Schedule

Speakers

Maria Cruz Ribeiro
Accredited medical sonographer (cardiac)

Maria is a clinical physiologist highly specialised in Cardiac Ultrasound, accredited by British Echocardiography Society and recognised by ASAR in Australia. With +10 years of experience, Maria has had the opportunity to combine both of her biggest passions (travel and work), she has had the opportunity of being living and working in Europe, UK and currently Australia, she is enthusiastic and committed to deliver excellence in cardiac sonography in regional Victoria and Melbourne. One of Maria’s biggest achievements is being mentor to new Sonographers and Drs, where she has the opportunity of sharing her knowledge and experience.

Tony Forshaw, AFASA
EchoGuru

Tony Forshaw is an echo educator and clinical cardiac sonographer. He has a masters degree in Cardiac Ultrasound and continues to have a strong ongoing interest in research. Tony passionately enjoys the art of performing echocardiography and is obsessed with improving quality. He has been a sonographer for over 20 years, an educator at QUT, a vocal campaigner for improving standards of sonographer training and an enthusiastic speaker at conferences on a variety of echo topics. Tony is the director of Echo Guru, providing online echo education to a global audience.

Mitchell Hubble
Advara Healthcare

Mitchell is a Cardiac Sonographer with a Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiac Ultrasound from QUT and a recent graduate from a Master’s in Cardiac Sonography at WSU. He is now pursuing an MBA through Melbourne Business School. 

Since entering the industry in 2017, he has specialized in heart failure prevention and is passionate about education and training. Mitchell collaborates with prominent institutions like Guidepoint Advisors, Melbourne HeartCare, Advara HeartCare, and Heart of Australia. He is an active member of professional organizations, including ASA, ASAR, ASE, ESC, and PiSCA, consistently striving for optimal patient care outcomes.

Dr Lucy Law
Research Officer at Menzies School of Health Research

After completing a BSc in preclinical Human Biology at Curtin University, Perth, WA, Lucy sought a career that combined hands-on work with people and her passion for clinical physiology and anatomy. She trained as a cardiac technician, then advanced to a cardiac sonographer in adult cardiology private practice. In early 2016, she moved overseas, working at a tertiary teaching hospital in Sweden, assisting with research projects. This led to a PhD in Medicine (Rheumatology) at Umeå University. In 2024, she returned to Australia, now a research officer at Menzies School of Health Research, working on the NEARER SCAN project.

Kim Prince
Central Queensland University & Australasian Sonographers Association 

Over 20 years of cardiac sonography experience. Over this time I have managed a private department, worked in both private and public sectors in Australia, worked in NHS in England and have been training and assessing students for over 10 years in the clinical setting. During COVID I reduced my clinical hours and became a part time lecturer with CQUniversity. I love educating up and coming sonographers and am passionate about cardiac and general health. So much so that I am also a personal trainer and athlete. An advocate for quality care of the patient and of the sonographer.

Danielle Ryan
Queensland University of Technology-All 4 Hearts Cardiology-QLD Health - Gold Coast University Hospital 

Danielle Ryan is an accredited cardiac sonographer. Danielle has many years of clinical experience having spent time in a regional tertiary centre, taking part in rural and remote Cardiology outreach clinics. She is experienced in emergency echo and has an interest in rheumatic heart disease. Danielle now works as a lecturer in cardiac ultrasound and maintains her clinical skills working in both public and private settings.

Kate Sturwohld
The Prince Charles Hospital

Kate is a Clinical Measurements Consultant -  Echo, The Prince Charles Hospital and a casual Academic Lecturer at CQUniversity. She has over 20 years experience in echocardiography and completed the DMU(cardiac) in 2001 at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane.  Since then, has worked in a range of clinical settings including major tertiary referral centres, regional hospitals and private practice in regional Queensland, Brisbane and Sydney. Until recently Kate was an integral part of the teaching faculty in the Bachelor of Cardiac Physiology and Echocardiography, PG Diploma Echocardiography at CQUniversity. Kate is passionate about education and quality in echocardiography.

Alison White, AFASA  
Head of course at Griffith University

Alison White BSc MSc DMU (cardiac) AMS AFASA FASE SFHEA.  Alison is an accredited medical sonographer (cardiac) with over 25 years of experience in sonography.  Alison has been a national clinical examiner for the ASUM DMU and is a past DMU Board member.  Her clinical expertise has been recognised at both national (Australian Sonographer of the Year, ASUM, 2012; Associate Fellow of the ASA, 2023) and international levels (Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography, 2017).  She joined Griffith University in 2012 as a Senior Lecturer and Program Director, teaching in the areas of cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology and biomedical instrumentation.   Alison is passionate about the professional development of sonographers and contributes to the ASA by reviewing articles for Sonography, presenting at the ASA National Conference and as a member of the cardiac SIG.

Kai Barnett
Advara Healthcare

Partners and Supporters