Committee
Mark Marno BNurs, RN (Child)
(President)
A Paediatric Nurse, graduating from the University of Birmingham in 2001 (BNurs; RN Child), Mark has experience in school nursing in Northern Ireland, England and, since 2020, in Adelaide. His experience covers children from ELC to Yr 12, in day and boarding schools as well as in co-educational and single sex schools.
Mark is passionate about the impact nurses can have in the school environment and believes that, to be successful, the role must extend beyond the walls of the Health Centre, building relationships with the school community. He has achieved this through involvement in rugby coaching, the Combined Cadet Force, Christian Society, a weekly column in the school newspaper, charity events and teaching both first aid and PSHE to pupils.
FUN FACT: Mark represented Northern Ireland at the European Dodgeball Association European Championships in 2010 in London and 2011 in Stockholm, captaining his country for the latter.
Liz Rankin RN. RM. Grad.Cert Nurs.
(Vice-President)
In 2009, Liz began her journey into school nursing through unexpected circumstances. Initially unaware of its full scope, she quickly developed a passion for this multifaceted area of nursing. Since this time, Liz has witnessed Tyndale Christian School wholeheartedly embrace the school nurse’s role, resulting in a robust model of school healthcare at the very heart of well-being.
Her time in school nursing has provided extraordinary opportunities, including, in 2016, embarking on a SA Premier’s Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship with two SASNA colleagues. The team’s travels to the UK, USA, and Sweden exposed them to international models of school nursing, highlighting Australia’s untapped nursing specialty.
These experiences have shaped Liz’s career, reinforcing the impact of school nursing and the potential for positive change. From humble beginnings to global exploration, her journey has been filled with profound moments, constantly reminding her of the meaningful connections she has formed as a school nurse.
FUN FACT: Through her role as a school nurse, Liz has helped develop a medical clinic in Kenya.
Paisley Lowe BNurs, Grad Cert Child & Family Health
(Secretary)
Paisley is a dedicated Registered Nurse who graduated from Flinders University in 2008. With extensive experience in acute medical surgical, paediatric, and community nursing, she has specialized in Child & Family Health Nursing, holding both a Bachelor of Nursing and a Graduate Certificate in Child & Family Health.
In 2019, Paisley transitioned to school nursing, bringing her expertise to Scotch College Adelaide. As the team leader of the busy Purruna Health Centre, she oversees the health and wellbeing of students from Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12, in both day school and boarding settings.
Paisley is passionate about the positive impact nurses can have on adolescents’ health and wellbeing within the school environment. She firmly believes that every student in Australia deserves access to a school nurse. Her Favourite part of the role is empowering students to make positive changes to their health and wellbeing, sharing knowledge, providing support, and creating referral pathways tailored to each student’s individual health needs.
Paisley looks forward to continuing to highlight and support the important work school nurses do in South Australia as she takes on the role of Secretary for the School Nurses Association of South Australia (SASNA).
FUN FACT: When Paisley isn’t nursing, she enjoys spending time in her garden with her heritage Sussex chooks and labradoodle – Macy. Come winter, she is on soccer mum duties what feels like 100% of the time!!
Anna Fittock RN, RM, TAE, GradCert Child and Youth Health
(Treasurer)
A Registered Nurse and Midwife at Flinders Medical Centre since 2004, Anna has a passion for helping children and their families, this evident in 2017 when she studied Post Graduate Child and Youth Health at Flinders University and began working as a School Nurse.
She continues to work in the acute nursing sector part time and is also a part time school nurse school at a large co-educational years 7-12 College. Anna believes each child and adolescent has the right to receive high quality health care that will ensure their physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, and social wellbeing is supported. Anna advocates positive and inclusive environments for neurodivergent children.
Anna is excited for the future of school nursing and hopes to continue the legacy of past committee members and their endeavours to raise awareness of the benefits of school nursing for all children in all schools.
Fun Fact – During her 17 years as a midwife, Anna has helped to bring over 200 babies into the world!
Anna Thomson RN, Prof Cert Allergy Nursing
(Consultative Advisor)
Anna Thomson worked from 2003 until 2020 as a clinical Allergy Nurse for a specialist paediatric immunologist. Anna has been an associate member of ASCIA for over 15 years and has presented anaphylaxis training programs to staff, students, health professionals and the community.
Anna is currently the Health Centre Nurse Manager at a leading independent boys’ boarding school. She is driven by her belief that every student deserves access to a school nurse. She is a past president, and vice-president, of the South Australian School Nurses Association and has participated in several collaborations with the SA Department of Education and SA Health in her endeavour to raise awareness of the benefits of placing nurses in ALL South Australian schools.
FUN FACT: Anna currently has over 100 student back up adrenaline autoinjectors in her emergency cupboard!
