Samantha Barba National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Conference

Samantha Barba

Samantha Barba is recognised for her commitment to supporting maternal, child and environmental health outcomes across the Pilbara, drawing on more than 20 years of nursing experience in Western Australia’s child health system. With a strong paediatric background, she has worked extensively in remote communities, focusing on holistic, preventative and sustainable care. Samantha currently supports the WA Rheumatic Heart Disease Strategic Framework development and implementation and has built strong partnerships with Pilbara Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs) to deliver culturally responsive care. Her current work is supported through Maternal, Infant and Child Health (MiCH) funding, strengthening integrated approaches to pregnancy and early childhood outcomes. Samantha co-developed and led the Maternal Environmental Health Referral Pilot across the Pilbara and delivers clinician education that increased confidence in integrating environmental health into practice and contributed to a rise in referrals. She is passionate about mentoring clinicians and supporting practical, community-led solutions. As Chair of the Pilbara Aboriginal Health Environmental Health Subcommittee, she uses de-identified data to guide initiatives that improve healthy home environments and respond to local priorities. Her advocacy extends across WA and nationally, promoting sustainable, community-led approaches that improve outcomes for mothers, babies and families.