I was born in Italy, in Capoliveri, Island of Elba (Provincia d’Livorno) and migrated to Australia with my parents at the age of three and was naturalised as Australian citizen in 1958. I have two adult female children, and I am a widow, and am currently in a relationship. Both my primary and secondary education was with the Dominican Nuns, at St Marys College, Franklin Street, completing and being awarded in 1963, with Certificate in Business Studies, Typing and Shorthand, 120 words/per min shorthand and 90 words per minute typing. Also completed one term of a commercial course at Pride’s Business College, and awarded a certificate of excellence in both shorthand/typing.
At the end of 1963, I worked as secretary in Hotel Business for 3 months, which gave me experiences in various aspects in running a small hotel business. I worked as secretary Harris Scarfe, Hughes Transport, and Clarkson Limited as a personal Secretary to Mr. D. A Clarkson (Company Director) and other executive staff from 1963 to 1969. From 1970 to 1969 I commenced work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in the typing pool, and then after a few months I was given the position as secretary to Head, of the Neuro-Radiology Department. Also stood in for the supervisor in various senior supervisory roles working with 20 staff. My exposure to various duties was instant reporting in the causality and emergency departments, typed all the reports, lecture notes correspondence. I typed various specialised reports including mammograms, CT scans, IVP’s carotid angiograms, myelograms etc. in my time in the Radiology Dept. I prepared the entire daily and weekend rosters for consultants on call and clerical staff. I took minutes at Heads of Unit Meetings, prepared agendas, ran interstate and international conferences in Cancer Care, such as the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA), liaised with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for consultants in medical oncology in South Australia for their attendance, booked teleconferences and administratively liaised between the RAH Cancer Centre and Darwin/Alice Springs for telemedicine in remote areas of the Northern Territory, and stood in for the senior clerk/deputy at all departmental and executive meetings and various other management duties.
I held a number of positions from 1985 to 2006:
• From 1985 to 1990 I was Secretary to Professor in Medical Oncology for a period 7 years until he relocated to Manitoba Canada. Then I for a period of 1 year I was Secretary – Assistant Director Medical Oncology awaiting for new appointment of the Director.
• From 1991 to 2006 I was Secretary to newly appointed Director – Professor in Medical Oncology & Cancer Care providing a confidential, secretarial, and personal assistant role for a period of 15 years. In the 15 years with the Professor, I obtained reclassification from ASO1-ASO5. The Professor relocated to Sydney in 2006.
• From 2006 to 2010 I was Secretary to the Mortlock Professor of Cancer Medicine at the University of Adelaide, and Clinical Director, RAH Cancer Centre
In 2010 due to personal circumstances and the death of my husband, I retired. On my retirement, I became involved and have been very committed in many Italian Community Associations as a volunteer and as secretary. From 2010-2012 I was nominated to become a member of Probis West Beach, then in 2011 I became a member of the Management Committee. I attended all monthly meetings and became their newsletter editor. I was instrumental in collating, designing, word processing and distributing their monthly newsletter, in a timely fashion to all approx. 52 members. From 2011 to August 2023 I have been Secretary of the Italian Choral & Arts Society. I resigned from that position in August 2023 after the Annual General Meeting. I have held the position of Secretary of PADOVANI DEL MONDO {Circolo d’Adelaide} -founded by my husband. I am still currently involved with the Association
My volunteering work:
I been Voluntary Driver for Anfe (2013-2015: Driving elderly citizens to their weekly shopping, doctor/hospital/dental appointments or just social visits for those wanting social/general visits over a cup of coffee etc.
At JUS VITAE AUSTRALIA from 2012-2023 (working with Jus Vitae Italy with Father Garau, founder of the Padre Pino Puglisi Prize in Australia, Sicily and worldwide) I was Instrumental in founding this Association (in Australia with the current President and a Committee of 6 people, fund raising and helping several association for disadvantage children in Australia and Italy) for approximately 11 years. I am still currently involved (the association is dormant momentarily but will continue). We hope to have a religious event this year. Together with a Committee of 6 I have been instrumental in fund raising and donating funds in Australia ie. Foodbank, Smith Family, sponsored a first year University student from Africa after the premature death of his father and also an Association called Muddle Puddles for children with inflammatory bowel disease.
From 2010-2023 I have been a Choir member of the Mater Christi Choir, committed to singing at Sunday mass and at various Community Catholic Religious events throughout the calendar year – also providing an administrative role as required for approximately 13 years. I am also an active life member (50 years) and current financial member of the Veneto Club. In February of 2023 I joined and was accepted as a financial member of the Dante Alighieri Association. In August 2023 I was Instrumental in founding and current secretary to the newly formed choir namely OzItalian Community Choir under the direction of Maestro Mario Bellanova.
I have the following skills:
- Administration Skills
- Excellent communication and skills both written & verbal
- Good listening skills
- Excellent phone skills & experience
- Teamwork skills
- Computer skills – Word Windows 11, Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, Word Publisher and various other.
- Experience with email
- Experience with internet & search engines
- Excellent problem-solving ability
- Management skills & experience
- Bilingual (Italian/English both written and verbal, accredited interpreting certificate in Italian 1979)
- In-depth attention to detail
- Supervisory skills and management skills.
- Work autonomously, independently and with extreme empathy and respect for the older generation.
I believe that I, over the past 10-12 years, in all my secretarial roles, proven to have acted constitutionally, accordingly with great pride, honesty and loyalty working for the benefit of everyone that I have come into contact with, giving my time in a voluntary role with the best interest, and as a first priority of all its members and will continue to do so any organisation/society that I will be involved with.
February 2024