Education

Mindy (aka Melinda) Cooper has practiced Continence, Pelvic Floor and Women’s Health physiotherapy for the better part of 40 years and remains no less passionate about its ideals than when she started. She has regularly lectured and tutored in Women’s Health Programs in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne where she was involved in researching pelvic floor muscle function in parous women. She has been a Clinical Consultant with an Adjunct Appointment to the School of Population Health at Monash University where she was the chief investigator studying validity of outcome measures used in assessing inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast. Mindy also serves as a Clinical Consultant to physiotherapy Masters students at Curtin University. She is delighted to be Emma Heron’s clinical supervisor towards her PhD, an RCT on the effect of TUS in ICLBs. Mindy is the developer and primary presenter of the nationally accredited courses ‘Lactation for Health Professionals’. Mindy invests much of her time in her relationships with her friends, colleagues and family including at last count, her 6 grandchildren.

Emma is currently completing her PhD on the assessment and treatment of inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast (ICLB). Together with her supervisors, Dr Leanda McKenna, Dr Adelle McArdle and Professor Donna Geddes, her PhD focusses on validating outcome measures for ICLB, and conducting a large randomised clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound treatment for ICLB. In addition to her PhD, Emma tutors and teaches into postgraduate and undergraduate physiotherapy courses at the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University in women’s, men’s, and pelvic health. Emma works clinically at the Royal Women's Hospital.

Mindy (aka Melinda) Cooper has practiced Continence, Pelvic Floor and Women’s Health physiotherapy for the better part of 40 years and remains no less passionate about its ideals than when she started. She has regularly lectured and tutored in Women’s Health Programs in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne where she was involved in researching pelvic floor muscle function in parous women. She has been a Clinical Consultant with an Adjunct Appointment to the School of Population Health at Monash University where she was the chief investigator studying validity of outcome measures used in assessing inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast. Mindy also serves as a Clinical Consultant to physiotherapy Masters students at Curtin University. She is delighted to be Emma Heron’s clinical supervisor towards her PhD, an RCT on the effect of TUS in ICLBs. Mindy is the developer and primary presenter of the nationally accredited courses ‘Lactation for Health Professionals’. Mindy invests much of her time in her relationships with her friends, colleagues and family including at last count, her 6 grandchildren.

Kym is the Owner and Director of Womankind Physiotherapy, based in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and is passionate about raising awareness of women’s health conditions and optimising outcomes for women throughout their lifespan.

Kym completed her post-graduate certificates in Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy and Exercise for Women through the University of Melbourne in 2012 and 2014 respectively. Her interest in lactation was fostered under the tutelage of Melinda Cooper working alongside her for several years at Marshall Street Practice and later at Inform Physiotherapy.

Kym has taught at both LaTrobe University and Melbourne University teaching undergraduate and masters level students in Gender Specific Studies and Lactation. She has been teaching on the Lactation for Health Professionals course since 2012 and is thrilled to be working with this team of inspiring women.

Hillary is the owner and director of Inform Physiotherapy. She convenes, lectures and tutors on the Lactation for Health Professionals Course. Hillary has over 20 years of private practice clinical physiotherapy experience. Since completing her postgraduate certificate in Exercise for Women in 2010 and Continence & Pelvic Floor in 2012, from The University of Melbourne, Hillary has enhanced her expertise in the area of women’s health through clinical practice and continued professional development. Hillary has been treating women with lactation issues since 2016 when she completed the Level 1 Lactation for Health Professionals course with Melinda and level 2 the following year.

Lisa Amir is a general practitioner and lactation consultant. She works in breastfeeding medicine at The Royal Women's Hospital. She is a Principal Research Fellow at the Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, and the Editor-in-Chief of the International Breastfeeding Journal.

Donna is the director of the The Human Lactation Research Group UWA with a background in medical imaging. She has integrated this modality into many of the group’s studies and her findings have attracted much international attention. She is a member of the Nutrition Society of Australia and Secretary for the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation.

Leanda McKenna is a physiotherapist and academic who gained her PhD in 2012. Her research has focused mainly on shoulder pain and pregnancy related issues. Her research in relation to pregnancy related issues has examined the assessment and treatment choices that physiotherapists use when treating Mastitis and predictors to respond to treatment in women who have pregnancy related pelvic pain.

Dr. McArdle's research interests are in women's health research with a particular focus on maternal and child health during the perinatal stages and medical education. Since the completion of her PhD in 2009, Dr McArdle’s research is aimed at improving assessment, treatment and patient and clinician education around the treatment of inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast (mastitis) and to investigate and understand the relevant enablers and barriers to successful breastfeeding for Australian women.