Meet the
ARMA Team
Dr. Marian Dover
Marian is the Founder of The ARMA, a Rural Generalist and GP with Advanced Procedural Obstetric skills, who has been living and working in rural and remote Australia for over a decade. Marian has been on various Boards including those of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) and the Rural Doctors Foundation.
She was awarded the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Registrar of the Year for her rural advocacy over the years. She has also been awarded the Bowman Cutter Award from the NSW Rural Doctors Association in 2024 for her longstanding passion, enthusiasm and dedication to rural health.
Marian is also a mother of two, both born in rural maternity units in NSW. She understands the stress involved in not having care close to home, being displaced from your community and support network during the life-changing journey of birthing.
Dr. Teena Downton
Dr Teena Downton is an experienced Rural Generalist and GP/Obstetrician with dual FACRRM/FRACGP-RG.
In 2008, the University of Wollongong awarded her the prestigious Chancellor Robert Hope Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Achievement and Commitment to the University and the wider community. The following year, the Kiama Municipality named her Young Australian of the Year. In 2014, in recognition for embodiment the energy, commitment and leadership skills the university prizes, Teena was awarded the UOW Young Alumni of the Year. She went on to to be awarded the ACRRM-RDAA Rural Registrar of the Year in 2017.
Dr Downton is currently a Medical Educator and Rural Director of Training for the HETI NSW Rural Generalist Training Program, an examiner with the RACGP and RANZCOG, an ACRRM Medical Educator and has been a formidable advocate for rural maternity since the inception of The ARMA and Rural Doctors Down Under (RODU).
Outside of work, Teena plays the piano accordion and enjoys keeping up with her kids.
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Jen Laurie
Jen Laurie is a dedicated early infancy and perinatal mental health clinician with a deep commitment to supporting individuals through the vulnerable stages of fertility, pregnancy, and parenting.
Jen is the founder and director of Her Herd, a practice based in the rural NSW Northern Tablelands towns of Armidale and Uralla. She is also the host of the HerHerd podcast, which focuses on rural maternity and the unique challenges faced by women and families in regional areas.
Jen also serves on the advisory committee for the Rural Health Connect’s baby loss and miscarriage project, and she is also a member of the Senior Common Room at Duval College. She is also a member of NSW Farmers.
When she’s not immersed in her work, Jen enjoys spending time with her family, supporting her husband in their farm business, tending to the garden inherited from her mother-in-law, and cooking for her boys.
Alecia Staines
Alecia Staines is a formidable advocate for mothers and consumers in maternity, currently based in rural Queensland. Alecia's career spans across education, stakeholder engagement and policy development.
Alecia is the Founder of the Maternity Consumer Network, played an instrumental part in the re-opening of some of Queensland's rural maternity units and continues to elevate the voices of rural mothers. She helped form the #BushBabiesMatter campaign that has featured in several parliamentary addresses.
Alecia is also a busy mother to 6 beautiful children, and enjoys being at the beach and reading books.
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Skye Stewart
Skye Stewart is a Wergaia and Wamba Wamba research midwife.
In 2021 Skye was the successful recipient of the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence Fellowship where she created the Nations first bereavement support guide for Aboriginal families following stillbirth. Her tireless work in this field has seen her awarded the 2024 Australian Midwife of the Year.
Currently working at Red Nose as the Advocacy Projects Specialist, Skye works in the prevention and bereavement space of stillbirth, SIDS and SUDI for Aboriginal families particularly for those in rural and remote areas. Her cultural role is to do what she can to make sure Aboriginal mothers and their babies stay safe, alive, well and together.
Skye loves to creative writing and art but her absolute favourite thing to do is watching the sunset.
Catherine Darnell
Catherine is a Registered Midwife / Registered Nurse currently living and working in Cooma NSW.
Catherine completed a Masters in Midwifery Studies through the University of Newcastle in 2024, and has developed a strong desire to support, encourage, mentor and teach student and new graduate midwives. Catherine is looking forward to an opportunity to harbour access to excellent clinical supervision for rural maternity staff, having attended and completed training in this area.
Catherine is excited to be amongst like minded individuals through the ARMA, with the aim of strengthening Maternity teams in the vast, diverse and special lands of rural Australia.
