Summary
- New nurse educator role to strengthen child, youth and family health across Torres and Cape.
- Supporting stronger child health care through education, collaboration and local knowledge.
- Community-informed care to improve support for children, young people and families.
After more than two decades working across Canada, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and even parts of Africa, Jodi Pipes has found her newest chapter in the Torres and Cape region — and it’s one she’s deeply excited about.
“I’ve been a nurse for 26 years now… all of my work has generally focused in that child, youth and family health lens.”
Originally trained in Canada, Jodi has spent much of her career in rural and remote settings, centred on delivering child, youth and family health care.
Her experience spans acute paediatrics, immunisation, adolescent health, adolescent sexual health, communicable disease control and outreach work in communities across Australia and Canada.
Since first arriving in Cairns in 2019 — the longest she has lived anywhere in Australia — she has worked with Cairns and Hinterland HHS in school‑based youth health, at Yarrabah, and most recently in public health.
Now, Jodi steps into a brand‑new role with Torres and Cape: as the Nurse Educator for Child Youth and Family Health Portfolio (CYFH), funded through the Putting Queensland Kids First initiative. It’s a role designed to strengthen child health capability across the region, from birth through to 18 years.
Her remit is intentionally broad — spanning growth, nutrition, attachment, development, primary health care and, recognising and managing sick children — but her approach is grounded, relational and community‑centred.
“I feel it’s such a special and unique role… raising children is a village responsibility. Within TCHHS, building an integrated and collaborative educational framework around children, young people and their families, will ensure we are able to meet families where they need. Families know their children best and working in a strengths‑based way is really important to me.”
Over the coming months, Jodi will travel across the Torres Strait and Cape York, meeting staff, families, Elders and community partners to understand what is already working well and where additional support can be added.
The diversity of the region is one of the key reasons she wanted to take on the role.
“We’re so rich in culture and diversity… it’s always a two‑way learning. I’m really looking forward to travelling, meeting everyone, and seeing how my experience can blend in here.”
Jodi will work closely with the Assistant Director of Nursing for CYFH and the statewide team to build a truly HHS‑wide CYFH service — one that is responsive, community‑informed and grounded in local strengths. The aim is to support both new and long‑standing staff, strengthen child health practice, and honour the deep knowledge already present across the region.
For details about the service and where it’s available, please visit child, youth and family health.