Zaid joined the Health Management Internship Program in February 2025 and is currently undertaking his first placement with the Strategy and Planning Team at Barwon Health in Geelong.
Zaid holds a degree in Public Health with electives in Business Management from La Trobe University. Over the years, he has gained substantial experience in Human Resources and Workforce Management, contributing to several health service projects.
Most recently, Zaid served as an HR Advisor at The Royal Children’s Hospital, where he oversaw medical workforce HR functions. Zaid’s responsibilities included advising Directors and Heads of Units on industrial relations and enterprise bargaining agreements (EBA), managing end-to-end recruitment and credentialing, and ensuring compliance with workforce legislation.
Zaid’s initial interest in public health management was sparked while volunteering at a local hospital in the rural town of Mount Gambier, South Australia. This passion grew during his undergraduate studies and was further solidified when he contributed to a service development project at Mercy Health. In this role, Zaid prepared a project proposal and business case for presentation to the executive team, which strengthened his understanding of strategic health service planning.
Through this internship program, Zaid aims to enhance his knowledge of health services across Victoria, develop advanced leadership capabilities, and connect with talented and like-minded health leaders. Zaid is deeply passionate about leveraging his experience to drive health service innovation and create meaningful, positive change in the community.
Coleen is a first-year Health Service Management Intern, studying a Master of Health Administration with Monash University concurrently. She is excited to put theoretical skills from her Bachelor of Nursing (Latrobe University) and Master of Public Health (Monash University) into her initial placement with Safer Care Victoria.
Within the six years of her professional career, she has been fortunate to have had exposure in clinical nursing, project management, and nurse consultancy roles. It has given her a holistic overview to acute tertiary care. Thereby, facilitating a systems approach to thinking and problem solving.
But due to her interest in health governance and lifelong learning, she aspires to expand her knowledge in policymaking and gain practical skills from current leaders in healthcare. Coleen hopes to continue the legacy of current leaders – making sure our healthcare system is sustainable, effective and efficient so that individuals can remain safe and healthy.
Henceforth, this program is invaluable to Coleen. It enables her to take a step closer into making a difference in the wider community.
Rhylee has commenced the Health Management Internship program in 2025 and is undertaking her first placement in System Planning with the Victorian Department of Health.
Rhylee holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Genetics from La Trobe University. Prior to joining the program, she’s worked as a Medical Laboratory Technician in regional hospitals and has spent the last two years working in the Anatomical Pathology department at both the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Throughout the HMIP program, Rhylee hopes to gain invaluable industry knowledge and skills from experienced health service leaders and successfully transition into a career in healthcare. She looks forward to developing her leadership skills, embracing new challenges and having a meaningful impact on healthcare outcomes for Victorian’s and Australian’s.
Asha is a seasoned Senior Medical Scientist and Project Officer based in Melbourne, Australia. With over 14 years of experience in public and private health services, she brings a unique blend of technical proficiency and strategic project management capabilities.
Asha’s technical expertise includes advanced health IT systems like EPIC and LIS, middleware solutions, and laboratory instrumentation. She has extensive experience in quality management systems, compliance with ISO 15189 standards, and implementing accreditation guidelines. Her tenure at some of Victoria’s reputed organisations such as Austin Health, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Epworth Hospital has honed her haematology, blood banking, and cellular therapy skills.
In addition to her experience and skills, Asha is a Certified Prince2 Practitioner who excels at stakeholder engagement, problem-solving skills, risk management and strategic project delivery.
She also holds a Master’s Degree in Laboratory Medicine from RMIT University and a Graduate Certificate in Health Management from Deakin University.
Asha is truly inspired to join the ACHSM program and is passionate about continuous learning and acquiring invaluable hands-on experience in health service management. She aims to develop a thorough understanding of the intricacies of the healthcare system, with a particular focus on management and leadership dynamics. The journey is not just an academic pursuit; it aligns perfectly with her overarching ambition of making a significant and positive impact on healthcare systems and services across Victoria and, ultimately, throughout Australia. Asha is extremely excited to be a part of this ACHSM transformative journey, which has curated and grown a large number of talented leaders in health service.
Ben commenced the Health Management Internship Program in January 2023.
He is currently completing a second placement at the Department of Health and has completed a placement at Barwon Health in their Strategy and Planning team.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (Physiology) from The University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Paramedicine from Australian Catholic University.
He first developed his interest in public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked as a team leader in the Contact Tracing Department, specialising in workplace management at the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services and found it an exciting new challenge for him.
After moving on from this role to work as a Paramedic, he looks forward to returning to the Public Health environment through this program.
Cherlyn is a second year Health Service Management intern currently undertaking her third placement at Monash Health, following previous rotations at Safer Care Victoria and Northern Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy (Honours) and a Certificate in Clinical Governance. Cherlyn is currently pursuing a Master of Health Leadership and Management at the University of New South Wales.
With her experience across various healthcare settings, including acute and rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential aged-care facilities, and community services, Cherlyn has developed a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare sector. Her professional background spans both Melbourne and Hong Kong, providing her with valuable insights into the diverse healthcare systems.
Cherlyn’s decision to pursue the Health Service Management internship program stems from her strong desire to broaden her knowledge and gain practical experience in healthcare management. Cherlyn aspires to contribute meaningfully to the continuous improvement of healthcare services in Victoria and across Australia, with the goal of enhancing healthcare systems and outcomes for all.
Ben is embarking on this internship program with ACHSM, with multiple years of experience in an Allied health field. Ben is dedicated and committed to professional improvement and continuous learning and refinement.
He holds a Master of Chiropractic Science, a Graduate Diploma of Ergonomics, Health and Safety and currently completing a Master of Health Leadership and Management.
Ben has worked in various capacities such as private practice; assisting employees with rehabilitation, in Workers Compensation, completing investigative analysis and case management and has been a member of an OHS Committee.
In addition, he has been the owner and Principal Chiropractor of a Chiropractic clinic for the past eight years. Ben is currently undertaking his first placement within the Strategy and Planning department at Western Health and aspires to make valuable contributions to the department’s vision and objectives.
Ben was nominated for a health sector leadership program (HSLP). Through the HSLP he was given the opportunity to meet with experienced health services senior managers, explore topics with fellow health professionals such as ethics and leadership qualities. It was a pivotal moment for Ben to further pursue opportunities which lead to the ACHSM program.
Ben is eager to immerse himself in new challenges, absorb valuable insights, and contribute meaningfully to the dynamic landscapes of the healthcare sector.
