Fran is joining the team to complete her PhD. She studied at the University of Sydney, graduating in 2025 from a Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise Physiology) (Honours). Fran fell in love with the community-centredness of Orange after her family moved there in 2023 and during her clinical placement at Orange Health Service. Fran’s research will be focused on optimising blood pressure monitoring for rural communities in NSW for patient-centred care and exploring the feasibility and acceptability of efficient and pragmatic blood pressure measurement protocols within the practice of rural clinicians. She is excited to use her clinical skills in a research setting, while expanding and honing her mixed methods research skills. She wants to gain a greater understanding of the unique health challenges regional, rural and remote areas face, while working in a team with a wealth of experience across research and healthcare.

Monica is joining the team from Parkes, Wiradjuri, to complete her Master of Philosophy. Growing up in Parkes, insisting she would live anywhere but, she left to study, travel and work and finding a partner in the Scottish Highlands. She later decided a farm in the bush was a great place to raise kids after all and has lived and worked in rural NSW ever since. Monica has a professional interest in how virtual care can improve access to flexibly delivered healthcare in rural and remote communities. In the last ten years Monica has facilitated the implementation and evaluation of alternative models of care into rural/remote health facilities in Western NSW including Hospital in the Home, Ambulatory Care and Remote Patient Monitoring. More recently, she worked with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, clinically supporting the integration of a remote patient monitoring platform into the NSW eMR and developed resources guiding remote patient monitoring implementation. Her current passion-project is renovating a heritage-listed church near Stanley, Tasmania.