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Meet the team

Behind the strength and success of ATMA lies a formidable team of specialists who bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the table. Our diverse team is comprised of dedicated paramedics, skilled police officers, and seasoned military professionals, all united by a common goal: to provide exceptional tactical medical care in the most demanding situations.

Get to know the faces behind ATMA, their unwavering commitment, and the invaluable contributions they make to our organization and the communities we serve.


President


Dave Healy

David Healy is a seasoned police officer with 20 years of experience, 18 of which have been dedicated to serving in the Special Emergency Response Team of the Queensland Police Service. Throughout his tenure he underwent rigorous training as a Medic to enhance operational effectiveness in high-risk situations and search and rescue operations. Subsequently, Dave pursued advanced studies, earning a Diploma of Paramedicine enabling him to assume managerial responsibilities in shaping the development of the Police Medic Portfolio.

Dave’s contributions extended to the realm of Tactical Medicine, where he played a pivotal role as a founding committee member of The Australian Tactical Medical Association. He consistently prioritises the health and well-being of his unit members and the broader policing community.  His extensive experience and knowledge will undoubtedly be invaluable assets to the Presidential position within ATMA.


Vice president


brigadier Toni Bushby

ATMA's Vice President Toni Bushby is a Nursing Officer in the Australian Army, and she is currently the Director General Health Business and Plans in Joint Health Command, Head of Corps for the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps and the Director General Army Health Services (designate) for 2025. Toni has extensive experience through her service in units such as the 2nd Field Hospital, 1 and 3 Combat Service Support Battalions, 5th Aviation Regiment, Robertson and Simpson Barracks Health Centres, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Officer Career Management Army, SO1 Health Policy at Joint Health Command, Director of Army Health and Chief of Staff Joint Health Command. Her breadth of knowledge spans diverse areas of military healthcare, empowering her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in delivering exceptional health services, both in Australia and overseas on deployment.

Toni’s operational deployments in East Timor, Afghanistan and Kosovo have showcased her dedication in both rotary wing aeromedical evacuation and resuscitation team roles. Alongside her impressive service record, she holds qualifications in Health Services Management, Vocational Education and Training, Emergency Nursing and Pre-hospital Care, further underscoring her commitment to continuous professional development.

As a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Services Management and a Fellow of the Australian Tactical Medicine Association, Toni actively advocates for combat healthcare particularly within the land domain. Her unwavering support extends to all health craft groups, recognizing the vital role each plays in ensuring the well-being of military personnel. She is humbled to serve the ATMA membership as we collectively bring together multiagency and multidisciplinary efforts for the benefit of those we are charged with protecting and caring for.


General Manager


Elyza Codner

Meet Elyza, a highly skilled Corporal in the Australian Army who has over a decade of experience in Military Medicine, specialising in Special Operations and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC). Her extensive training and operational expertise, both in Australia and overseas, make her a standout leader in her field.

Known to many as Lyz, she is deeply passionate about sharing her knowledge of point-of-injury care. She is dedicated to mentoring and training junior medics, fostering their growth and readiness. With a strong commitment to austere medicine and military leadership, Lyz is eager to bring her expertise and passion to the role of General Manager, driving excellence and innovation in every aspect of the organisation’s mission. 

Elyza has continually advanced her medical expertise by earning a Bachelor of Registered Nursing and is nearing the completion of a Bachelor of Paramedics. In her free time, she enjoys staying fit by exploring everything swim, bike and run with Triathlon.  


Secretary


Carlie Whiteley

Carlie is the Secretary for ATMA and has been in this position for more than five years now. She likes to think of herself as an executive assistant to the leadership team and looks after all sorts of administrative and organisational tasks


Outside of ATMA, Carlie is a Critical Care Paramedic, RN and Casual instructor for TacMed. She has a particular love for the aeromedical environment and mountain medicine, and in her spare time has a great interest in food and the outdoors.

Treasurer


Toby Ellis

A former accountant and auditor, Toby shifted careers to Rural Financial Counselling after witnessing the toll that financial hardship took on his clients during the 2019 drought. From a farming family himself, Toby spent the following 2 years in the Far West of NSW directly assisting farming families with their financial resilience and drought recovery efforts. Toby now leads the Monitoring and Evaluation efforts at the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC), a federal government special investment vehicle aimed at strengthening Australian agriculture through the provision of disaster loan programs. 

Sitting on the board of ATMA for his third year, Toby is currently studying his Masters in Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development. Holding a Bachelor of Accounting as his undergraduate, and a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Risk and Resilience. He hopes to continue developing his career in the disaster preparedness, mitigation, and adaptation space.




Board Member


JB

Meet JB, a highly skilled sergeant in the Australian Army whose expertise spans service in Special Operations, Underwater Medicine, and all things TCCC. With an impressive 13-year career in the Army, JB brings a wealth of training and operational experience garnered both within Australia and abroad.

Beyond his exceptional service to the military, JB is deeply committed to sharing his knowledge and experiences, fostering the growth of junior medics, and providing unwavering support to the Australian Tactical Medical Association (ATMA). As an avid adventurer, JB's spirit of exploration often finds him scaling mountains and navigating challenging terrains.

JB's passion for the advancement of tactical medicine is exemplified by his role as the convener of the ATMC22 conference, where he orchestrated an impactful event that brought together professionals from various disciplines. As he looks towards the future, JB is excited to continue his dedicated work, leveraging his expertise and experience to propel the Association to new heights.

With JB's unwavering dedication, adventurous spirit, and profound commitment to professional development, he serves as an invaluable asset to both the Australian Army and ATMA. Get to know JB and discover the remarkable contributions he brings to the table as we shape the future of our Association and the industry.


Board Member


Matt Pepper

Matt is a Special Operations/Intensive Care Paramedic with wide and varied experience working in prehospital medicine across austere, remote and tactical settings.

He is a Director of the training and consultancy company Blacksmiths, is on the boards of ATMA and Veterans Care Association and is a Fellow of ATMA and the Academy of Extreme Environment Medicine.  He is a Churchill Fellow (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) and was the recipient of the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission Ian O'Rourke Fellowship (Clinical Governance in Tactical Medical Operations).

As a passionate educator Matt has built training teams and created capabilities across the country, including as Paramedic Educator for Royal Flying Doctor Service, National Training Manager for TacMed Australia and Clinical Training Officer for Tactical Medicine in NSW Ambulance Special Operations.

Matt was the founding President of the Australian Tactical Medical Association.  He is a massive proponent for the power of education and training to enhance capabilities and bring people together, forging better outcomes for our patients wherever they may be.


Board Member

Georgeina Whelan

In 2024 we welcome Georgeina Whelan AM, CSC and Bar as a Board Member. Georgeina was the Chief Officer of the ACT State Emergency Service and then Commissioner of the ACT Emergency Services Agency from 2018 to 2023.  Prior to this, she served in the Australian Defence Force for over 30 years.  Career highlights include a deployment to East Timor in 1999 and Command of the ANZAC Field Hospital deployed in support of OP SUMATRA Assist in 2004. She served as the Director General Army Health from 2012-2015 and Chief of Staff Australian Defence Headquarters 2016-2017.  She is a graduate of Deakin University, RAN Staff College, the US Military Medical Strategic Studies Course and the Centre for Strategic Studies at the Australian War College.

Georgeina and her husband Gary are the proud parents of 4 adult children.   

Georgeina sits on several advisory boards, regularly presents on executive leadership and development programs and remains an active Army Reserve Officer as a senior coach and mentor for the Army Combat Training Centre.  She is passionate about professional development and the health and wellness of Defence personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families.


Board Member


Matthew Meister



Content coming soon.




CPD Manager


Matt richardson

Meet Matt, a highly experienced Intensive Care Paramedic with a remarkable 23-year tenure in various roles within the health industry. Throughout his career, Matt has worked in diverse clinical settings both internationally and within Australia, including hospitals, community healthcare, and education environments. This breadth of experience has shaped his extensive knowledge and expertise.

What sets Matt apart is his energetic and authentic leadership style, which resonates with colleagues, clients, and external stakeholders alike. He embodies the values of leadership, integrity, personal drive, and professional behaviour, consistently demonstrating his commitment to these principles. 

In terms of qualifications, Matt holds registrations as both a Registered Nurse and Registered Paramedic. He has also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Tactical Medicine and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Terrorism and Security Services. This diverse academic background further enriches his ability to contribute effectively to the field of tactical medicine.

Since 2019, Matt has taken on the role of National CPD Manager for the Australian Tactical Medical Association (ATMA). In this capacity, he passionately advocates for the highest standards of patient care in Tactical, Austere, and High Threat Environments. Matt's dedication and drive are evident in his unwavering commitment to continuous professional development and the pursuit of excellence in tactical medicine.


Membership Manager


Rachael O'Sullivan

Meet Rachael, a Captain Health Officer in the Australian Army who has experience within health operations, logistic and training. Her experience in deploying healthcare to remote and rural areas, both domestically and internationally, enables her to plan and execute effectively to support clinicians.

Rachael is passionate about enabling combat health training and exercise designs inclusive of ensuring the right medical support is provided during military training and deployments. She enjoys reading the latest health intelligence injects and relevant lessons learnt.

Prior to joining the Army in 2018 she worked as a Registered Nurse on the Central Coast this significantly enhances her health planning. She enjoys American Football, camping and trying new foods.

 


Social Media Manager


Mathew Johnston


Content coming soon.




Immediate Past President


Ben Tribe

Allow us to introduce Ben, a true veteran and founding member of our organisation. With an impressive 20 years of dedicated service in the Australian Army, Ben's expertise and experience in the field of tactical medicine are unparalleled. Having served as a Medic for 19 years, Ben has worked alongside some of Australia's most elite military units, participating in operations and training exercises across the globe.

As one of the founding members of ATMA, Ben's passion for enhancing health capabilities within various organisations is evident. Serving as the inaugural Vice President, Ben has played a pivotal role in establishing ATMA as a platform for pre-hospital clinicians and planners to connect, share their experiences, and build invaluable professional networks. Ben takes immense pride in the impact that ATMA has had on the field, empowering individuals and organisations alike to elevate their tactical medical expertise.

With Ben's extensive military background and unwavering dedication, he continues to contribute invaluable insights and guidance to ATMA. Ben is the driving force behind our organisation and the has made an extraordinary contribution to the advancement of tactical medicine in Australia and beyond.



© 2017 Australian Tactical Medical Association inc. All rights reserved.

PO BOX 3540, Weston Creek, ACT, 2611, Australia

Emailinfo@atma.net.au


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