CAA Awards for Excellence

Matthew Cannon

Fellow Australasian College of Paramedicine

Former Chief Executive and Commissioner of the National St John Ambulance Service of Papua New Guinea

Matt is a paramedic and registered nurse with 17 years of experience across Australia and the Pacific. He served as Commissioner and Chief Executive of the National St John Ambulance Service in Papua New Guinea from 2016 to 2025, with responsibility for PNG’s national emergency ambulance and aeromedical service. He has also worked extensively with St John across Australia, alongside roles with NSW Ambulance, NSW Health, the NSW Minister for Health, and Ambulance Victoria. His experience spans frontline operations, system support and development, research, technological innovation, and executive leadership.

He has contributed to the Council of Ambulance Authorities over six years as a Board member, including serving as Deputy Chair in 2024/25. Matt was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s New Year Honours 2026 for services to ambulance. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary International), a Commander in the Order of St John, and a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine.

Professor Belinda Flanagan (PhD) 

Belinda is Dean and Head of School for the School of Paramedicine and Public Safety at the University of Tasmania. She brings close to 30 years of experience as an academic, registered paramedic, nurse, and midwife. Her work spans education and research across emergency services at a national level.

Belinda supervises higher degree by research students and has authored peer-reviewed publications and delivered conference presentations internationally. As Dean and Head of School, she leads undergraduate and postgraduate programs and manages major partnerships with NSW Health, NSW Ambulance, Ambulance Tasmania, Tasmania Police, and the Australian Defence Force. She also leads the development of a National Centre for Training and Research in Emergency Response and Resilience.

Jennie Helmer

Chief Operations Officer at the British Columbia Emergency Health Services

Jennie Helmer brings over 30 years of experience in emergency health services across British Columbia. She began her career in 1993 as an Advanced Care Paramedic and now serves as the Chief Operations Officer for BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), one of the largest EMS systems in North America. Jennie holds both a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Business Administration.  She is also a Board Member with the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada.

Beyond her leadership and academic work, Jennie remains deeply connected to her roots, contributing to her family’s organic potato farm. She brings the same dedication, adaptability, and problem-solving mindset required in farming to her role in navigating the complex and evolving landscape of modern Emergency Health Services.

Freddy Lippert MD

International Chief Medical Officer at Falck

Associate Professor at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Freddy Lippert, MD, FERC, Honorary Member of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), is International Chief Medical Officer at Falck and Associate Professor at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

He is founding member and current president of the European Association of Emergency Medical Services (EMS Europe) and founding member of the Global Resuscitation Alliance (GRA). With over 25 years in emergency care, including 10 years as CEO of EMS Copenhagen EMS, he is an experienced clinician, medical director, and researcher specializing in system design, innovation and implementation. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Professor Vivienne Tippett

Head of School, Queensland University of Technology, Retd

Adjunct Professor Vivienne Tippett has extensive experience as a researcher, author and consultant in health systems, with a special interest in emergency pre-hospital, disaster and emergency health systems. Her work has been recognised with an OAM for services to medical education (2018) and a Distinguished Service medal from Queensland Ambulance Service (2012) for services to paramedic research.

Between 2013 and 2021 she was Lead Researcher for the Warnings and Communication Theme of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC which was recognised with a CRC Association national award for research innovation (2019).

Tony Walker

Adjunct Professor Tony Walker ASM
Professor of Paramedicine, Monash University

Tony has more than four decades of experience in ambulance and emergency services, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria.

A registered paramedic, Tony is a Life Member and Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine and holds adjunct appointments as Professor of Paramedicine at Monash University and Professor and Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow at Victoria University. He also serves as a non-executive director of Life Saving Victoria, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and TLC for Kids.

Tony continues to contribute as an academic, consultant and strategic adviser, supporting the advancement of emergency medical services and strengthening outcomes for the communities they serve.