Professor Jeffrey Hamdorf

Jeff is an Academic Surgeon, based at The University of Western Australia and is a Consultant General Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon.

He was the inaugural Professor of Medical Education at The University of Western Australia (UWA), Jeff is the Director of CTEC, a world-class skills training centre and is UWA’s Professor of Surgical Education.

Over an extended period of time he has been influential in teaching and learning, curriculum development, assessment and student progress. At the postgraduate level he has been involved with the education of trainees through simulation. Jeff was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia, 2019, for services to medical education and surgery, particularly in the area of bariatric surgery.

Involved in the formation and inaugural Chair of the Western Australia Patient Blood Management Group (2018). Scientific Associate and Board Member, International Foundation for Patient Blood Management. Recently he has been a member of the Steering Committee for the development of the WHO Policy Brief: The urgent need to implement patient blood management – a framework for global PBM implementation and following this the WHO Global document: Guidance on implementing patient blood management to improve global blood health status. 

Research interests include: medical, surgical and nursing education; obesity especially relating to interprofessional team care; role of medical and surgical simulation in education and training; curriculum development; surgical skills assessment; human factors in surgery; proficiency based assessment in skills acquisition; Patient Blood Management, clinical implementation, education and training; digital anatomy methodology and, abdominal wall biomechanics.

Ms Amy Pearn

Amy is a genetic counsellor specialising in cancer genetics. She trained at the University of Newcastle, Australia and is certified by both the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) and the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC). After 15 years working in public health, Amy founded the Gene Council, a private service based in Perth providing virtual cancer genetic counselling and testing. She also works in research and consultative genetic counselling roles. Amy sat on the national eviQ Cancer Genetics Reference Committee for over 10 years and coordinated the roll-out of mainstream genetic testing for women with ovarian cancer in WA.

Dr Yang Yang Huang

Yang is a Consultant General and Breast Surgeon with advanced subspecialty fellowship training in breast oncology, oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery. Currently practicing at SCGH, Hollywood Private Hospital and Joondalup Health Campus in Perth. His interests include minimally invasive breast surgery, high risk screening and risk reducing mastectomy, level 2 oncoplastic breast surgery with therapeutic mammoplasty and perforator flap reconstruction and axillary lymphovenous anastomosis with plastics team. 

Mr Sam Coten-Frigerio

With a Bachelor of Laws (with Distinction) / Bachelor of Science (Cognitive Neuroscience and Health Psychology) from Murdoch University, Sam brings a unique perspective to his role as a Medico-Legal Adviser at MDA National. Sam has extensive administrative law experience, having worked at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Australian Government Solicitor, as well as having experience in dispute resolution and employment law more broadly. His background provides the team and our members with diverse and alternative areas of expertise.

Dr Talia Shepherd

Dr Talia Shepherd is a General and Colorectal Surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia, with a subspecialty interest in complex colorectal and pelvic oncological surgery. She completed her two-year CSSANZ colorectal fellowship, including subspecialty training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, a world-leading centre for pelvic exenteration. Her clinical interests include locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer and multidisciplinary approaches to complex pelvic malignancy. Talia is actively involved in surgical research, education and collaborative initiatives to advance outcomes in colorectal cancer care.

Dr Shahriar Raj Zaman

Dr Shahriar Raj Zaman (known as Raj) is an Australian and Internationally trained, fully qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. He qualified from the University of Western Australia in 2009 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.

Following graduation, he pursued several years of surgical training not only in plastic surgery but also in neurosurgery and general surgery for further experience.

He completed the Fellowship of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) Examination in June 2022. Following completion of his training he pursued further sub specialty training in Seoul, South Korea at the world renowned Asan Medical Centre in complex microsurgical reconstruction. This was under the esteemed tutelage of Professors JP Hong, Peter Suh, John Pak and JW Choi.

After Seoul, Dr Zaman proceeded to seek further training in aesthetic surgery in Sydney, Australia. This was under the auspices of the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons based out of the prestigious Macquarie University. 

Dr. Zaman is recognised for his commitment to education and research. His contributions to the field extend beyond the confines of the operating room, as evidenced by his publication record both domestically and internationally. He is committed to advancing the field through education and regularly teaches the next generation of plastic surgeons. He leads anatomy tutorials, provides clinical teaching in hospital settings, and serves as both a faculty member and course convener at the Clinical Training and Evaluation Centre (CTEC). Through these roles, he shares practical knowledge, fosters surgical confidence, and inspires excellence in future specialists.

Dr. Zaman’s surgical experience is extensive and particular interests include hand surgery, melanoma and skin cancer, complex microsurgical reconstructions as well as aesthetic breast and body contouring surgery.

Outside work he loves spending time with his young family, travel and sports.

Dr Ravi S. Rao

Dr Ravi Rao is a Perth-based Bariatric and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon and Director of Perth Surgical & Bariatrics. His clinical practice focuses on metabolic and bariatric surgery, including complex revisional procedures, alongside specialist medical weight management.

He is a Board Director of the Australian and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS) and serves on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' Upper GI, HPB and Obesity Surgery Section Committee. He was also the Bariatric Surgery Convenor for the 2026 RACS Annual Scientific Congress held in Perth.

Dr Rao has a particular clinical and research interest in Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S), with several peer-reviewed publications examining its technique and outcomes, including its application in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Dr Jacinta Cover

Dr Jacinta Cover is a regional general surgeon for the last 12 years with a focus on colorectal surgical care and emergency surgery. She trained in Western Australia and now practices at Bunbury Hospital. 

Dr Cover is co-HOD for general surgery and Medical Director of Surgical, Maternity and Paediatric Services at Bunbury Regional Hospital. Dr Cover was named Specialist of the Year at the 2026 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards earlier this year.

Mr Ben McFadden

Ben McFadden is a Senior Data Scientist within the Healthcare Quality Intelligence Unit (HQIU) at the Western Australian Department of Health. His work focuses on applying data science and analytical techniques to healthcare quality improvement and the translation of complex health data into practical tools for clinicians and health services. Currently, he maintains the sepsis, renal, diabetes, and general surgery portfolios.

Ben has a research background in applied machine learning for infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, with a particular focus on blood culture outcome prediction, clinical risk modelling, and the development of trustworthy and reproducible machine learning approaches for healthcare.

He is a strong advocate for improving artificial intelligence and data literacy among healthcare and laboratory professionals and has contributed to the development and delivery of international machine learning workshops. Ben is also a core member and subgroup chair within the ESCMID Study Group for Artificial Intelligence and Digitalisation, focusing on generative AI and large language model applications in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology.

Dr James Aitken

James Aitken recently retired from clinical practice as a consultant surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth. He worked as a consultant general and colorectal surgeon in Edinburgh for 10 years. While in Edinburgh he was chair of the Lothian Surgical Audit. He established the Western Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality, now the Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality. He is the chair of the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Laparotomy Audit Working Party.

TBC