In today's world, patients are knowledgeable about their health, proficient in using technology, and expect comprehensive service delivered quickly. With easy access to health-related information, both reliable and unreliable, at their fingertips, patients demand more from healthcare professionals. Sonographers are working in a challenging environment, where their role in the healthcare field is becoming increasingly important due to high patient demand, shortages in the workplace, and expanding protocols. They are concerned about workplace injuries, training and education standards, regulation, consent, communication needs, Artificial Intelligence, and the corporatisation of primary healthcare. Join the discussion at the ASA Arena as we explore the challenges faced by modern sonographers and tackle the critical issues they encounter in their profession.

Ms Elissa Campbell | Australasian Sonographers Association (ASA) Elissa Campbell is a lawyer with extensive experience in health law and policy, particularly in not-for-profit member associations. She is dedicated to advocating for health professionals and shaping policies that enhance patient care. As General Manager, Policy and Advocacy at the ASA, Elissa works to elevate sonographers’ recognition, strengthen professional standards, and ensure their voices are heard in policy discussions. She has held leadership roles at Audiology Australia and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and holds master’s degrees in health law and public health.

Ms Marie Panuccio | Sparke Helmore Lawyers For most of her career, Marie has specialised in health law. Marie has acted on behalf of medical indemnity insurers, medical practitioners, nurses and healthcare facilities in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Clients welcome her thorough, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented approach, whilst delicately navigating the personal and professional repercussions on health practitioners. She has provided the full suite of services required by medical defence organisations, insurers, and their insureds, including defending practitioners in civil claims for professional negligence to trial, disciplinary (professional conduct) proceedings, coronial inquiries, criminal matters, and general Medicare and employment advice. She advised and represented medical practitioners facing the complex and multifaceted consequences of professional conduct complaints and criminal proceedings, and the effects on their employment, registration and practicing conditions. Marie has been seconded at Australia’s leading medical defence organisation, and one of the leading casualty insurance companies, where she managed a diverse portfolio of health claims and provided advice and guidance on the indemnity and reserving of claims, formulated claims management strategies etc.

Ms Helen Payne | Tiny To let’s Fetal Heart Charity/ Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust BSc Diagnostic Radiographer 2003-2006 Postgraduate Diploma Medical Ultrasound 2008-2009 Current Study - Master of Laws (LLM) Medical Law and Ethics - To complete February 2025 16 years NHS ultrasound experience as an advanced practice reporting sonographer. Experience in the private ultrasound sector. Expert witness for ultrasound Obstetrics and Gynaecology for both the Society of Radiographers and AMG, a private medico-legal consultancy business. Trainer for fetal heart charity Tiny Tickers. Experience as a lecturer in obstetrics, general and gynaecological ultrasound Speaker at vascular ultrasound conference 2023 and 2025 Senior leader at Rainbow for Africa charity, experience obstetric training in Kenya.

Mr Christopher Sykes | Sykes Legal Christopher has extensive public and private clinical experience in medical ultrasound. He has lectured in post graduate ultrasound physics and instrumentation and was a physics and clinical examiner for ASUM in addition to being a member of the ASUM Board of Examiners. He is the previous Chair of the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry. Christopher completed his Juris Doctorate in 2008 and has worked extensively in health law, providing advice to public and private health services and governments across Australia. He is currently Corporate Counsel at Latrobe Regional Health and provides advice to all aspects of the business. He also consults privately in health law matters and delivers medicolegal training. He is a director at Echuca Regional Health. In addition to his legal work, Christopher runs a vascular ultrasound consultancy.

Ms Kerri Thomas | Sparke Helmore Lawyers Kerri has acted in professional negligence proceedings brought against doctors, hospitals and allied health professionals since 1995. She has acted for a number of medical defence organisations and insurers and also acts for psychologists, pathology and radiology practices and practitioners, and other allied health professionals. She regularly represents parties in relation to complaints to the Health Complaints Commissioner and AHPRA, including acting for them in VCAT. Clients value Kerri’s proactive and pragmatic approach to claims, her expertise, accessibility, responsiveness and her ability to balance the needs of insureds with those of their insurers.