Rita is a pharmacist and lecturer in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University. She holds a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Pharmacology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) and a Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice from Monash University, and a Diploma of Leadership and Management. She has clinical expertise in women’s health, obstetrics, and medicines use in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and is a practising hospital pharmacist working in obstetric care.

Rita is an experienced educator in the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) program. Her teaching emphasises patient-centred care, clinical reasoning, and professional communication, with a strong focus on preparing students to manage complex and sensitive clinical presentations. She is particularly committed to inclusive teaching practices and the creation of psychologically safe learning environments.

She has an interest in domestic and family violence in healthcare, particularly in workforce education and supporting appropriate clinical responses within pharmacy practice. She also contributes to the design and evaluation of authentic assessments, including OSCE-style consultations and integrated care scenarios, to support graduate readiness for practice.

Through her combined academic and clinical roles, Rita supports education, training, leadership development, and quality improvement initiatives within hospital pharmacy and multidisciplinary maternity services. Her work aims to strengthen the interface between education, clinical practice, and health system responses to the needs of women and families across the reproductive lifespan.

• Women’s and obstetic health

• Medicines use, safety, and risk assessment in pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Domestic and family violence: DFV-informed practice, workforce education, and health professional roles

• Pharmacy education and scholarship of teaching and learning

• Authentic assessment design

Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)

• PHR1031 – How the Body Works (Unit Coordinator)

• PHR2042 – Comprehensive Care: Endocrinology and Renal (Teaching)

• PHR4042 – Integrated Care (Teaching and Unit Coordinator)

• PHR1101 – Bridge to Practice II (Teaching)