FNA Committee
The Flight Nurses Australia Committee changes in August/September of every year. The committee elected in 2024-2025 is currently shown on this page.
If you want to know more about any of our committee members please click on their name.
Hayden Wilson – President
Flight Nurse RFDS Queensland – Endorsed Nurse Practitioner
I am a Nurse Practitioner / Registered Midwife working as a Flight Nurse Practitioner with the Rockhampton Base of Royal Flying Doctors Service (Queensland Section). With 7 years’ experience as a Flight Nurse. My interest in Flight Nursing was peaked at just 15 years of age, living on Norfolk Island. I was a volunteer ambulance officer at the time and loved going to the airport to pick up the then Care Flight teams. From there I always knew I wanted to be just like them!
I have over 14 years’ experience as a nurse with a career focus in Emergency Nursing. But probably most exciting for me, I finished my Master of Nurse Practitioner program in 2022, and specialise in Emergency and Aeromedical Retrieval. Still very much a new and developing role in the retrieval world, but I am excited to share its development as it happens. Prior to working for the RFDS my nursing career was predominantly at a quaternary teaching hospital in Brisbane including General Medicine, Neurosurgery, Emergency and Trauma.
When I’m not busy flying I am chasing after my 2 beautiful daughters, and love cooking! Having grown up on Norfolk Island I also enjoy getting away to the Capricorn Coast, a not so hidden gem that only 20 mins out of town. I look forward to contributing to the FNA committee and further supporting our awesome speciality of Nursing and Midwifery.
Judi Shields – Secretary
RN, RM, Masters of Advanced Practice Nursing Emergency, Bachelor of Nursing, Post Grad Certificates in Emergency, Aviation Nursing and Primary Health Care.
Judi Shields first commenced Flight Nursing in 1988 in completing a 3 month orientation to Flight Nursing in Gove. She was hooked and commenced as a full time Flight Nurse in Darwin in 1990. Judi has a background in Paediatrics, Midwifery, Emergency, Indigenous Health and Remote Area Nursing.
Involved in the early development of Flight Nurses Australia Incorporated and on the Inaugural committee and served in various roles from 1994 – 2008, 2016 to present as Committee member, President and Secretary, she is a Life Member of FNA.
In 2001 Judi was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to further her research in the area of Fatigue in the Air Ambulance environment; studying at NASA and the United States Air Force. Judi has remained involved in the development of standards for Flight Nursing at a national and international level.
Judi participated as a committee member for ASA and as a member of the Aerospace Nursing section of Aerospace Medical Association. Judi has presented her research regarding Fatigue at International and National scientific meetings. As a Flight Nurse, Judi worked for the Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Qld). She was a guest lecturer of the South Australia University to rewrite the Aviation Nursing Course number two. Judi remains passionate about standards for Flight Nursing Practice, Fatigue engendered by Air Medical Crews in the Aviation/Transport environments and ‘Closing the gap’.
Judi currently works as a Clinical Nurse for Retrieval Services Queensland.
Stacey Clayworth
Treasurer
Watch this space
Adam Waddington RN RM – Public Officer – Committee Member
Flight Nurse NSW Air Ambulance
I have been a registered nurse since 1996 working primarily as a Emergency nurse at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney. I completed my postgraduate midwifery training in 2003 and have maintained dual qualifications since.
I have been working full time as a flight nurse with NSW Air Ambulance since October 2009. I hold the position of Clinical Nurse Specialist grade 2.
I continue to work in the ED at Liverpool Hospital on a casual basis where I also remain as a senior staff member.
On a personal front I am happily married to my beautiful wife Lyndy who is a social worker and chaplain.
Colleen Reid – Committee member - website and socials
Our outgoing President, Colleen has been an integral part of FNA through some challenging years. RN/RM with Post Graduate Diploma in Aeromedical Retrieval, Post Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Health Aspects of Disaster Medicine. I have currently deferred studies for my Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I hold ALSO, TNCC, MIMMS commander and Remote Pre-Hospital Trauma Response qualifications. Previously I have also completed training with AusMAT (Australian Medical Assistance Team).
I was a student nurse in 2005 with RFDS QLD section and just knew flight nursing was the job for me. Lots of amazing international travel and jobs all across the north from FNQ to the NT and into WA, including working out on some remote islands followed. So it wasn’t until 9 years later, while travelling in South America, I decided to apply for the midwifery scholarship with RFDS Western Operations. I was successful and had to move from Derby, WA to Brisbane, QLD to complete my midwifery studies. I then was posted to the RFDS base in Kalgoorlie, WA in 2015. Working as a flight nurse only enhanced my passion to help unite and drive this industry further for all flight nurses. I now manage education and student placements in Kalgoorlie and I enjoy passing on the passion of flight nursing to student nurses, recruiting for the future of our industry. I was lucky enough to be one of the previous recipients of the Kaye Melmeth Grant and attend the COASTN aeromedical retrieval course in New Zealand which was a fantastic experience.
I grew up in the NT on Groote Eylandt and have worked in many communities developing a passion for Indigenous Health. I have a keen interest in photography and have the best job to see lots of amazing things you don’t see anywhere else. I am married with two beautiful children and in any spare time we have we like to play sport, camp and travel.
John Howes
Committee Member - Assistant Treasurer
Jacinta Jones
Committee Member - Editor
I began Flight Nursing in Mount Isa with RFDS QLD in 2006 doing both aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics. My background is predominantly Emergency Nursing and Midwifery and I have completed further qualifications of RIPRN, Child & Family Health, Immunisation, Critical Care (Emergency) and Leadership & Management. I have worked/flown out of the seven aeromedical bases operated by RFDS QLD and my current role of State Manager – Aeromedical for RFDS QLD allows me to support our 100+ Flight Nurses and Nurse Manager Team whilst still working on the frontline/in the air where the real action happens. The aeromedical environment offers nurses an amazingly unique nursing and nurse practitioner career of autonomous practice with incredible clinical variety, phenomenal teamwork with pilots, medical officers and engineers and an awesome view from our office window.
Breeanna Spring
Committee Member - Education
