Associate Professor Summer May Finlay (CSCA, BSSC, GC-EDHE, MPHA, PhD)
Breaking Barriers, Empowering Women: Urgent Action for Culturally Safe Breastfeeding in First Nations Communities
Associate Professor Summer May Finlay (CSCA, BSSC, GC-EDHE, MPHA, PhD) is a Yorta Yorta woman and mother of two with over 20 years’ experience across the tertiary sector, government, and Indigenous organisations.
She is Associate Professor in Indigenous Health at the University of Wollongong, where she leads research on Indigenous health service delivery, policy, and reducing health disparities with a focus on children and young people and women’s health.
Summer has held senior leadership roles at UOW and nationally, including Chair of Thirrili and Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. Her contributions have been recognised with multiple Public Health Association of Australia awards and sector-wide impact.
Associate Professor Phillip Baker, BSc, MHSc, PhD
Ultra-processed children: The rise of ultra-processed foods in the diets of infants and toddlers, what it means for them, and what we can do about it
Phil Baker is an ARC Future Fellow and Horizon Fellow at the School of Public Health, University of Sydney. His research focuses on understanding global food systems change and the impacts on human and planetary health.
His recent studies examine the commercial determinants of infant and young child nutrition, including as an adviser and author of recent UNICEF reports on ultra-processed foods and children. Phil recently co-led the Lancet Series on Ultra-processed Foods and Human Health.
Chris Sulfaro RN, RM, PICU, MHM & Laura Klein, PhD
The Journey of Milk: Breast milk donation and research at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Lifeblood collects, tests, processes and distributes donated breast milk to vulnerable babies in hospitals across Australia.Since 2018, generous milk donors have helped feed thousands of babies born too early when they can’t access enough of their mum’s own milk.
Chris Sulfaro is the National Milk Operations Manager, leading the team that makes Australia’s donor human milk service possible.
Laura Klein, as the National Milk Research Lead, champions collaborative research that strengthens the milk bank’s operations. Together, Chris and Laura share how Lifeblood’s milk service and research are transforming care for Australia’s tiniest patients.