Master of Counselling, University of the Sunshine Coast
Thelma is an experienced social worker, child protection officer, and counsellor who has worked within government and non-government organisations for a decade.
She transitioned to counselling after working as a Paediatric Social Worker focused on family and sexual violence at Port Moresby General Hospital, and a Child Protection Officer with Femili PNG Inc. Through this experience, Thelma identified a gap in child counselling provision, and embarked on a learning journey to address this need. Thelma has also been an active volunteer supporting Seventh Day Adventist Church community activities, including to establish access to clean water in her community.
Through her participation in the Women’s Development Leadership Program, Thelma aims to build lasting connections with other leaders and contribute to the establishment of trauma-informed care approaches in PNG schools that can counter the impact of child abuse on students.
Thelma is an Alumna of the Aus-PNG Emerging Leaders Program and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Social Work) from The University of Papua New Guinea.
