DAA Spokespeople
ACT
Pip Golley
BAppSci (Nutrition), M Nutr Diet, MPH, APD
Areas of Interest: Child health, pregnancy and lactation, weight management, general nutrition
Pip is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with more than 15 years experience in nutrition. She has worked across a number of areas including clinical and community nutrition, health promotion, food service and food regulation.
Pip has extensive experience in paediatric and maternal nutrition in tertiary and primary health care settings. She is currently working as a senior nutritionist/manager in Child, Youth and Women’s Health, where she provides expert nutrition advice to individual clients and groups, coordinates health promotion activities and manages a team of community dietitians. Pip has a strong interest in early intervention and is committed to supporting children and their families to develop life-long healthy eating habits.
NSW
Professor Clare Collins 
PhD, BSc, Dip Nutr&Diet, Dip Clin Epi, AdvAPD AN
Areas of Interest: Children’s health, evidence based practice, weight loss and fad diets, family nutrition, cystic fibrosis, nutrition research methods.
Clare is Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle. Until recently, Clare also worked as a clinical paediatric dietitian for more than 20 years. Clare completed her PhD examining nutrition and growth in young people with cystic fibrosis. Her current research is focussed on weight status and optimising dietary intakes in young people and women.
Clare chaired the working party that developed DAA’s best practice guidelines for the treatment of adult overweight and obesity. She is also the Vice President of the Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS – formerly ASSO). Clare has been a DAA spokesperson since 1999. She has worked behind the scenes on Network Ten’s The Biggest Loser, series 1 to 3 as a consultant dietitian and played a key role in establishing the partnership between DAA and Network Ten to launch Australia’s Healthy Weight Week.
Dr Trent Watson 
PhD, BHSc(N&D), APD AN
Areas of Interest: Sports nutrition, general nutrition, vitamin and mineral supplements, fad diets, men’s health, nutrition and fatigue, obesity.
Trent started his adult life pursuing a professional rugby league career, but soon realised he would be a better dietitian. He is now the principal consultant dietitian of Ethos Health a Newcastle-based multidisciplinary allied health business. Trent has completed a PhD at the University of Newcastle which looked at oxidative stress, antioxidants and exercise. He is continuing his research interests in workplace health with a special interest in fatigue.
Trent has extensive consulting experience. He has worked with a diverse range of individuals and groups from coal miners to elite athletes. Trent is a sought after speaker and media commentator and is passionate about providing accurate nutrition, health and lifestyle information that cuts the confusion and can be used in the real world. He had been a DAA spokesperson since 2001 and writes a regular column for Australian Men’s Fitness, among many others.
Dr Alan Barclay 
BSc, Grad Dip Dietetics, PhD, APD AN
Areas of Interest: Metabolic syndrome, diabetes and pre-diabetes, overweight and obesity, food allergy and intolerance, food law
Alan is the Chief Scientific Officer of Glycemic Index Foundation, which licences its Glycemic Index tested logo for use on healthy, lower GI foods. He completed his PhD through the University of Sydney on carbohydrate and disease risk. Alan also works for Diabetes Australia (NSW) and sits on the Editorial Board of their consumer magazine Conquest and their health professional magazine Diabetes Management Journal. Alan has a keen interest in food law and therapeutic goods law.
Alan regularly speaks to the media on issues including health claims, carbohydrates, trans fats, weight management and diabetes. He has been a DAA spokesperson since 2004. During this time, Alan has been interviewed by many publications, including the Sydney Morning Herald, Body and Soul, and ABC radio. Alan recently completed a six month media training course with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
Milena Katz 
BSc(Nutrition)(Hons) BTeach, APD AN
Areas of interest: Womens health, childrens and adolescent Health, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cooking, heart health, weight management, aged care nutrition
Milena is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and qualified high school science teacher who completed both her degrees at the University of Sydney. She has worked in clinical nutrition in many Sydney hospitals and in the area of health promotion focusing on primary care at the Heart Foundation. She is experienced in advising clients for many dietary issues including diabetes, insulin resistance, weight management and lipid disorders. She loves working with parents to improve children’s health and also teaches a range of nutrition courses at the Eastern Suburbs Evening College. Milena is the co-developer of Food?Sick, an iphone application to help people keep track of food and symptoms.
She is passionate about preventing diseases through better food choices and is also interested in complementary medicine and anti-ageing. Milena is the founder of Ahead In Health Nutrition and Lifestyle Centre which focuses on nutrition advice for adults, children and groups. Milena loves spending time with her family and her daughter Daliah. Milena is also currently completing her certificate 4 in personal training. Milena loves to spread the word about good nutrition and has written for the Healthy Food Guide, Business Chicks Magazine, Wool Press and has appeared on Sydney Morning Herald Online.
Northern Territory
Natasha Murray
BSc, BAppSc (Human Mvmt), BND, Grad Cert Health (Diabetes Mgmt & Edu), APD, AN
Areas of Interest: Diabetes, breastfeeding, childhood nutrition, Indigenous nutrition, food allergies and intolerances
Natasha is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and also a qualified Diabetes Educator. She commenced her dietetics career as a Public Health Nutritionist working in remote Indigenous communities in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, and is currently employed as a clinical dietitian in Alice Springs. She has diverse experience in paediatric and adult dietetics.
Natasha has a keen interest in childhood nutrition and encouraging healthy eating habits early – and has two young food-lovers to nurture in this area! She believes in providing accurate and easy-to-understand nutrition information to the public and debunking nutrition myths, and has written articles for the Katherine Times newspaper.
Queensland
Kate Di Prima 
BSc, M Nutr & Diet, APD AN
Areas of Interest: Children’s nutrition, general nutrition, diabetes, weight management
Kate has her own private practice in Brisbane. She has experience working with industry, corporations, hospitals, nursing homes and correctional centres. Kate has a particular interest in childhood and family eating. In 2005, she published ‘The ultimate lunchbox and dinner meals for healthy kids’ and has since published two cookbooks. Kate has been a DAA spokesperson since 2003. She previously held the position of Media Liaison with DAA. Kate regularly works with the media both locally and nationally. She has appeared on Brisbane Extra, What’s Good for You, Sunrise and the Today Show. Kate also writes a regular nutrition column for Practical Parenting magazine.
Julie Gilbert 
BHSc(N&D), Bed(Human Movt), APD AN
Areas of Interest: Weight loss, diabetes, cholesterol, children and teenage nutrition, family health
Julie has a private practice in Brisbane called Solutions Food. As part of her business, Julie runs education sessions and shopping tours for private industry, schools and sporting organisations. She also designs and implements weight loss programs, and reviews school canteen menus. Julie has established a diabetes and osteoporosis clinic with local doctors.
Julie has a background in teaching, which helps her deliver complex nutrition information in a simple way. Julie media experience includes newspaper, local and national radio, and television interviews. She has appeared on A Current Affair and regularly writes for Brisbane’s Courier Mail newspaper. Julie is also the author of ‘The Pedometer Diet’ . Julie has been a DAA spokesperson since 2005.
Maria Packard 
BSc, Grad Dip Nutr & Diet, APD AN
Areas of Interest: Diabetes, children, healthy lifestyle, sports nutrition
Maria is a consultant dietitian who spent a significant amount of her career working with Diabetes Australia Queensland (Qld). She has conducted numerous nutrition education programs for health professionals and the Qld community. Her audiences vary from medical, nursing, dietetic and human movement students, to school aged children, catering and nursing home staff, sports persons, allied and medical heath professionals. She has been a member of various Queensland Health working groups and co-initiated the first DAA Diabetes Interest Group in Qld.
South Australia
Tania Ferraretto 
BSc, MND, APD AN
Areas of Interest: General nutrition, eating disorders, body image, fad diets
Tania is a consultant for Nutrition Professionals Australia, a group of private practicing dietitians based in Adelaide. She works with individual clients and on public relations and communications projects including work with the media. Tania is passionate about helping people develop a healthy relationship with food and a healthy body image and her keen interest in eating disorders and eating behaviour provides the opportunity to work with a range of clients in this way.
Tania has worked in community health, clinical dietetics, with the food industry and in public relations and has been a DAA spokesperson since 1999. Tania has worked with media outlets across Australia including ABC Education TV, Today Tonight, The Australian, Cosmopolitan magazine and Good Health and Medicine magazine among many others. Tania has also contributed regular nutrition features to The Advertiser newspaper in Adelaide.
Sonya Stanley 
BSc, M Nutr and Diet, APD AN
Areas of Interest: Children’s nutrition, overweight and obesity, diabetes, pregnancy
Sonya is a Community Dietitian at the Adelaide Hills Community Health Service at Mount Barker. She is also the Project Coordinator for eat well be active Morphett Vale one of two community demonstration projects which aim to increase healthy eating and physical activity of children, young people and their families. Sonya has worked in clinical and community dietetics in metropolitan and regional areas, including Indigenous communities.
Sonya has a keen interest in children’s nutrition, overweight and obesity, diabetes and healthy eating during pregnancy. Sonya joined the Spokespersons Program in December 2006. Her media experience includes interviews on radio, regional television and local newspapers. She has written for Cosmopolitan Pregnancy magazine, and Healthy and Heartwise magazine, and has been interviewed on Channel Ten news.
Tasmania
Natasha Meerding
BSc (Psychology), B Nutr and Diet, APD, AN
Areas of Interest: Maternal and child health, weight management and fad diets, body image and the psychology of eating, schools and school canteens, public health.
Natasha is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with diverse experience in both peadiatric and adult dietetics within the clinical and community sectors. Natasha currently works as a community dietitian at the Community Nutrition Unit in Hobart where she provides expert nutrition advice and support to a range of health and community workers. She is involved in programs that aim to create environments that make healthy choices the easier choice and has a particular interest in school based programs.
Natasha has a keen interest in research and evidence based practice and is currently managing the evaluation of a multidisciplinary non-dieting program. She also has a strong interest in the link between psychology and eating for children and adults. Natasha has further training in paediatric nutrition and dietetics and workplace Training and Assessment. She is currently the chair of the Tasmanian Branch of the Dietitians Association of Australia. Natasha has appeared on talk back radio and has been interviewed for the Mercury and Examiner newspapers.
Victoria
Melanie McGrice 
BSc(Nutr)(Hons), MND, APD AN
Areas of Interest: General nutrition, adolescent nutrition, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, elderly, fad diets, obesity surgery
Melanie is the director of Health Kick Nutrition and Dietetics, a dietetics company with three centres around Melbourne. She has worked in clinical dietetics for ten years, and manages the obesity and weight loss surgery dietetics program for EasternHealth. Melanie specialises in weight management and has co-authored a number of papers. She is a highly sought after speaker with regular engagements at schools, corporate companies, conferences and the media. She is one of DAA’s longer-term spokespeople and has been working with the media for more than 10 years. She is currently the Convenor of DAA’s Obesity Interest Group.
Lisa Renn 
MND, Grad Dip Nutrition, BAppSc (Phys Ed), APD AN
Areas of Interest: Overweight/obesity, behavior change therapies, diabetes, heart disease, children and family nutrition counseling, general nutrition
Lisa has worked as a Community Health Dietitian for more than 10 years. She also runs a private practice ‘Body Warfare Nutrition’ and has recently published her first book ‘Body Warfare – the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss’. Lisa was a member of the working party which developed DAA’s ‘Best Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Overweight and Obesity’. She is an Accredited DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) facilitator, and has a background in secondary school education. Lisa is passionate about using behavioural therapy strategies to help patients achieve health outcomes.
Lisa has been a DAA Spokesperson since 2008. Her recent media interviews include for Women’s Health, Wellbeing and That’s Life magazines, Body + Soul, and The Age and the Herald Sun newspapers. She has been interviewed for numerous radio programs, as part of her role as a DAA Spokesperson, and has previously appeared on the Channel Nine programs What’s Good for You and A Current Affair.
Associate Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos
PhD, MPH, Grad Dip Diet, BSc (Hons) APD AN
Areas of Interest: Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, diabetes, healthy obesity, Mediterranean diet, clinical nutrition intervention studies, dietetic training and dietetic competency development and evaluation
Catherine Itsiopoulos is the Head of Department and Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at La Trobe University in Victoria. Catherine has more than 25 years of clinical, academic and project management experience. Recent positions Catherine has held include Associate Professor and Head of Discipline Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Canberra, Accreditation, Recognition and Education Services Manager with the Dietitians Association of Australia and Fellow of the Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Clinical Science in Diabetes at the University of Melbourne.
Catherine has extensive experience and a strong research interest in dietetic training, dietetic competency evaluation and implementation, and international benchmarking of dietetic examination systems. Catherine’s major research interests include randomised controlled clinical intervention studies in diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome using the Mediterranean diet as a model of intervention. Catherine is also investigating the positive health and mortality profile of Greek-born migrants to Australia who have retained their positive cardiovascular disease mortality profile despite more than 50 years since migration.
Catherine has extensive media experience and has presented on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet in public forums, and national and international conferences.
Western Australia
Margaret Hays 
BSc Post Grad Dip Dietetics, Post Grad Dip Diabetes Ed, APD AN
Areas of Interest: General nutrition, diabetes, weight loss, family eating
Margaret works in private practice in Perth. She consults to individuals, industry and corporations, and also writes nutrition education material. Margaret has previously worked as a nutrition consultant in Asia, and she is a qualified diabetes educator.Margaret has been a DAA spokesperson since 2004. She is able to translate nutrition science into practical information for the public and does so in a very personable way. Margaret has worked with national television, including news and current affairs programs, and radio, such as Triple J’s Hack program, a national current affairs program that runs each weekday. She is frequently quoted in the West Australian newspaper.
Denise Griffiths 
BSc(Nutr & Food Sci), Grad Dip Diet, APD AN
Areas of Interest: Nutrition research, general nutrition, school nutrition
Denise is the Community Liaison Officer for the Nutrition and Dietetics Program Area at Curtin University. A large part of her role involves raising the community profile of dietitians. Denise also has seven years experience as a research assistant and has a keen interest in translating scientific research into easy-to-understand nutrition information and advice for the public. She also has an interest in community and school nutrition projects.
Denise has been a DAA spokesperson for the past 18 months. During this time, she has been interviewed by publications such as the Herald Sun and Take 5 magazine. Denise also has experience working with radio and television.