Our team
We are a passionate and dedicated group of people, working together to transform dementia care Australia-wide.
Collaboration is at the
heart of DSA
Our culturally diverse teams are trained to understand the needs of people from diverse backgrounds as we work in partnership with a range of services to maintain and specialise our knowledge. These include partnerships with First Nations peoples, organisations and communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia. We believe in access, equity and inclusion across all our programs. And to make sure they are at the forefront of our dementia care, our consultants take part in ongoing education, training, peer reviews and structured learning opportunities with clinical experts.
Meet our leadership team

Marie Alford
Head of Dementia Support Australia, HammondCare.
Marie has worked in dementia and behaviour support programs for two decades, since the early Commonwealth initiatives. She is the strategic lead for Dementia Support Australia, a HammondCare led service delivering the National Severe Behaviour Response Teams, the national Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service and the new Needs Based Assessment Program for determining eligibility for Specialist Dementia Care Programs. Her work also includes the engagement, stakeholder, research and special needs groups strategies for DSA and the implementation of international programs such as Dementia Support UK.

A/Prof. Stephen Macfarlane
Head of Clinical Services for Dementia Support Australia.
Dr Stephen Macfarlane graduated from Monash University in 1991 and spent the next 17 years at Peninsula Health, prior to becoming a psychiatrist in 2003 and being appointed Director of Aged Psychiatry in 2005. In 2008 he spent some time on secondment as Deputy Chief Psychiatrist for Victoria prior to being appointed as Associate professor and Director of Aged Psychiatry at Alfred Health, where he remained until formally joining HammondCare in 2016 as Head of Clinical Governance for The Dementia Centre.

Dr Tom Morris
Senior Service Manager – Research & Information.
Dr Tom Morris is Senior Service Manager of Research & Analytics within The Dementia Centre, HammondCare. He is a clinical neuropsychologist, researcher and analyst with over 10 years’ experience in the assessment and characterisation of healthy ageing and dementia.
With the support of an extremely gifted and motivated team, Tom’s current focus is supporting measurement and research that will maximise outcomes and quality of life for all people living with dementia.

Arsh Katoch
Senior Service Manager - Dementia Centre Programs, DSA
With over 10 years' experience in the aged care sector, Arsh is passionate about dementia care and has a strong commitment to advocacy and leadership in the area.
A Gerontologist with clinical training in Physiotherapy, Arsh is a member of the Dementia Care Expert Reference Group with the Australian Physiotherapy Association that advocates for the role of Physiotherapists in dementia care.
As a Senior Service Manager for Dementia Centre Programs, Arsh has a strong focus on program development, stakeholder engagement, project management and quality improvements.

Lyn Robb
Service Manager - Dementia Centre Programs, DSA
Lyn is a Registered Nurse with over 45 years’ experience, 30 of those working in Aged and Dementia Care. Lyn has worked in the behaviour support arena for over 15 years, she joined the HammondCare Team in the Severe Behaviour Response Team in 2015 and was part of the original Dementia Support Australia team.
As the Dementia Centre Service Manager Programs Lyn is now working collaboratively with the other Service Managers in the areas of Dementia Centre program development to ensure a comprehensive support service for clients living with dementia and their carers.

Kirsty Burkinshaw
Service Manager - Dementia Centre Programs, DSA
As a registered Occupational Therapist with a Master of Public Health (Research), Kirsty is dedicated to promoting optimal health outcomes for all people living with dementia. She also holds special interest in supporting those at the greatest risk of marginalisation or disadvantage when needing dementia care.
Joining HammondCare in 2017, Kirsty brings over a decade of experience in the field. As a Service Manager Programs, Kirsty leads the team of skilled and passionate staff to deliver the national DSA programs. Her work also includes strategic program development, stakeholder engagement, projects, and quality improvement.
Work with us - every person matters
If you want to be empowered where you work, to share knowledge and to learn, working to improve quality of life for people with dementia. If you want to be the best person you can be, to be welcomed on the team for who you are, to be heard for what you have to say, to be recognised for what you achieve. If you are looking for a career with real purpose, talk to us. We invest in people like you. Because you matter.
