Our People

The IMPACT Network is overseen by a Steering Committee which reports directly to the PSANZ Board through its Chair.

IMPACT Network Steering Committee

The Steering Committee membership is elected, according to committee membership criteria, by secret ballot from within the IMPACT Network membership following a call for nominations from the PSANZ membership. All nominations for this committee must be financial PSANZ members with relevant skills and experience in clinical trials and must be proposed and seconded by two PSANZ members.

Membership of the Steering Committee aims to ensure disciplinary and geographic representation. Representation from each of the following groups/disciplines is desired: consumers; midwifery; neonatology; neonatal nursing; obstetrics; obstetric medicine; maternal fetal medicine; scientists; trial co-ordinators; epidemiology and biostatistics.

Steering Committee members are elected for a term of three years, and members can be re-elected for a term not exceeding 6 consecutive years. The Committee will be led by a Chairperson elected by the Committee members.

Steering Committee Terms of Reference:

  • Overseeing the activities of the IMPACT Network; ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan and its objectives
  • Revising the IMPACT Network Strategic Plan every 5 years or earlier as required
  • Ensuring financial viability of the IMPACT Network
  • Establishing and maintaining international links with the Cochrane Collaboration, other clinical trials networks and organisations or bodies
  • Assisting clinical colleges and other professional societies bring research evidence into clinical practice by promoting evidence-based care
  • Providing educational opportunities in critical appraisal and trial design
  • Establishing subcommittees and/or working parties of the IMPACT Network Committee as required to implement the Strategic Plan
  • Reporting to the PSANZ Board through the Committee Chair according to PSANZ Policy on: trial publication to PSANZ for dissemination to members, trials seeking additional collaborating centres for distribution across the PSANZ membership

IMPACT Network Steering Committee Members

  • Adrienne Gordon headshot Oct 22

    Prof Adrienne Gordon

    Adrienne is a Neonatologist in the RPA centre for newborn care and Clinical Professor in the Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology at the University of Sydney. She trained in paediatrics prior to specialising in neonatal/perinatal medicine and is passionate about the public health impact of a healthy start to life and preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially stillbirth. She is a Chief Investigator on the NHMRC Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence, a Board Member of the International Stillbirth Alliance and executive committee member of the PSANZ IMPACT Network (Improving Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes – Action through Clinical Trials). She has strong links with National parent led organisations - including Stillbirth and Preterm Birth Advocacy Groups and is Deputy Chair of the National RedNose (Previously SIDSandKIDS) scientific advisory group. Adrienne is a key member of the Safer Baby Bundle initiative which aims to reduce late pregnancy stillbirth in Australia by 20%. Adrienne chairs the Perinatal Mortality Review Committee for the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission and is the National Coordinator of the IMPROVE program in Australia. She is Chief Investigator for the PreBabe and SliPP Trials assessing the impact of pre-pregnancy weight loss and supporting maternal side sleep in late pregnancy.

  • Kirsten Palmer headshot Sep 2022

    A/Prof Kirsten Palmer

    A/Prof Kirsten Palmer is an obstetrician and maternal fetal medicine specialist at Monash Health, Victoria, Australia, where she heads the Maternal Fetal Medicine team at Monash Medical Centre. She also heads the Maternal and Perinatal Medicine translational research group in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University. Her research focuses on improving pregnancy outcomes. She has a particular interest in disorders of placentation, such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction, where she works to both advance our understanding of these diseases and enhance clinical outcomes through clinical trials of promising new therapeutics. She is currently the Chief Investigator for the PROTECT me trial. In addition to her role within the IMPACT network, Kirsten is also a stillbirth sub-committee member for the Victorian consultative council of obstetric and paediatric morbidity and mortality.

  • Brett Photo3

    A/Prof Brett Manley

    A/Prof Brett Manley is co-chair of IMPACT with Dr Clare Whitehead. Brett is a Neonatologist and Clinical Researcher at The Royal Women's Hospital and The University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia. His research is supported by an NHMRC Leadership Fellowship (L1).

    His research aims to improve outcomes for preterm and sick newborn infants. He has led or been part of multiple large, randomised controlled trials in this field. Currently he leads the international PLUSS trial of intratracheal budesonide mixed with surfactant to increase survival free of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants. He is also a Chief Investigator on the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine.

  • Clare Whitehead headshot

    Dr Clare Whitehead

    Dr Clare Whitehead is a NHMRC Neil Hamilton Fairley Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne and a Consultant Maternal Fetal Medicine Subspecialist at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. Her research program focuses on prediction and prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth, preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and stillbirth), with a focus on translating benchside findings to the clinic. As well as the Co-Chair of the IMPACT Executive, she is the Co-Chief Investigator of the PLATIPUS project, developing an innovative adaptive platform trial to improve outcomes from preterm birth.

  • Miranda headshot

    Dr Davies-Tuck

    Dr Davies-Tuck is the Head of Epidemiology and Clinical Trials, Hudson Institute of Medical Research andleads an integrated program of perinatal research that spans laboratory-based discovery research, clinical trials, implementation science, and health policy to better understand and improve pregnancy care and outcomes. She has a particular focus on addressing disparities in stillbirth rates seen in migrant and refugee women in Victoria, understanding drivers of preterm stillbirth, randomised controlled trials to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, assessing the effectiveness of current antenatal and intrapartum interventions and improving access and safety of homebirth. Dr Davies-Tuck is the President-Elect of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ), CI and executive member of the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Stillbirth, executive member of the PSANZ Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Collaborative Trials committee and member of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity Research Committee within Safer Care Victoria.

  • hala work photo10

    Dr Hala Phipps

    Hala Phipps is a clinical research midwifery consultant at Sydney Local Health District. She holds an honorary affiliation as a Clinical Associate Professor, University of Sydney, as well as Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney. She has pursued a research career since 1998 and has extensive experience in developing, conducting and completing clinical trials.

    Hala is an executive Committee member of the PSANZ IMPACT Network (Improving Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes–Action through Clinical Trials). She has published widely and is passionate in undertaking research to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies