Leadership Profiles: Dr Jane Williams

Name: Dr Jane Williams

Position: General Manager – Research and Education

Qualifications

Ph D., R.N (Paeds). B Mgt, Cert. Tertiary Teaching, Certified INPP practitioner, Certified ILS practitioner.

• Dr Jane Williams is a researcher and educator and who is actively involved in the development of high quality early childhood development programs in Australia, Asia and Europe. The GymbaROO/KindyROO program, in which she is involved, is focused on the delivery of a program that promotes healthy neurological, social and physical growth in the first five years of life. Importantly the program actively engages parents in their children’s development from birth.
• Spreading the message about the importance of development in the early years is a primary aim of Dr William’s. As Editor of First Steps, a magazine dedicated to parent education, she focuses on helping parents understand their child’s development. Dr Williams also has a number of journal publications aimed at drawing the attention of early childhood health professionals to the importance of early childhood development, prevention and early intervention. She has presented at a number of conferences in Australia, and the EU, and was an invited speaker at several of these.
• Dr Williams is currently an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. For the past 10 years she has been involved in a varied program of tertiary teaching in both academic and clinical domains within the school, having taught across very diverse environments, to people with a large variety of interests and within enormously differing age groups.
• Dr Williams was the owner and operator of the Townsville GymbaROO Franchise between 1989 and 1995

Qualifications

• 2003 -2006 James Cook University (JCU) PhD
• 2002 JCU Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching
• 2000 JCU Bachelor of Management (GPA 6.89)
• 1979 Registered General Nurse (Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne)

Other Current Roles

• Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition, JCU.

Publications

• Williams, J. (2007). Helping parents help their children: an innovative Australian program. American Academy of Pediatrics: Development and Behavior Newsletter 16(1), 18-19.
• Williams, J (2007). Learning from mothers: how myths policies and practices affect the early detection of subtle developmental problems in children. Child: Care, Health & Development 33(3)282-290.
• Williams, J. (2006/2007). How social myths about childhood, motherhood and medicine affect the detection of subtle developmental problems in children. Contemporary Nurse 23(2), 274-287.
• Williams, J. (2006). Learning from mothers: how myths, policies and practices affect the early detection of subtle developmental problems in children. Unpublished PhD, James Cook University, Townsville.
• Williams, J., & Holmes, C. A. (2005). Literary folkloristics: using literary theories to read life stories. Australian Qualitative Research 5(2), 151-167
• Williams, J., & Holmes, C. A. (2004/2005). Children of the 21st century: slipping through the net. Contemporary Nurse, 18(1-2), 57-66.
• Williams, J. & Holmes, C. A. (2004). Improving the early detection of children with subtle developmental problems.

Recent parenting magazine publications

• Williams, J. (2009). Tummy time for terrific babies. Child Parenting Journal (Autumn).
• Williams, J. (2008). Learning to move - what dads can do to help. BubHub Newsletter, September 2008 72(3). Available online: http://www.bubhub.com.au/newslettersep0803.php
• Williams, J. (2008). GymbaROO. Themes: Primary education.17 p. 28.
• Williams, J. (2006). Why are early childhood development programs important? First Steps. 55, 3-4. Melbourne: Toddler Kindy GymbaROO.
• Williams, J. (2005). Parents, your voices are important. First Steps. 54, 3-4. Melbourne: Toddler Kindy GymbaROO
• Williams, J. (Nov/Dec 2004). Slipping through the net. First Steps. 47, 1. Melbourne: Toddler Kindy GymbaROO
• Williams, J. (2004). Tapping into parent power. First Steps. 44, 3-4. Melbourne: Toddler Kindy GymbaROO.

Dr Williams has also written another 32 articles on child development (1995-1998, 2004 - current) for publication in First Steps, a parent education magazine published by GymbaROO Australia. An example of topics covered include: 'Fidgety Babies', ‘Neurophysiological treatment of dyslexia, 'Your two year old', 'Your three year old', 'Encouraging your child's language development, 'Sensory play’, 'Attention deficit disorder: A developmental approach’, 'The business of child rearing', 'Helping your child to be unselfish’, ‘Helping parents help their children', 'Give baby the freedom and space to move', 'Talk, talk, talk', 'Creeping and crawling: More than just a way to get around' and 'Caring through touch: Massaging your baby'.

Dr Williams was the editor of the franchisor's publication "First Steps" between 1992 and 1995, and is also the current editor of that publication

Conference presentations

Awards