In our Meet the Member series, we talk to some of the hardworking healthcare professionals who are part of Wounds Australia and today, we are meeting new member Clinical Senior Podiatrist in Murray Bridge of the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Alison "Ali" Dumesny.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy working in the high-risk foot space in a regional area. Sometimes, we are pushed to get a little creative with the ways we optimise offloading and appropriately manage wound care.

Learning about our patient's life allows us to understand individual biopsychosocial barriers that exist here, which can often look quite different to those which metro-based people face. It is rewarding when our creativity pays off, and we successfully manage a foot wound while supporting, for example, the farmer as he continues to work his land and support his family

Why did you pursue this field?

I have been a podiatrist for well over 15 years and I cannot remember why I became a podiatrist in the first place. I started out in the high-risk space and after over a decade in private practice, I returned to public sector podiatry. It might sound corny, but it feels like coming home - back to where I belong.

Tell us why you decided to become a Wounds Australia member. What do you hope to achieve?

I am a lifelong learner - always wanting to know the answers and how to do it better.

As a Wounds Australia member, I have access to all this information and more. It is also a very handy resource when it comes to choosing and completing educational training to support Professional Development requirements.

What is your proudest achievement – personal or professional?

This year, our Podiatry team were finalists in two categories in the 2026 Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Awards.

What did you want to be at 10, 18 and 30 years old?

Respectively, a hairdresser, a psychologist, and a brief early midlife crisis where I completed a semester of Midwifery in my mid-30s.

How do you spend your spare time? Hobbies?

I keep myself busy. I am a keen reader, enjoy staying active, and I am also learning how to renovate my house.

Connecting with people special to me is important. I have a 5-year-old labradoodle, Fergus, who goes everywhere I go. Everyone knows him and loves him.

What do you wish you'd known when starting out in your career?

I wish I had asked more questions and had been less afraid to make mistakes. These days, I love a Q&A moment and I do not shy away from sharing mistakes or challenging experiences at work.

I hope that by asking the question, or sharing the story, it might allow early career clinicians to feel brave and comfortable enough to share and remove those fear-based barriers that do not serve any of us.

Meet our Members

Explore other member interviews including Chair of our First Nations Advisory Committee Kayla Sale, Chair of our Research Committee Professor Christina Parker, Director of our valued Clinical Partner Liberation Holistic Health in Echuca and Wound Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) at Echuca Regional Health running the Chronic Wound Clinic Cindy Williams and Fullife Pharmacy's Lara Gliana.