Our Team

Cassandra Irvin Director of Nursing and Clinical Operations

RN, BNurs, Cert REI Nursing, GradCert Leadership & Management, MHSM, MACHSM

Cassandra is a Registered Nurse with two decades of specialised experience in fertility nursing. Her career reflects a deep commitment to excellence in patient care and clinical leadership within the field of reproductive health.

She has completed the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Nurse Certificate Course through the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and holds a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management from the Australian College of Nursing. In addition, she has pursued advanced training through a Master of Health Service Management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Throughout her career, Cassandra has remained passionate about delivering patient care that is safe, effective, and developed in genuine partnership with patients. Her values of kindness, authenticity, and empowerment underpin her approach to both care and leadership. She is dedicated to supporting and developing the profession of fertility nursing, with a strong focus on nurturing high standards, fostering collaboration, and driving continuous improvement.

In her role as Director of Nursing & Clinical Operations, Cassandra is committed to leading with integrity, advancing clinical excellence, and ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of care at every stage of their fertility journey.

Joanne Perrott Clinical Nurse Consultant

RN, RM, MBA

Joanne leads clinic governance, compliance, and continuous improvement at Flinders Fertility, playing a key role in ensuring our systems and processes meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficiency.

Originally trained as a Registered Nurse and Midwife in Melbourne at the Alfred Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital, Joanne has over three decades of healthcare experience. After two decades working across all areas of obstetrics, she moved into fertility nursing in 2006 and has been valued part of the Flinders Fertility team ever since.

Over the years, Joanne has developed deep expertise in fertility and reproductive health, and now applies that knowledge to improving clinical operations and driving sustainable change. Her commitment to excellence is supported by her formal qualifications, including a Certificate IV in Management and Leadership (2011) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of South Australia.

Joanne is passionate about building robust systems that support both patients and staff, with a strong focus on quality, safety, and streamlining processes. She takes pride in creating a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, ensuring the clinic runs smoothly and meets all regulatory and accreditation standards.

Sue Conway Patient Care Coordinator

BBiotech (Hons), Grad Cert Social Sciences

After studying Biotechnology at Flinders University Sue commenced her career as an embryologist. She gained experience across the gamut of fertility procedures and was promoted to Laboratory Manager. Her fertility expertise has encompassed patient cycle management, donor program management, and coordinating genetic testing. She brings over a decade of experience to Flinders Fertility in clinic quality management and patient support.

You'll probably see or speak to Sue at several stages of your journey, and behind the scenes, she'll coordinate your care between your doctor, our nurses, and the lab.

Sue is passionate about assisting patients through their fertility journey and feels honoured to be able to support those at their most vulnerable.

Sharon Sayers Fertility Nurse, Leam Leader

RN, Cert IV Management & Leadership, Grad Cert in Human Fertility & Assisted Reproduction

Sharon completed her training to be a Registered Nurse at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in 1991, with a keen interest to pursue her career in the area of women’s health. In 1995, she was asked to cover a 6-month leave position in a Reproductive Medicine Unit and never looked back.

Sharon has extensive fertility nursing experience, and in 2018 completed the Graduate Certificate of Human Fertility and Assisted Reproduction through the University of Technology in NSW. She has a Certificate IV in Frontline Management and has recently completed training to perform fertility ultrasounds. For 5 years, she was one of the South Australian Representatives of the Fertility Nurses of Australasia, providing access to quality professional development and training to the nurses of Australia and New Zealand.

Sharon has a passion for providing personalised care to all people from all walks of life as they work their way through fertility treatment.

Annette Bowshall Fertility Nurse

RN, RM, Critical Care Cert

Annette completed her Registered Nurse training at St. Andrew’s Hospital in Adelaide in 1982. After a stint working in London & travelling for 2 years, she returned to SA to undertake a Critical Care Certificate at Flinders Medical Centre. In 1990, she completed her Midwifery training at the Queen Victoria Hospital & continued to work in that field until 1997. Annette then spent a further 10 years gaining more experience in the Midwifery, Coronary Care & in the Casual Nursing Pool of the hospital.

In 2007, she was fortuitously asked to fill a 6-month leave position at Flinders Fertility & became a permanent nurse here soon afterwards. She particularly enjoyed working in the day surgery areas, including Theatre and Recovery, until the unit moved out of FMC in 2018. She now enjoys the challenges of expanding her fertility experience & has great compassion for all those struggling with their fertility journey.

Mary Furst Fertility Nurse

RN, RM, GradDip Counselling

Mary is a Registered Nurse/Midwife with over 30 years of experience from working in Adelaide and the UK. She completed a Graduate Diploma in Health Counselling in 1995 at Adelaide University and began working in Reproductive Medicine in 2003 with Flinders Fertility.

Her commitment is to provide personalised, client-centered care to assist patients in achieving their goals, with both respect and empathy.

Christie George Fertility Nurse

RN, B. Nursing

Christie has been a valued member of the Flinders Fertility team since 2009, beginning her career with us in administration and medical typing. Having undergone her own fertility treatment, Christie developed a strong passion for women’s health and reproductive medicine. This inspired her to complete a Bachelor of Nursing and return to our practice in an exciting new role as one of our dedicated nurses.

Christie brings with her many years of experience supporting patients through their fertility journeys. With both professional insight and personal understanding, she recognises the highs and lows that often come with treatment and is committed to providing compassionate, knowledgeable care to every patient she sees.

Chelsea Hall Fertility Nurse

RM, BMid

Chelsea is a Registered Midwife holding a Bachelor of Midwifery, with clinical experience spanning antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care. Her midwifery background gives her a deep understanding of the emotional and physical aspects of reproductive health, and she brings this to every aspect of her fertility nursing care, with a particular interest in patient education and early pregnancy.

Zoe Martyr Fertility Nurse

RN,B.Sc,

Zoe is a Registered Nurse who qualified in Norwich in the UK after gaining a BSc Hons in Nursing. Zoe worked for 10 years in a variety of medical, surgical and neonatal intensive care roles before deciding on a career in women’s health. She has experience as a research nurse in intensive care, O&G, and early pregnancy assessment. Zoe originally came to Australia on holiday in 2016 and loved it so much she decided to migrate here, arriving in Adelaide in 2021.

Zoe has a strong commitment to patient advocacy and ensuring that patients’ needs are heard.

Abbey Maynard Fertility Nurse

RN

Abbey is a Registered Nurse and joins us from Flinders Medical Centre where she worked for over two years in the critical care fields of Haematology and Oncology. Abbey has always had a keen interest in fertility, human reproduction, and women’s health. She is a reliable member of the Flinders Fertility team and is a strong advocate for patients, supporting them through the fertility journey and will always be a smiley face on arrival.

Helen Newman Fertility Nurse

RN, RM

Helen is a Registered Nurse and a Registered Midwife with over 30 years’ experience in Women’s Health. She completed her Nurse, Midwifery training in the UK, and moved to Adelaide in 2005. Helen came to work at Flinders Fertility for a few weeks in 2008 to cover for long service leave and luckily for us she never left!

Helen has a special interest in fertility ultrasounds and preconception education. She believes in providing personalised care to help make her patients feel as relaxed as possible.

Sophie McSherry Fertility Nurse

RN, B.Nursing

Sophie is a Registered Nurse who completed her Bachelor of Nursing in 2016.  She has over 10 years of experience across emergency, medical, surgical, and aesthetic nursing, including six years’ experience in the women’s health and gynaecology speciality. She has spent the last 3 years specialising in fertility nursing here in Adelaide. 

During this time, she has been involved in fertility education presentations and has supported the development and collaboration of other healthcare professionals within the field.

Sophie’s interest in fertility nursing is both professional and personal, which underpins her compassionate and patient-centred approach to care. Her special interests include hormone interpretation, fertility procedures, and providing a supportive and structured treatment experience. Sophie understands the emotional complexities that can come with fertility treatment and prides herself on creating a supportive and reassuring environment where patients feel heard, informed, and confident throughout their journey. 

Johanna (Josie) Walters Fertility Nurse

RN, BN/BHIthSc

Johanna (Josie) graduated from Flinders University in 2005 with a double degree in Nursing and Health Science, majoring in Health Promotion and Education. 

She has built a diverse nursing career, working across a range of areas, including emergency care, general medical and surgical care, neurology, and women’s health. 

 Johanna began working as a fertility nurse in 2012 in Melbourne. She continued her passion for women’s health and fertility care after relocating to Adelaide, where she worked in the field for five years. She later pursued a career as a specialist MS nurse, during which she led pregnancy planning workshops and supported many couples navigating the often complex and emotional journey of starting a family while living with a chronic health condition. 

Following her own personal experience with infertility, Josie is deeply committed to further supporting couples on their path to parenthood.

Tahlia Weninger Fertility Nurse

RN, BHlthMedSc, MClinM

Tahlia is a dedicated fertility nurse, holding a Bachelor of Health and Medical Science with a major in Reproductive Health, followed by a Master of Clinical Nursing.

Her specialised education reflects her long-term passion of helping women and couples navigate reproductive health challenges. Her special interests include follicular scanning, endometriosis, quality patient education and early pregnancy care.

Tahlia enjoys creating meaningful connections with her patients and aims to make their journey as comfortable and positive as possible.

Michael Barry Scientific Director

BSc, MCE

Michael Barry is the Scientific Director at Flinders Fertility. For over three decades Michael has been pivotal to the success of IVF technology in South Australia, leading innovation and advances in clinical embryology.

He is a science graduate from the University of Adelaide and completed his master’s in Clinical Embryology at the University of Leeds in 2012. His Embryology career began in 1990 at the Reproductive Medicine Unit of the University of Adelaide.

In addition to his role at Flinders Fertility, Michael is an associate lecturer at the University of Adelaide Robinson Institute.

Michael mentors colleagues in Australia and overseas, and loves having the opportunity to meet the many babies that spent the early part of their lives in his care.

His areas of interest are laboratory design and its impact on embryology, the invitro environment of embryos and gametes, embryo biopsy, machine learning's role in quality management, and the implementation and teaching of new technologies.

Chris Osborn Laboratory Manager

B.Btech (Hons),

Chris is the Laboratory Manager at Flinders Fertility, bringing over 12 years of hands-on experience in embryology and assisted reproductive technologies. After graduating with a Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) from Flinders University in 2010, he has worked across several leading fertility clinics in South Australia, gaining deep expertise in a broad range of embryology techniques and laboratory best practices.

What really drives Chris is his love for embryology and the joy of helping people grow their families. He’s deeply committed to providing the best possible care for every patient and always looks for ways to improve how the lab operates. Chris also leads a dedicated team of embryologists and is passionate about building a supportive, skilled, and caring environment—so that every patient has the best chance of success.

Jordan Durrans Embryologist

BMedSc(Hons),MCE

Jordan is a Clinical Embryologist with a strong academic foundation and experience across leading IVF laboratories in Australia. After completing a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) in 2017, she went on to complete a Master of Clinical Embryology from the University of Melbourne in 2018.

Since 2019, she has worked in two of the largest IVF companies in Sydney, gaining valuable experience in all aspects of embryology, including IVF/ICSI, embryo culture, cryopreservation, embryo biopsy and quality control systems. In 2025, she returned home to Adelaide to continue contributing to the field of reproductive science in a patient-centered environment.

Jodan is passionate about staying at the forefront of innovation in embryology, genetics, and patient-centered fertility care. Her professional interests include laboratory optimisation, embryo vitrification and biopsy techniques, and supporting evidence-based approaches to improve patient outcomes.

She is known for her meticulous attention to detail, teamwork, and empathetic approach to fertility care. What she loves most about embryology is being a part of each patient’s fertility journey—combining the precision of science with the privilege of patient connection. She values the opportunity to engage directly with patients and support them during such a personal time.

Angela Nikoloutsopoulos Embryologist and Workplace Health and Safety Manager

B.Sc.

Angela has been working at Flinders Fertility since 2001.

After completing her Bachelor of Science (majoring in Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology) at the University of Adelaide in 1986, Angela worked for 14 years as a Research Scientist in Human Reproductive Biology in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Flinders Medical Centre. She was involved in a number of research projects, but one of particular interest was developing a non-invasive technique of isolating embryonic cells from peripheral blood of pregnant women in their first trimester to allow prenatal genetic diagnosis. Her extensive laboratory experience and passion for embryology means that she is one of the most senior embryologists in the laboratory team, and is passionate about providing the highest possible standard of embryology and andrology services to our patients.

Angela also serves as our Workplace Health and Safety Manager with a remit to provide a safe and healthy working environment for Flinders Fertility staff, patients, and visitors.

Rebecca Mackay Embryologist

B.Sc (Hons), MCE

Rebecca joined Flinders Fertility in 2013 as an embryologist after completing her Masters in Clinical Embryology at Monash University in Melbourne. She has a special interest in genetics and has enjoyed helping to establish and coordinate Flinders Fertility’s Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) programme.

Originally from New Zealand, she studied for a Bachelor of Science in 2010, majoring in genetics at the University of Otago and graduating with First Class Honours. Rebecca has worked on several research projects in the field of molecular biology from the phenomenon of mitochondrial recombination in sheep to screening for mutations in patients with unexplained familial hypercholesterolemia. During her Masters degree, she carried out research into the sex-dependent growth differences in bovine embryos.

Rebecca enjoys presenting on various aspects of embryology and has had the pleasure of speaking at a number of ART related conferences and seminars.

Zara Tsoukatos Embryologist

BSc

Zara completed a Bachelors degree in Health and Medical Science, majoring in Reproductive Health, where her interest in fertility arose. After working in clinical trial biolabs, she joined Flinders Fertility as a trainee embryologist and has quickly gained skills in all aspects of clinical embryology.

Julie Potts Counsellor

DT (Social Work), MAASW (Acc), MANZICA

Julie Potts is a fertility counsellor with decades of experience in counselling individuals and couples. She provides individualised support and guidance during what is often an emotionally demanding time. She has deep experience in donor counselling both for recipients and donors and is available to assist you in total confidence.

Find out more about our counselling services.

Emma Angel Counsellor

B. (Social Work), MAASW, MANZICA

Emma graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work in 1997 and since then has worked in the health, education, and community sectors. She has a passion for child and youth wellbeing and safety, and family support and therapy.

Emma has 10 years of experience as a Fertility Counsellor and is dedicated to providing holistic support for individuals and couples during their treatment at Flinders Fertility. Emma states that her experience of reproductive health has been shaped by all the patients who have been willing to share their stories with her and she continues to view them as the experts!

In 2008 Emma undertook Certs 3 and 4 in Fitness and now splits her work week between Flinders Fertility, a primary school where she is a student counsellor, and an elder care facility where she is a fitness leader.

Emma is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA) and the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

Carrie Rann Counsellor

BA (Psychology), MSW

Carrie joins our team with a strong background in counselling, where she has supported individuals and families through emotionally complex and challenging situations. This work has shaped her ability to connect quickly, build trust, and offer calm, non-judgmental support during times of uncertainty.

These strengths translate naturally into fertility care. Having personally experienced IVF, Carrie deeply understands the emotional highs and lows that come with treatment. She brings a steady, compassionate presence to help individuals and couples navigate difficult decisions, and relationship stress with clarity and confidence.

Her experience working with people from diverse backgrounds allows her to provide sensitive, inclusive support tailored to each person’s needs. Carrie is committed to creating a safe, warm, and respectful environment where clients feel genuinely heard and supported throughout their fertility journey.

Georgia Everett Donor Program Coordinator

After many years working in the entertainment industry, Georgia's path took a deeply personal turn when she experienced multiple cycles of IVF to have her son. That journey ignited a passion for fertility care that led her to transition into the field professionally.

Georgia spent five years as a new patient advisor with a large network of fertility clinics in the UK, where she guided patients through their initial questions, first appointments, and the often overwhelming early stages of fertility treatment. Her combination of personal experience and professional expertise gave her a genuine understanding of what patients need most — clear information, compassionate support, and someone who truly gets it.

Having recently returned home to Adelaide, Georgia is thrilled to bring her knowledge and warmth to Flinders Fertility's donor program, supporting patients through their unique journey to parenthood.