Kani Thompson – Public Health/Community Nutritionist – IAHA Graduate

Kani’s mob are from Saibai Island. She is currently working as Allied Health Team lead at Apunipima Cape York Health Council

Kani started her journey in health with a Bachelor of Health Science (Public Health) and aspired to work in rural and remote communities anything to do with nutrition, as a personal endeavour, after seeing the impact of health issues and health care on her family.

So keen on starting in the field, Kani started as an Indigenous Health Worker in community health at Gayndah in south-east Queensland. There Kani worked with the Dietitian and undertook more nutrition specific training and developed into a skilled community educator.

Through the training programs, Kani met influential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous women, who provided guidance and advice, including how to find and navigate more opportunities. Through the Murri grapevine, Kani was contacted about a job opportunity in public health nutrition in QLD Health. For 7 years Kani delivered nutrition education and training to staff who were in turn were delivering education on the ground to community across Cape and Torres Straits. Was successful in gaining a scholarship to study a Graduate Diploma in Human Nutrition.

9 years ago, Kani joined Apunipima as the Community Nutritionist, which entailed a little bit of everything. Talking to community, teaching and doing nutrition promotion in kindy and primary schools, community groups, supporting other projects, supervising students. Also worked with universities and has been part of me research projects.

Now, Kani is the Allied Health Team Leader, looking after the range of allied health professionals – which usually includes dietitians, community nutritionists, audiometrist, diabetes educator, podiatry etc.

In regards to challenges and wins, Kani believes that there are waves of change, either large and slow, or fast and small, that needed to be ridden at the right pace to ensure meaningful and effective impacts.

And the biggest wins are when students come through, and they are enlightened on ways of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Getting to build community connections and relationships that are endearing and enduring. Also, that working in an ACCHO, there is a lot more creativity.

There are different ways and opportunities to get to there. Build a team. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals and it’ll be a sounding board and community of practice.

People have been the biggest influence on Kani’s career and growth. A collective of people who will support and provide guidance, and don’t be afraid to lean on and reach out for a yarn. A good example of that is the women from way back when I first started doing training in nutrition, they’ve become bosses, colleagues and mentors.Kani joined IAHA in 2015 to check out the landscape of allied health. Looking up regularly the other nutritionists and connecting, to learn from and provide insight where possible. Seeking out training and development opportunities. Looking at possibly doing the Leadership Academy.