Who we are
We are health, education and community engagement specialists committed to supporting people to participate in their health and healthcare by building skills and environments that develop health literacy.
HealthLit4Everyone was established in 2023 as a not-for-profit social enterprise. In this way any funding received is directly related to our mission (to improve education, improve health and prevent chronic conditions) and reinvested into developing new programs and services that develop the health literacy of communities.
The enterprise is governed by a Board of Directors. Our CEO is one of the directors.
Rosie Nash
Director/CEOBPharm (Hons), GCert Research, PhD
Dr Rosie Nash is a registered pharmacist and senior lecturer in public health at the University of Tasmania. She specialises in health promotion interventions and is Australia’s foremost researcher in children’s health literacy.
Rosie has expertise in research and evaluation design, co-design and community-based research. She co-founded HealthLit4Kids and established the University of Tasmania’s cross-institutional Health Literacy & Equity research group.
In 2020, Rosie was awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship to explore Global perspectives on children’s health literacy: intersections between health, education and community.
Shandell Elmer
DirectorRN, BA (Hons), PhD
Dr Shandell Elmer is a registered nurse with a diverse work history including academia, community nursing, health promotion, and primary care. Shandell works with the health and community sector nationally and internationally on a variety of projects with a focus on evaluation, quality improvement and health service design.
Her recent projects include:
- Mental Health Commission of NSW Health Literacy Initiative
- Actions to address health literacy and equity in public and social housing, Victoria
- WHO Health Literacy Development for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases
- Optimising Health Care for Tasmanians.
A strong advocate for primary health care, Shandell’s work focuses on health literacy development to support health and community service providers identify and respond to health literacy needs.
Diane Webb
DirectorRN, DE
Diane Webb has worked in the health and community sector as a clinician (registered nurse/diabetes educator), manager and policy officer for over 35 years.
Her recent projects include:
- Evaluation and re development of the Tasmanian Health Literacy Action Plan
- Optimising health care for Tasmanians- cluster analysis of heath literacy needs of Tasmanians
- Co-funding HeLLoTas – TasCOSS project that supports organisational health literacy responsiveness of community services
- Development of Health Literacy Network and Community of Practice
However, her biggest and longest role has been as a carer. It’s this lived experience that drives her passion for health literacy and change.
Diane’s experience, ability to partner with people, organisations and communities to build on their strengths and be more responsive to health literacy needs has led to better outcomes for everyone.
Penny Egan
DirectorPenny Egan is a Fellow of Certified Practising Accountants Australia and has held senior management roles in various industries and sectors over the past 30 years. She was a previous Chief Financial Officer with the Department of Health and Human Services in Tasmania and has recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Council Tasmania.
Penny brings to the organisation her skills and knowledge in accounting and governance. Having worked for the past ten years in the not-for-profit sector she also brings her experience in working with the community and government and the opportunities and challenges related with advocacy, preventative health and fundraising.
From a professional and personal perspective Penny wants to increase the community awareness and understanding of the health literacy and the outcomes that can be achieved from positive change.
Jen Penney
DirectorJen Penney is a consultant and strategic advisor who leverages her expertise in brand and engagement to develop successful strategies and exceptional customer experiences. She has a strong track record in stakeholder engagement, brand strategy, and leading transformational change across diverse industries, including energy, health, government, and education. Jen Penney is known for her creative problem-solving skills and her ability to foster continuous improvement, driving operational excellence and delivering impactful results.
Passionately supporting the drive to get health literacy embedded in our society, our communities, our policies.
