Meet the DANA Credentialling Advisory Committee

• Ms Jennifer Holmes (NSW) – Chair
• Ms Charlotte Byrne (Victoria)
• Mr Darren Smyth (NSW)
• Mr Stephen Ling  (NSW)
• Mr Tim Emerton (Queensland)
• Ms Louise Leonard (New Zealand)
• Dr Daryle Deering (New Zealand)

Jennifer Holmes (Chair) (NSW)

Although Jennifer’s career began in Adelaide it was after her move to Sydney in the late 80’s that she began her career in the Drug and Alcohol field.   Jennifer has a Masters of Health Science (Health Informatics) . She has been a project manager for the implementation electronic health records in community health and is involved in Drug and Alcohol data collections. She has an interest in health outcome measures including the implementation of the Australian Treatment Outcome Profile (ATOP).  She is the Clinical Service Manager of the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. Jennifer is a past board member of the Hepatitis C Council of NSW, Past President of DANA, Life Members of DANA and the DANA Public Officer.

Charlotte Byrne (VIC)

Charlotte began her nursing career in 1993 as an Enrolled Nurse and in 1998 graduated as a Registered Nurse. Her interest in drug and alcohol nursing was sparked through her work at Rankin Court Treatment Centre at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.

These days Charlotte lives in North East Victoria and her current position is at Ovens and King Community Health Service as a Rural Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Withdrawal and Pharmacotherapy Nurse. She has a Graduate Certificate in Health Science and a Graduate Diploma in Addiction and Mental Health.

Darren Smyth (NSW)

Darren Smyth has 20 years professional experience in the Drug and Alcohol field. He is a nurse and a Medical Anthropologist.  Darren has worked in numerous Drug and Alcohol settings and his experience includes Detoxification and Rehabilitation facilities, Counselling, Aboriginal Communities, Sex Worker Education, Opioid Treatment Programs, Hospital Consultation and Liaison, Psychiatry and Research. He has recently completed a Masters of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) and is in the process of applying for endorsement and a position. Darren is the DANA Vice President.

Stephen Ling (NSW)

Stephen graduated as a Registered Nurse 1988. He became the Consultation Liaison Drug and Alcohol Nurse at the John Hunter Hospital in 1996. He has expanded that role during the successive years. He has a Graduate Diploma in Health Sciences. In 2004 Stephen became the first endorsed Drug and Alcohol Nurse Practitioner in Australasia. In 2011 he started a Nurse Practitioner led Opioid Treatment Program at the Newcastle Pharmacotherapy Unit. He has presented both nationally and internationally and has been involved in reviews of a number of drug and alcohol related clinical guidelines. Stephen is a conjoint teacher for the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health for the University of Newcastle. He currently chairs the New South Wales Drug and Alcohol and Dual Diagnosis, Clinical Nurse Consultant/Nurse Practitioner Network.

Tim Emerton (QLD)

Tim is a nursing graduate of Sydney University (1991) however much of his experience since then has been gained in the Northern Territory where he has worked in the Drug and Alcohol sector until 2010.  Tim completed a Master of Nurse practitioner (AOD) through Flinders University in 2007. He moved to Queensland in 2010 and was appointed as the first Nursing practitioner (AOD) in 2010.

Louise Leonard (NZ)

Louise joined the drug and alcohol field 16 years ago in Australia. She returned to New Zealand in 2004. She completed her Masters of Nursing (Prescribing) with 1^st Class Honours in 2010 and was endorsed by the New Zealand Nursing Council as New Zealand’s first NP (AOD) in April 2012.  She is Maori, of Ngapuhi descent, and is a strong advocate for improved access to health services, including alcohol and drug services, for Maori and Pacific Island people.

Daryle Deering (NZ)

A founding DANA member in New Zealand, Daryle continues to encourage others to join and ensures that DANA has a voice in New Zealand.  Daryle has also held prominent nursing roles in New Zealand such as Vice President and President of Te Ao Maaramatanga, the New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses.  Daryle’s work since 1980 has been primarily in community-based services including community alcohol and drug services, opioid substitution treatment, family and youth mental health services. Her career has featured senior management and leadership roles.  Awarded a Master of Health Sciences in 1997 Daryle then received her PhD from the University of Otago in 2007 for a dissertation titled ‘Methadone Maintenance Treatment in New Zealand’. She continues to be actively involved with research and she is currently a Senior Lecturer within the interdisciplinary National Addiction Centre at the University of Otago in Christchurch.