Sonia left the security of the NUM role in Queensland Health along with Dr. Nova Evans in March 2018 with the mission of reaching those individuals and families within the local community who were inherently vulnerable and were unable to access mainstream healthcare. Armed with a burning passion and a recognition of a missing link for these communities, Sunny Street started as a medical model on streets i.e. Sonia’s car boot! Today, it’s a QLD wide service which is now charting a national expansion path and her work saw her recognized as the Nursing Trailblazer of 2021 by the Australian Health Minister!

Sonia’s experience taught her a lot about the tremendous opportunity nurses have to be trailblazers, just like her, be it within their health service or outside of it. In this keynote, she will reflect on her journey to share advice and offer you an insight into:

• An insight into the nurse-led conversational model of care and person-centered culture at Sunny Street 
• Building a brand for nursing, care giving and empathy that patients recognize and appreciate
• Why nurses can and are agents of healthcare innovation and disruption and why change starts with you
• Embracing vulnerability and self-doubt – whether you’re looking to lead without or out of our organization