January 30, 2024Welcome to the realm of the Northern Health’s Public Affairs team – where words mingle, stories dance, and quirks are our favourite accessories. Meet the wizards behind the scenes who work tirelessly to share the heart and soul of Northern Health and turn everyday news into a symphony of smiles. Get ready for a journey with the coolest crew in communication!
Pina Di Donato: As the Executive Director of Public Affairs and Foundation, I get to fulfill my passion for both philanthropy and communications, fields I have worked in over many years. I have a love of storytelling and content production, but most of all I enjoy leading teams. It is my goal to raise the profile of Northern Health through our communications, and I believe the Public Affairs team are equipped with the skills to do that.
I am privileged to be the leader of this dedicated, passionate and hardworking team. They make every day a joy to come to work. For this, I thank them.
Emma Cutajar: I’m Emma, Director, Public Affairs at Northern Health. I am passionate about creating engaging and impactful communications through forming meaningful connections with our staff, patients and community, and sharing their inspiring stories.
I am extremely proud to lead the Public Affairs team at Northern Health, which consists of an extraordinarily talented group of individuals. Together, the team supports all internal and external communication activities across Northern Health. My role is also responsible for the management of media issues, crisis communications and reputation.
I love working at Northern Health and continue to be inspired by the commitment of our staff, resilience of our patients and support from our community.
Christina Xavier: Hello there! I’m Christina, your go-to gal for all things external comms, especially social media, at Northern Health. My passion lies in uncovering stories and transforming them into visually stunning narratives. Working closely with my incredible team, I collaborate across departments, guiding impactful creatives and marketing campaigns. Creativity is my heartbeat, I live and breathe it. From perfecting branding to exploring design intricacies, it is my creative playground. A genuine people enthusiast, connecting with you is where the magic happens!
I absolutely love my job and my awesome team, brainstorming with them is a pure joy! A couple of years ago, I jumped on the Artificial Intelligence bandwagon, turning it into our digital productivity powerhouse and I’m thrilled to see it soar higher.
Jessica Micallef: Hey there! I’m Jessica, Senior Communications Coordinator. In my role, I am responsible for leading internal communications for Northern Health, which involves working closely with many departments to promote their work internally within Northern Health. Anything that involves communicating a message to staff, I’m your girl.
Internal communications don’t just mean all staff emails, iNews stories and a banner on the Intranet. I also get to work on many events throughout the year like Quarterly Awards, Length of Service Awards and my personal favourite, the ANZAC Day Service at Bundoora Centre.
Mike Masilamani: I am the one in need of a shave in the picture. I believe, “With a great beard, comes great responsibility.” I have been here long enough to know where the bodies are buried. I have been called, ‘Magic Mike’, ‘Uncle Mike’, ‘Mikey’, ‘Mick’ and a whole lot more.
Together, we get to work on some great projects and meet some incredible people. Of the many projects from last year, undoubtedly the most heart-warming was the amalgamation of Kilmore District Hospital. This year, I am looking forward to working on special projects with my illustrious Exec Director, Pina. This includes a ‘new look’ to our Women and Children’s Unit and my very own cancer survivorship program. Look out for the launch of ‘WellAhead’, a wellbeing program, for those living with and beyond cancer.
The team I work with, has some amazing talent. So, here’s some advice. DON’T ask us to come and take a photograph. That’s the least of our skills. Tell us instead of the project you have in mind. We are here to add value to your project – not just make you look pretty. In fact, the former might be easier than the latter. Just saying.
Danche Trajkovski: Hello! I’m Danche, your friendly Communication Advisor at Northern Health. With a passion for storytelling, I traverse the realms of both internal and external communication, curating captivating iNews stories and crafting social media captions that resonate with our diverse audience.
In this dynamic role, I’m weaving the threads that connect us all. From unravelling the inspiring tales within the hospital’s walls to ensuring our online presence sparkles, I’m here to bridge the gap and keep you informed with a dash of flair! #ilovemyjob
Steve Carnell: Hey there. I’m Steve, Content Producer. Although I’ve only been with Public Affairs for a short time, my love of conveying stories and emotion through sound has been part of me forever. My primary focus is on our Northern Health podcast Visiting Hours with a skosh of video production thrown in for good measure, but I’m happy to jump into other projects as they present.
There is a truly collaborative spirit within our team, with an ebb and flow of ideas, suggestions and assistance, but it’s you guys that are the real heroes! We hope to see more of you across all sites, as we seek out new stories and innovations to share.
Christopher Alory: Hi, I’m Christopher, or Chris for brevity. I’m the Digital Communication Advisor and the newest member of the team. I joined in October, and since then, I’ve been energetically updating websites, overseeing the design of most visual communications, indulging in casual photography, and, last but not least, managing VVED socials.
Working at Northern Health provides an excellent opportunity to apply my skills in serving people, facilitating connections, and navigating the digital world seamlessly.
Now that you’ve met our wonderful team, please come and say hi and share with us your inspirational stories, professional triumphs, moments of pride and aspirations for a bigger and brighter future at Northern Health and let us work our magic!
Email: Publicaffairs@nh.org.au
Pictured in featured image (L-R): Jessica Micallef, Steve Carnell, Christina Xavier, Danche Trajkovski, Emma Cutajar, Christopher Alory, Silvia Zanon (photographer), Pina Di Donato, Mike Masilamani.
