Tartan News

Jenny Cox (1956)

Jenny is proof that it is never too late to learn. She has recently graduated from Murdoch University at the age of 81. Jenny graduated with a Bachelor Arts — Australian Aboriginal Studies, receiving her certificate via a special ceremony in her home suburb of Rockingham in March this year.

Dr Maryellen Yencken (1982)

In 1979, Maryellen commenced Year 9 boarding at PLC and graduated in 1982. Home was the family’s merino sheep farm closeted in the tight knit farming community of Kojonup. Much of her childhood was spent free roaming and honing her observation skills of the natural world whilst her three older siblings were away at boarding school.

“The early 80s was yet to be politically correct which possibly gave way to a naive innocence and freedom that allowed us as students at PLC to not contemplate nor consider for a second any boundaries that may impede the subjects we chose or the professions we would pursue. Evident by the seven other PLC girls who graduated alongside me completing our medical degrees in 1988. Our graduation photo gracing the front page of the West Australian,” Maryellen said.

After completing her intern year at Royal Perth Hospital, Maryellen traveled to the UK to work. HIV and AIDS was at the forefront of the 80s and early 90s and her preclinical and clinical years were heavily influenced by the myriad of immuno-compromised conditions that accompanied this disease prior to the sophisticated medications we have available today. Maryellen expressed that working on the early HIV wards at St Thomas’ in London was both fascinating medically and culturally.

Returning to Perth, Maryellen spent a year as a medical registrar at Fremantle Hospital refining her medical skills before completing her FRACGP and entering General Practice. Over the course of these years, she spent time as a student doctor with the Flying Doctors out of Dampier and seeing much of the red earth of the Kimberly’s from the air and travelling to remote aboriginal communities. Maryellen also worked in the rural town of Busselton for six months along with spending time travelling to India, Pakistan, driving and camping through the United States and much of Europe. As well as working as a general practitioner, she spent five years working at the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) in forensic medicine, representing clients as an expert witness in the legal system. Maryellen was inaugurated as a member of the College of Legal Medicine as a result of this forensic work.

Creativity comes in many forms and in her private life she has recreated the childhood connection to the land by creating a large vegetable garden at her coastal home, with her husband Simon and two young adult sons. The family lives with six resident hens, her dog Occy and cat Rodger. From a medical perspective, creating her own medical practice along with her two business partners has been a work in progress for the past 21 years. Maryellen became a partner just after her first child was born and the practice has grown from three doctors to 14 with around 30 staff in total servicing the Bicton, Palmyra and East Fremantle areas where they all aspire to creating a kind, family style general practice whilst practicing excellent medicine.

Jenny Cox with her grandchildren Jack, Molly and Isobel McCarthy, Rebecca Gunzburg (2019) and Alexandra Cox.

TARTAN NEWS

Erika Correia (1990)

After graduating from PLC in 1990, Erika went on to complete a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at Curtin University. Paediatrics was always of interest to Erika and her nursing career started at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children where she completed a Graduate Nurse Program and then went on to work in theatre, ED, and on the surgical, medical and infant’s wards.

After a few years at PMH, Erika was keen to nurse overseas and worked in London at Great Ormond St Hospital for Children. This certainly was an eye opener as she was exposed to a different health care system and patients from many different back grounds and cultures. Whilst based in London she took the opportunity to travel around Europe and Africa.

After returning home to marry and raise two daughters, Erika came back to nursing and is currently working at Perth Children’s Hospital with the COVID Nursing Network. Whilst fortunate that they haven’t had an outbreak of the virus and have had no ill children with COVID, for Erika’s team, it has been challenging in regard to cancelled surgery, reconfigured wards, visitor screening, PPE, mask fit testing and the roll out of the COVID Pfizer vaccine. Erika is passionate about helping those less fortunate than herself, and as well as being the Community Service Year Co-ordinator at PLC, she volunteers with her family for charities such as Share the Dignity and Homelessness We Care. Having the opportunity to travel to Cambodia with PLC to build houses in a remote community for the those living in extreme poverty was one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences she has ever had.

These experiences have helped Erika maintain perspective in her life. “It is easy for us all to become consumed with our own troubles and concerns, but it is when we are exposed to those living in abject poverty, and without means to help themselves or their families, that we can truly appreciate the opportunities life has to offer us in our wonderful country,” Erika said.

Dr Katherine (Katy) Langdon (1982)

Katy is a paediatrician and specialist in paediatric rehabilitation medicine at Perth Children’s Hospital. She is also a medical researcher, educator and the Chair of the CAHS Clinical Staff Association.

Katy has three children all of whom were educated at PLC, Sarah a doctor, Rebecca soon to be clinical psychologist and Isobel who is heading down a pathway of the law. All four of them love singing. Katy loves the natural environment and more recently Western Australian history. She likes to swim in the ocean and run, when she can.

TARTAN NEWS

Charlotte Mulroy (2009)

Charlotte is the Director at CM Talent, a recruitment business she recently founded whilst on maternity leave with her second child. During this time, she quickly realised there was a gap in the market for providing small/ medium sized businesses with a means to engage an external recruitment specialist without forking out a fortune. Moreover, it became apparent that in order to be a primary caretaker and still have a level of financial independence, she was going to have to create her own flexibility! Before starting a new business, she held various recruitment positions within an external agency, recruiting for white collar and blue-collar roles in the resources, infrastructure, construction and Defence industries.

Charlotte’s experience does not only sit within recruitment, she has been fortunate enough to be involved in the contract take-over of a major Defence maintenance contract and has also worked in various jobs within the oil and gas industry.

Nia Pericles (1993)

Congratulations to Nia Pericles who in October 2020 was shortlisted for the prestigious 2020 Walkley Awards for excellence in Journalism, for her moving documentary – Storm in a teacup. The Walkley Awards are the pre-eminent national journalism awards presented annually in Australia. They recognise and reward the best in the craft and set the industry standard for excellence.

Nia, who was writer, director and narrator of Storm in a teacup, an intimate documentary that portrays how her father, one of Western Australia’s most well-known artist’s, Leon Pericles faces his greatest challenge: holding an exhibition of his life’s works while facing the mental decline of his wife and Nia’s Mother, Moira (MacKellar 1967), as Alzheimer’s disease turns their world upside down.

As Moira’s condition progressed, the documentary shows the love and respect her parents have always had for each other, and the reality of facing the challenges ahead, together, as they always have.

Since Nia first started pitching her film, she has been working closely with Dementia Australia who are using clips of Storm in a Teacup in a new mobile learning app to train home support workers in how to engage with people with dementia. Given the strong voice Moira has in the film and the way the family engage with her, Dementia Australia recognise the film offers up many examples on how to learn skills around empathy and how best to engage with people with dementia. The application will hopefully be released this year.

In the film, Leon creates an artwork for Moira ‘Etching for Moi’ and 100% of the sale of the etching goes to Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, who do remarkable medical research, working to create a world without Alzheimer’s disease. Over $100,000 has been donated so far.

Nia is currently Head of Development for Artemis Media and Series Producing a three-part documentary series for SBS, hosted by Dr Michael Mosley, looking at the world’s fastest growing chronic disease Type 2 Diabetes and how we can reverse it in a group of Australians with diet. Previous productions as producer include Nine’s ‘Getaway’, ABC’s ‘Exhumed’, Ten’s ‘Bondi Rescue’ and films ‘Felicity’s Mental Mission’ for ABC, ‘Secret life of Death’ SBS.

Back row: (Left to right) Nia Pericles, Moira Pericles, Nia’s brother Damien Pericles, Leon Pericles and Ita Buttrose AC OBE (Dementia Australia Ambassador) Front row: Nia’s neice Linnea and nephew Marley Pericles.

TARTAN NEWS

Talia Clohessy (2013)

Congratulations to Talia on her Graduation. At the end of 2020, Talia graduated with a Doctor of Physiotherapy (with distinction) from the University of Melbourne and during the virtual graduation was awarded eight prizes, including: Physiotherapy / Melbourne School of Health Sciences Award for Excellence (Dux), Constance Read Memorial Award, Neurological Physiotherapy Prize, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Prize, Physiotherapy Research Foundation Award, Leadership and Management Award, Healthcare in context Award, Graduate Attribute Award (nominated by the department) and the Austin Health Cathy Nall Clinical School Prize. She was also named valedictorian and invited to be admitted to the Dean’s Honour List in 2021.

In 2021, Talia accepted a new graduate role at Austin Health, one of the top tertiary trauma hospitals in Victoria. Across her work and study Talia has developed skills within acute cardiorespiratory, neurosurgical, orthopaedic trauma and emergency medicine wards in both adult and paediatric settings. She also undertook a Global Mobility Scholarship to travel to Niseko, Japan, gaining experience in managing acute snow-sports injuries. Previously, Talia completed a Bachelor of Science with first-class honours majoring in Human Physiology. Talia has a keen interest in neurological and cardiorespiratory acute care, and a future wish to pursue research. She is also passionate about advocating the benefits of learning STEM at School.

“There is a huge amount of diverse and fascinating areas within the world of STEM! STEM jobs are the foundation of addressing so many of the challenges facing our planet from innovations in healthcare, to clean energy, understanding our own ecosystems and those across the solar system. Getting women more involved within STEM jobs can provide unique and vital perspectives on these challenges and allow women to be at the forefront of so many amazing changes and discoveries. Within healthcare, women are breaking through with innovations that are saving lives in unique ways and making a difference to people of all walks of life. It can also open up a world of opportunities to explore interests and passions and help empower the next generation of women to break down barriers and take up professions previously dominated by men to further our collective knowledge.”

Nina Kennedy (2014)

We are always excited to share the outstanding achievements of our Old Collegians, and none more so than Nina Kennedy (2014), who pole vaulted her way into the history books on Saturday 13 March at the Sydney Track Classic. The 23-year-old is now the Australian women’s pole vault record holder after edging past the previous record 4.82m on her first attempt. Nina’s jump was a personal best by 7 cm and surpassed previous recordholder Alana Boyd’s jump of 4.81 cm from 2016.

“I’m just happy that it’s done, and I got it tonight,” Nina said after her jump. “I’ve attempted it about five or six times this season so to just nail it on my first attempt, I’m so happy.

“I’ve had my last two comps where I’ve jumped on new poles and it hasn’t quite worked so I actually used …

Alana Boyd’s pole. So, thanks Alana,” Nina said.

Nina’s feat would have earned her a bronze medal at the Rio

Olympics and has well and truly cemented her place at the

Tokyo Olympics having jumped the Olympic qualifier height on six or seven occasions through the opening months of this year.

Atteya Thomas (2010)

Since Atteya graduated from the University of Notre Dame, with a Bachelor of Nursing in 2016, she has been working for the Yura Yungi Aboriginal Medical Service in Halls Creek as a registered nurse where she was a pivotal part in strengthening their clinical team. Now Atteya has returned to Perth to attend UWA Medical School to study for another four years, to become a doctor.

Once she graduates, Atteya would like to return to the Kimberley where most of her family are based. That way she can be close to her home and help communities throughout the Kimberley.

Engagement & Wedding Notices

Emily Miller (2011) married Aaron Christopher Smith on 16 April 2021 at Old Broadwater Farm in Busselton.

Bianca Macliver (2007) married Nick Legrand on 16 April at the Cottesloe Civic Centre followed by a reception at home.

Angela Egerton-Warburton (2010)

got engaged to Tim Mayne on 17 April 2021, in Sydney.