our staff
The staff at Macquarie Neurosurgery & Spine are an exceptional team, working together to achieve the most seamless experience for patients.
In addition, they ensure the clinics run like clockwork, to reflect the professionalism of the practice and doctors.
Rena Bale
Personal Assistant
Having joined MQN in February 2011, Rena is our most experienced PA at the practice. With a background in internal communications and administration, she was also a Dental Lab assistant prior to starting a career in the neurosurgical space.
Here at Macquarie Neurosurgery, Rena particularly enjoys a work environment with world class doctors and great teamwork.
When she is not at work, Rena loves spending time with her family and friends, and also likes volunteering on a regular basis.
Catherine Chan
Personal Assistant
Catherine joined MQN in May 2022 after three years working as a receptionist and trainer at Douglass Hanly Moir.
She is not only a dedicated Personal Assistant but also provides valuable support to both the team and patients through her Cantonese and Mandarin interpreting skills. Patient interactions and continuous learning are the two aspects of her role that she enjoys most at Macquarie Neurosurgery.
Catherine holds both a Diploma of Interpreting and an Advanced Diploma of Translation.
In her spare time, she enjoys baking and solving jigsaw puzzles.
Danielle Egan-Lee
Personal Assistant
Danielle joined Macquarie Neurosurgery as a Personal Assistant in March 2023. Prior to this, she worked as a Medical Secretary at an ENT and Head and Neck Cancer Clinic, where she provided secretarial support to four surgeons while managing and overseeing the daily operations of a busy specialist clinic.
Since joining MQN, Danielle has brought a warmth and glow to the team, quickly forming special friendships with her colleagues. She is deeply committed to ensuring every patient feels heard, cared for, and well looked after.
Fluent in Italian—speaking, reading, and writing—Danielle enjoys baking (especially Italian biscuits), spending time with family and friends, and entertaining with hearty, home-cooked Italian meals. She believes life should be lived through love and, most importantly, laughter—because life is simply too short to live it any other way.
Raquel Santos
Personal Assistant
Raquel joined MQN in October 2013 as a Personal Assistant after a few years as a ward clerk and an administrative officer, respectively, at Macquarie University Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. She holds two TAFE certificates in Administration and Executive Assistant skills, and also completed training in Individual Support in Ageing and Disability.
Raquel thrives working alongside our team of neurosurgeons, feeling “privileged” to be part of the team. She finds a strong purpose in interacting with our patients and being involved in their care journey.
Outside her work, Raquel loves spending time with family and friends. She also loves going on a long drive and exploring the beautiful country we live in!
Kate Shelley
Personal Assistant
Kate joined our Macquarie practice in October 2018 and moved to the Nepean practice in January 2020 after more than 10 years in customer service and patient liaison roles, respectively at MMI, Macquarie University Hospital and Westmead Private Hospital.
She is studying for a diploma in Marketing and PR from the APM Training Institute.
Kate has an acute sense of patient care and she loves the professionalism, care and team environment provided at Macquarie Neurosurgery.
Susette McGarry
Practice Coordinator – Coffs Harbour Clinic
Susette has been working in the medical profession for over 30 years and started supporting Professor Stoodley at Baringa Private Hospital when he started in the Coffs Harbour region in 2000. Susette contributed greatly to the Coffs Harbour clinic development as a practice coordinator.
She holds a Diploma of Practice Management from the University of New England and she loves interacting with patients, always going the extra mile to provide them with the best level of support.
During her free time, Susette enjoys all beach activities, as well as music, dancing and reading.
Tina Ernfridsson
Medical Receptionist
Tina joined our Coffs Harbour team early 2022 as an Administrative Assistant. She has more than 14 years of experience in the field with successful medical receptionist roles in Terrey Hill Medical Centre and Northern Beaches Hospital in Sydney. Prior to that, Tina was a Training Nurse in Sweden, working in the Cardiology Intensive Care unit of a university hospital.
Tina loves the business side of the organization combined with well organised systems and routines. She feels “so fortunate” to be part of the team, and the feeling is mutual!
Very active outside of work too, Tina is a sailor, a skier and likes dedicating time on craft work.
Amanda Manning
Personal Assistant
As the only Personal Assistant based in Canberra, Amanda holds the fort in our ACT practice!
She started working for A/Prof Fuller in 2017, until Macquarie Neurosurgery acquired his practice in January 2020 and she became part of the MQN family.
Amanda has over 30 years of experience in health and administration in multiple countries, including in the UK. In her free time, Amanda is an arctophile.
Kamy Chan
Patient Billing Coordinator
Kamy joined the accounts team at MQN in February 2025, looking for a new challenge after spending over a decade managing multi-location medical practices.
As a successful practice manager in the healthcare industry, she has led teams, streamlined operations, and contributed to business growth across medical, cardiology, dental, and ophthalmology practices.
Passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, she thrives in dynamic environments where she can make a real impact. Outside of work, Kamy enjoys exploring new food ventures with friends and family.
Gemma Silvia
Accounts Manager
Gemma joined the Accounts team in December 2022 as an Accounts Officer.
Her administration experience spans a range of industries, largely focusing on accounts and finance roles with a view towards improving client’s experience. Gemma has worked in the medical industry for 6 years, with time spent in both patient facing and organisational roles where she has been able to gain financial experience as well as knowledge of practice operations.
As one of the newcomers at Macquarie Neurosurgery, Gemma is excited to see what the future holds for this talented team who are so dedicated not only to their patients but also to research and education.
In the near future, she plans on dedicating her spare time to seeing Australia, enjoying the local food specialties while supporting local businesses.
Glenn Sweeny
General Manager
- Business Process Management
- Prince2 Project Management
- Organisational Behaviour
- Advanced Management Accounting
- Marketing Management
Diana Morkel
Practice Manager
Diana joined MQN in June 2011 and has served as our Practice Manager since late 2019. With over 25 years of experience in the medical practice environment, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the team. Diana directly manages the Personal Assistants team and ensures the smooth operation of our main rooms across Macquarie, Nepean, Coffs Harbour, and Canberra.
She is passionate about fostering a supportive and efficient workplace that allows our neurosurgeons to focus on performing life-changing surgeries. Diana takes pride in being part of a team that truly makes a difference in patients’ lives. Describing Macquarie Neurosurgery as her “home away from home” she thrives on the dynamic nature of her role and embraces the opportunity to learn something new every day.
Her dedication, warmth, and deep understanding of the practice make her an invaluable part of MQN.
Nyree Correia
Business Consultant
Nyree has worked with Macquarie Neurosurgery in a business advisory capacity since 2009.
With over 25 years’ experience in financial management, business strategy development and process improvement, Nyree has worked in key leadership roles in private hospitals, allied health, medical imaging and medical specialist practices. She has been involved in the implementation of innovative solutions in radiology virtual reporting and hospital systems.
Nyree is currently the Chief Financial Officer for Innovation Unit. She has a Bachelor of Commerce, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a governance role in the independent school sector. Nyree has been a non-executive director of Macquarie Neurosurgery since 2021.
Kate Lin
Nurse Practitioner
After 2 years as a Registered Nurse in Macquarie University Hospital, Kate Lin joined the neurosurgery teams in September 2012 as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. She was promoted to Clinical Nurse Consultant in 2016 then got endorsed as Nurse Practitioner in 2020.
She holds a Bachelor of Nursing (both in Chinese and English) and a Master of Clinical Nursing from the University of Sydney.
Working with world leading experts in neurosurgery inspires Kate Lin every day, who also enjoys the multiculturalism component of the team. Committed to excellence in patient care, she feels strongly aligned with the organization focus on research, teaching, and learning.
Before becoming a mum, Kate used to spend her free time travelling and cooking. Since she’s embraced motherhood, her children’s hobbies have become hers too!
Josh Hogan
Marketing Coordinator
Josh joined our practice in July 2023. He previously worked as a Marketing Executive and Marketing Associate. Josh completed his Master’s Degree In Ireland in 2021 writing his paper on “The Effects of Polarisation on Consumer Psychology and Purchasing Behavior”. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Practice which he completed in 2020.
Since joining MQN Josh enjoys the friendly and welcoming atmosphere. In his spare time Josh enjoys travelling and being outdoors. He also enjoys working out and being around good people.
Tayla Shepherd
Personal Assistant
Tayla Joined the practice in June of 2024. She previously worked 8 years in childcare and 3 years as a secretary for a cardiologist. She is passionate about the high quality care Macquarie Neurosurgery provides for their patients.
In her spare time Tayla likes to read books, explore the outdoors when the weather is nice and spend time with family and friends.
Margot Bassett
Personal Assistant
Margot joined our practice in January 2024. She previously worked as a medical secretary for vascular surgeon Dr Tae Hyun Cho for over 3 years. She has 8 years experience in the medical industry. Margot loves working at MQN because it feels like family. She is also passionate about excellent patient care. Margot thinks that it’s a wonderful environment where all staff have the same work ethics and values.
In her spare time Margot loves spending time with her two daughters and niece, taking her dog Abigail for walks, reading crime thrillers and doing renovation and DIY projects around her home.
Camille Ladisla
Receptionist
Camille joined our practice in March 2025, bringing over six years of experience in customer service and administration within the radiology field. Driven by her passion for neuroscience, she made the leap to our team to further expand her knowledge and skills.
Camille appreciates the supportive, professional, and culturally diverse environment at MQN, where patient care is a top priority.
In her spare time, Camille enjoys spending quality moments with her daughter and preparing delicious meals for her. She has a love for arts and crafts, particularly crocheting amigurumis and creating small projects to share with friends and family.