SPEAKERS

Andrea Vancia, Cultural Diversity Program Manager (Brisbane South PHN) & Michelle Ravesi, Access, Equity and Engagement Lead (NWMPHN)

Topic

There are 31 Primary Health Network (PHN) regions in Australia all with different populations, contexts and ways of working.  The PHN Multicultural Health Framework was launched in February 2024 to provide high-level guidance and best practices for PHNs in order to improve health system access and equity for multicultural communities across all PHN regions.

While this tool is specifically for PHNs, it has a strong focus on collaboration across the health system and other sectors and so this is an important opportunity to learn about the Framework and how you can work alongside your local PHN to improve health and wellbeing outcomes and experiences for multicultural communities in your region.

This session will:

•             provide an overview of the PHN Multicultural Health Framework

•             showcase PHN activities aligning with Framework action areas.

About the speakers

Andrea Vancia is the Cultural Diversity Program Manager at the Brisbane South PHN. She has completed studies in nursing, public health and health promotion. She has experience in nursing, research, international aid work and project management. For the past 15 years she has managed various projects in primary care at a Division of General Practice, Medicare Local and Primary Health Network, with the past 10 years focused on multicultural health. Andrea coordinates the National PHN Cultural Diversity Community of Practice and the PHN Multicultural Health Strategic Group. Andrea is a passionate advocate for improving systems to ensure they are equitable for multicultural communities.

Michelle Ravesi is the newly appointed Access, Equity and Engagement Lead with NWMPHN beginning at the start of 2024.  She has qualifications in Community Development and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), with over 20 years’ experience of working in public health.  Michelle began her career working in the AOD sector and chronic disease in both the hospital and community settings.  For the past 13 years Michelle has worked in Health Promotion and Population Health at Monash Health and for the last 5 at Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS).  At Monash Health she was the Manager of Population Health and the Aboriginal Health Service.  At LCHS she managed Prevention and Partnerships and continued her passion and involvement with First Nations People through convening the RAP committee. Through these roles she has had extensive experience working and engaging with Asylum Seekers and Refugees, CALD communities, First Nations peoples and hardly reached people in the community.  Michelle is passionate about ensuring all communities have equitable and easy access to high quality, culturally appropriate health services.

VTMH seminars are open to individuals, from all disciplines and working in all sectors, who are based in Australia and interested in diversity and mental health.  

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