Melina is a proud Gurindji woman, a mother to three daughters and a Mimi to two grandchildren. Melina is Queensland’s Inaugural First Nations Midwifery Director within Queensland Health’s Office of Chief Midwife Officer. Pioneering the opportunities for First Nations midwives seeking to advance to senior leadership positions and providing a roadmap for professional advancement by utilising her culture, life experience and skills.
Melina’s journey into midwifery came from her maternity experience which lacked the cultural consideration she needed. Previously, as the Clinical Midwifery Consultant on the Growing Deadly Families Strategy, Melina focussed on co-design initiatives with First Nations organisations to drive maternity service change. This work led to Melina receiving Australian College of Midwives National Midwife of the Year award in 2023.
Melina’s vision is to ensure a culturally safe maternity journey for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families. Melina currently oversees the coordination and ongoing implementation, governance, and expansion of the Growing Deadly Families Strategy, Queensland’s First, First Nations Maternity Strategy. Melina ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of ‘Knowing, Being and Doing’ are embedded in maternity services for First Nations women.