Cancer LGBTIQ+ Inclusivity Toolkit, soon to be made freely available via eviQ.
Brief overview of current and/or previous contribution towards the CNSA and/or cancer control:
Associate Professor Olivia Cook has actively contributed to the CNSA community since becoming a member in 2015. She is currently a member of the Research Standing Committee having previously served on this committee in 2019-2023. During these terms she was an investigator on the 2022 CNSA National Workforce Survey and is a working group member of the 2025 survey. Olivia is an active member of the GYN-SPN since 2015 and served as the Secretary of the committee from 2018-2023. Her PhD investigated the role of gynaecological oncology nurses across Australia and New Zealand and informed the current development of GyNCare – a project that Olivia contributes to both through supervision of PhD student Natalie Williams and as a GYN-SPN working group member. As Head of Nurse Education and Research at McGrath Foundation, Olivia prioritised funding for CNSA memberships for all McGrath Cancer Care Nurses, recognising the education and networking benefits that membership offers. She also collaborated with CNSA to initiate and fund the Cancer Nursing 101 webinar series for early career cancer nurses.
Olivia contributes broadly to the cancer sector and nursing profession through research student supervision; teaching into the Monash University Masters of Advanced Clinical Nursing - Cancer; serving as a reviewer or associate editor of multiple peer-reviewed journals; and is frequently invited to speak in professional and community forums. Olivia has also served on several working groups and committees including the COSA PROs Working Group; the MPCCC – Executive and Advisory Committees; as Deputy Chair of the Monash University Faculty of Medicine ECR Research Committee; and as a member of the Monash Nursing and Midwifery Research Committee. She has significant governance, reporting and budget management experience through the many committees, organisational partnerships, research projects and large government funding schemes she has contributed to or been responsible for.