HCCWA and NAATI Panel Forum on Engaging Interpreters in Healthcare

Purpose

This panel forum brings together consumers, interpreters, community members, healthcare workers and policy professionals to strengthen understanding of the important role interpreters and translated information play in safe, accessible and person-centred healthcare.

What we hope to achieve

• Build understanding among healthcare workers, consumer representatives, GPs and others about the role of NAATI and professional interpreters in healthcare.

• Create space for interpreters to share their experiences of working alongside consumers, families, carers and healthcare teams.

• Encourage open conversation, shared learning and stronger relationships between healthcare providers, communities and interpreter services.

• Explore how interpreter services and translated information can better support people to understand, participate in and make informed decisions about their healthcare.

Who you’ll hear from

Kym McDowell

NAATI Regional Operations Manager (WA) 

Kym McDowell is NAATI’s Regional Operations Manager for Western Australia and has been in this role for over 6 years. Kym’s role involves engaging with agencies, organisations, and community to share the importance of language access. She especially enjoys the advocacy part of her role, and highlighting the importance of engaging professional translators and interpreters for service delivery. Kym has a background in working with Aboriginal community and is a long-standing member of NAATI’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.

Udani Dhanojanan

Udani Dhanojanan is a Principal Policy Officer in the Consumer Engagement and Inclusion team within the WA Department of Health, where she leads the cultural diversity portfolio and oversees monitoring of the implementation of the WA Health Language Services Policy.

Udani holds a Master’s degree in Community Development and has a professional background in social work, with experience across a range of allied health and human services settings, including children’s services, mental health, disability, and refugee and humanitarian settlement. With over 10 years of experience in the public sector, Udani has worked across community engagement, and policy and planning, with a strong focus on multicultural health, cultural diversity and disability. Her work is underpinned by a commitment to advancing health equity, strengthening culturally responsive services, and improving outcomes for diverse communities.

Mary Gurgone

Mary is the Chairperson of the Association for Culturally Appropriate Services and non-Executive Director of the Perth Foundation for Women, and Director of the Centre for Capability and Culture.  

Ms. Gurgone has a Master of Business, teacher training and vocational training qualifications, Bachelor of Arts (English and Italian), and NAATI accreditation as a professional translator and interpreter. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. Her career in government included leadership in education(languages), training(interpreting/translating), evaluation, audit and policy. 

Mary’s leadership in the community includes: 

• NAATI Board Member (2014-2020) 

• Chairperson and Board member of the Zonta House Women’s Refuge (2006-2015) 

• National president of the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators Inc (AUSIT) (1991-1994), and Fellow of AUSIT (current) 

• Member of the Federation Interpreters and Translators (FIT) Human Rights Committee 1998-2000 

• State Director of the WA Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care program (2017-2020) 

Mohammed Almadi

Mohammad Almadi arrived in Australia with his family as a refugee in 2012. Drawing on both lived and professional experience, he has supported refugees, asylum seekers, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Western Australia since 2013 through community advocacy and frontline support roles. He has helped individuals and families navigate healthcare, settlement, and community service systems, while advocating for equitable access to information, interpreter services, and culturally responsive support. As a NAATI-accredited interpreter, Mohammad brings firsthand insight into the vital role interpreters play in healthcare and the challenges that language barriers can create for patients and service providers.

Michael Bruderer

Michael Bruderer is the National Director of Sales & Growth at Oncall Language Services, bringing extensive leadership experience across customer experience, service delivery and interpreter operations. Oncall is one of Australia's leading language service providers, supporting healthcare, government and community organisations nationwide through a network of more than 5,500 interpreters and translators. Michael has played a key role in strengthening Oncall's healthcare partnerships, with a focus on improving access to high-quality interpreting services and building sustainable interpreter engagement models. He is passionate about supporting the interpreting profession and leveraging technology to improve language accessibility and patient outcomes. Michael is currently leading national growth initiatives, including the expansion of Oncall's video-on-demand interpreting solutions, helping healthcare organisations deliver more accessible, responsive and culturally inclusive services.