Heather has a diverse background in midwifery practice, education and research, perinatal wellbeing, primary health, practice change and practice development, as an academic and a practitioner in rural, remote and urban settings in Australia and in developing countries. She has had the privilege of living in and working with remote Aboriginal communities developing perinatal quality indicators for Aboriginal Health Services & reviewing Aboriginal women's perinatal needs, experiences & maternity. Lareen Newman completed her PhD at the University of Adelaide. This focused on how men's and women's experiences of childbearing and childrearing affecting birth rate. Dr Newman has a broad interest in population and public health, including social and physical access to services and primary health care. She also holds an interest in reproductive politics and is particularly focused on how these issues impact on fertility behaviour and fertility rates.