First Nations team

Our mission

The First Nations Heart Health team advocates and strives for improved heart health outcomes for First Nations people across Australia.

We do this by incorporating First Nations culture and knowledges, raising awareness and providing education aligning with the organisation's Health for Every Heart strategy and priorities.

We aim to improve health literacy through co-designed resources, and we are working towards building the Heart Foundation’s cultural competency and capability to ensure the work across all teams throughout the organisation incorporates a cultural lens to their offerings.

Meet our team

Professor Sandra Eades - Chief Medical Advisor, First Nations Health

Noongar

Professor Sandra Eades (BMed, PhD, FAHMS) is the Heart Foundation’s inaugural Chief Medical Advisor – First Nations Health. Professor Eades is a Noongar woman from Mount Barker, WA. She completed her medical degree in 1990 and after working as a GP, started her career in health research at the Telethon Kids Institute.  

In 2003 she became Australia's first Aboriginal medical doctor to be awarded a PhD. Her PhD investigated the causal pathways and determinants of health among Aboriginal infants in the first year of life.  

As well as being Associate Dean (Indigenous), she is also a Professor at the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. 

Professor Eades was named NSW Woman of the Year 2006 in recognition of her research contributions to Aboriginal communities and has received a 'Deadly Award' (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards) for Outstanding Achievement in Health.  

Jacinta Hegarty - First Nations Health Lead

Arrernte

Jacinta was born on Mparntwe lands (Alice Springs) of Arrernte people and raised in Darwin on Larrakia country. Jacinta’s professional background is as a mental health Social Worker, and she has close to 10 years' experience working with young people at risk and supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of their families and supports.

She is motivated by a commitment to social justice, particularly concerning the inequitable health and social outcomes First Nations face across range of areas. Jacinta brings to the team her skills in applying a strengths-based approach to engagement and valuing lived experience in shaping outcomes.

Tennele Shields - First Nations Heart Health, Senior Project Officer

Nyikina

Tennele was born and raised in Darwin on Larrakia country with her father’s family descending from the Nyikina people from the Kimberely region in WA.

She has worked in the not-for-profit sector for the past 10 years, predominantly in health promotion and is passionate about helping people and contributing to positive health outcomes.

With her lived experience of losing a loved one to cardiac arrest in 2020, and her family history of cardiovascular disease from her father’s side, she aligns with the Heart Foundation’s mission and values and hopes to use her life experiences, compassion, empathy, and determination to contribute to better heart health outcomes for First Nations people.

La-Toniya Norris - First Nations Heart Health, Project Officer

Kaanju, Kowanyama, Gunggandji, Waibene, Hanuabada

La-Toniya is a proud Papuan, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander woman, currently serving as the Project Officer for the First Nations Heart Health Team. She has strong connections across Far North Queensland, Torres Strait Islands and Papua New Guinea.

With a background in banking, community engagement, and education - particularly focused on First Nations people - La-Toniya is passionate about raising awareness and advocating for the health and wellbeing of First Nations communities. She looks forward to applying her skills in the health sector to support the drive toward ensuring all Australians have healthy hearts.