April 11, 2025#WeAreNorthern
Meet Matt Hood, Web Developer, Digital Health, Northern Health.
Q: Matt, could I start with your coffee order, please?
A: I go for a magic (double ristretto + equal parts milk) if I’m in Melbourne, and when I’m away, I order a flat white.
Q: What do you like most about your role at Northern Health?
A: I still feel relatively new at Northern Health, having joined early last year as a web developer. I’m part of the Digital Health development team alongside Andrew, Justin, and Mehdi, where we’ve built and continue to maintain the new registration portal for VVED, and are currently working with Residential-in-Reach on their referral system. I feel like I’ve found my tribe on the development team, surrounded by like-minded people who share the same bizarre enthusiasm for all things web development.
Q: You are a master of elevating a simple bowl of Mi Goreng. Can you walk us through what makes it stand out?
A: It’s pretty much the perfect work lunch already, so there’s not much left to do! I keep a stash of frozen veggies in the office freezer, which I add to boost the nutrients and overall wholesomeness. For some protein, I top it off with tinned tuna or I’ll crack an egg straight into the bowl and let it poach as the noodles cook. I love that it’s delicious, arguably nutritious, and doesn’t require me to be organised enough to remember to bring lunch to work.
Q: What are some things people don’t know about you?
A: My wife Bonnie and I play in a band together, a heavy-rock bass/drums duo called Palpitations. The name comes from the fact that I sometimes get palpitations for no reason – coming up with a band name is harder than it sounds! We’ve got a couple of gigs this weekend in Footscray and Fitzroy. Check us out on Instagram at @palpitationsband for a preview of what you might be in for.
Q: Tell us about your furry friend?
A: Meet the one and only Leslie – a Border Collie, Labrador, Golden Retriever suburban trifecta who is very cuddly, and too smart for her own good. She’s named after Primus bassist Les Claypool and Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. She’s somehow clever enough to close the cupboards and put away her own toys, and silly enough to eat rocks and chase kangaroos.
(Featured image: Matt Hood and Leslie)
