Julian Soriano works for Tanunda Lutheran Home (TLH) as their on-site aged care pharmacist, He also works as a senior pharmacist in the South Australian Palliative Service. Julian has many years of experience in aged care, previously working full time as a RMMR and QUM provider at various RACFs all over South Australia. This experience has allowed Julian to work hands-on with many different RACF systems and within varied assortments of teams, these experiences have really highlighted to him the importance of well managed systems in aged care settings. Julian has a keen interest in how technology can be used to improve the care that older Australians receive in RACFs, he has recently been involved in rolling out a new electronic medication management system at Tanunda Lutheran home which has seen a dramatic improvement in mediation management practices – helping to improve medicine safety and the quality use of medicines at TLH.

Dr Amanda Cross is a pharmacist and NHMRC Emerging Leader research fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University. Dr Cross’ research interests primarily relate to medication safety and quality use of medicines in older people, particularly older people living with dementia. Amanda is a chief investigator on two large Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) projects evaluating novel roles for pharmacists in residential aged care. Specifically, Dr Cross is evaluating the role of pharmacists acting as knowledge brokers to support knowledge translation and guideline implementation to improve the safe and effective use of medications in residential aged care.

Penny worked as a Clinical Pharmacist at Westmead Hospital for 20 years before retraining to become a medical doctor and ultimately Staff Specialist in Geriatric Medicine. Penny continues to learn as an older adult and has recently completed a Master of Dementia at the University of Tasmania, her 5th Masters Degree by distance learning. Penny works for the Community Acute Post Acute Care team in Newcastle. CAPAC encompasses Hospital in the Home, Rehabilitation at Home, the Transitional Aged Care Program and Healthy at Home with is a multidisciplinary hospital avoidance program for people aged over 65 years at risk for hospital admission living in the community. Penny's clinical practice includes outpatient clinics, visiting older people at home and in residential care facilities.
Penny’s interests include improving the quality of life for people living in the community and residential care, hospital avoidance, frailty, quality use of medicines for older people, cognitive impairment, dementia care and management of the behavioural problems associated with dementia.

In her spare time, Penny is enjoys glass fusion, modular origami and science fiction.

Martina is a research clinician who has completed her Ph.D. in Pharmacy and has a strong passion for medication safety. Her PhD focus was strategies that facilitate medication continuity upon hospital admission. In 2023, Martina was awarded the Early Career Pharmacist Award by The Society of Hospital Pharmacist of Australia for her focus on improving medication safety during transition of care. She was also awarded the Higher Degree Research Paper of the Year Award by The University of Sydney for her publication “Accuracy of best possible medication histories by pharmacy students: an observational study.”, which was published in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy. After the COVID-10 pandemic, Martina’s research has been redirected to explore digital strategies that improve medication safety. Her most recent publication evaluated the use of personal health records, such as My Health Record, to support medication continuity upon hospital admission.

In her dual role, Martina is committed to evidence-based practice and translational research. She has published in many peer-reviewed journals and has presented her work at both national and international conferences.