Our Team
Australian Family Medical is led by sister and brother GP-duo Emma & Jay, with their father, Fritz, bringing his business know-how, we are a truly family owned clinic. Both Emma and Jay are locally trained and up to date GP’s in Hobart. We are excited to provide our community with exceptional healthcare. We will be growing our team as we grow our clinic and will be welcoming more exceptional talent to this healthcare family soon.
Dr Jay Shoemaker
MBBS, MBA(Finance), GAICD, FRACGP
Dr Jay graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2015 before working at the Royal Hobart Hospital, gaining experience in a wide range of specialities and subsequently moving into general practice. Some of the areas he is most interested in include cardiovascular health, urgent medical issues, men’s health and occupational health/workers compensation cases. Jay enjoys general practice as it allows him to deal with a broad range of medical issues and the chance to get to know his patients. Outside of work he is far too into coffee, also enjoying reading, technology, music and snowboarding.
Dr Jay is available Monday through Friday.
Dr Emma Shoemaker
MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Emma graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2019 and then went on to complete her internship at the Royal Hobart Hospital. During her hospital training she completed terms throughout a wide range of both medical and surgical specialities before moving into General Practice in 2022 and completing her GP training with extended skills in Emergency Medicine. Emma enjoys the large variety of clinical work in General Practice and is passionate about working with her patients to create a lasting impact on their health. She is interested in child and adolescent health, women’s health, preventative health and lifestyle changes in chronic disease management. Outside of GP Emma is an avid reader who enjoys her book club, a hobby flower farmer and has her hands full with her German Shepherd, Max.
Dr Emma is available Monday through Fridays.
Dr Warrick Manning
MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Warrick graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2016. He began his medical career at the Northwest Regional Hospital in Burnie before working in Darwin and Brisbane. He later returned to Tasmania to complete his General Practice training.
Warrick enjoys all aspects of general practice with particular interests in men’s health, occupational health (including workers’ compensation), lifestyle management of health conditions, as well as enjoying staying up-to-date with the latest medical guidelines. Warrick likes the general practice field of medicine because it keeps him interested by the broad range of medical conditions to manage and the ability to work together closely with his patients to improve their health.
Outside of GP Warrick loves keeping active, he enjoys bushwalking, lifting weights, is an amateur snowboarder and likes playing soccer when time allows.
Dr Manning is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.
Dr Latika Verma
MBBS, FRACGP, Skin Cancer Medicine
Dr Latika moved to Tasmania in 2010 where she worked at the Royal Hobart Hospital and Launceston General Hospital in various specialities before relocating to QLD for her GP Training. After completing her Fellowship with the RACGP, she returned to Hobart in 2017 and calls it her home.
She is a caring and compassionate GP who has a holistic approach in managing the health needs of individuals and families and being part of their journey through life. Latika has a passion for chronic diseases, preventative health as well as Children and Women’s health. She has a special interest in early detection and management of Skin Cancer as well as General Dermatology like eczema and acne.
Latika also dedicates her time to teaching the next generation of doctors at the UTAS and is part of the Advisory Group for QUIT Tasmania.
Outside of work, she is a busy mum of 2 little kids and enjoys spending time with her family, reading and cooking.
Dr Verma is available on Mondays & Thursdays.
Dr Ayush Srivastava
MBBS, FRACGP, Adv Cert Skin Cancer Surgery, Prof Cert Skin Cancer Medicine, Prof Cert Clinical Procedures
Dr Ayush is an experienced skin cancer doctor and vasectomy proceduralist GP. Ayush has worked in multiple surgical specialities in Tasmania, mastering useful surgical skills prior to completing his GP training with James Cook University in Queensland. Following this he moved to Hobart in 2010 with his family and calls it home.
Ayush has a special interest in skin cancer medicine and Vasectomy and has done extensive skin cancer training. He is experienced and skilled in doing complex skin excisions, procedures and has been offering skin cancer treatment to the Greater Hobart and North-West Tasmanian regions.
He is one of the leading local vasectomy experts in Hobart and has performed over 1000 vasectomies in Tasmania, with patients referring themselves and their friends from as far as Launceston and the North- West regions of Tasmania.
He is passionate about patient centred care and has a comprehensive approach for getting the best outcome for his patients. He tries his best to ensure that his patient’s comfort remains the main priority.
Dr Srivastava is available on Wednesdays & Fridays.
Dr Heather McGushin
MBBS, FRACGP, DRANZCOG, Clin Dip Pall Med
Dr. Heather graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2017. She completed her internship in Perth, WA, before working in Geelong, Victoria. During her hospital training, she gained experience across a wide range of medical and surgical specialties. She also pursued extra qualifications in Women’s Health in a Diploma in Obstetrics/Gynaecology (DRANZCOG).
Heather began GP training in Victoria in 2021 before returning home to Tasmania to complete her specialist GP training. She chose a career as a specialist GP as she values working closely with patients and in particular the role she can play in the health of young families and supporting patients through major life challenges. Her special interests are Children’s Health, Women’s Health (including pregnancy & postpartum care) and Palliative Care.
Outside of GP, Heather enjoys pilates, raising her young family, and spending time outdoors in beautiful Tasmania.
Dr Heather is available on Tuesdays & Fridays.
Dr Sophie Briggs
MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Sophie was born and raised on Hobart’s eastern shore, and went on to study Medicine at the University of Tasmania. After graduating in 2017, Sophie worked in various roles at the Royal Hobart Hospital, before making the move into general practice in 2022, after completing extended skills training in paediatric medicine.
Sophie enjoys the varied presentations across all disciplines that a day in general practice brings, and has particular interests in women’s health and children’s health.
Outside of work, Sophie can be spotted most weekends at a local Parkrun, or on one of Hobart’s many beautiful running tracks, trails or beaches. She also enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her husband and Maggie, their West Highland Terrier.
Dr Sophie is available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.
Dr Adrian Cakra
MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Adrian was with Australian Family Medical during the start of 2025.
Unfortunately, Dr Adrian has had to take unexpected leave and will be moving interstate, so sadly he will not be able to return to seeing patients at our clinic. We will miss Adrian and his contributions to our healthcare team.
We are able to facilitate his patients seeing our other practitioners or a transfer of records upon request.
Dr Gabby Reardon
FRACGP, MBBS
Dr Gabby grew up in Tasmania and has lived all around the state at various points in her life. She graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2017, completing her internship on the Northwest Coast of Tasmania before returning to Hobart to work in a wide variety of roles at the Royal Hobart Hospital until she entered General Practice training in 2022. She particularly enjoyed her roles working in Palliative Care, Haematology, Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. It was this wide variety of interest areas that prompted her to pursue General Practice training.
She enjoys the diversity that General Practice is particularly interested in preventative health and positive lifestyle change for prevention and assistance with chronic disease management, women’s health and children’s health.
In addition to her General Practice work, Gabby works at the University of Tasmania, educating students in the area of General Practice, and finds medical education a rewarding addition to complement her General Practice work.
Outside of work, Gabby enjoys getting outdoors by hiking local Hobart trails with her partner and dog Sonny, running, weekends away at her family shack, relaxing with a cup of tea and a good book, and is partial to enjoying a good meal out at one of Hobart’s many excellent restaurants.
Dr Gabby will be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.
Dr Mark Ryan
MBBS, FRACGP, BMSc
Dr Mark graduated from the University of Tasmania and moved to Sydney for his internship at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
He remained in Sydney for 14 years gaining experience in a wide range of General Practice areas before moving back to Tasmania to work again in General Practice in 2011.
Mark has a special interest in refugee health, preventative health, sexual health and is a S100 HIV prescriber.
Outside of GP work Mark enjoys renovating houses, gardening, bushwalking, meditation and spending time with his family and two very active boxer dogs.
Dr Mark schedules 30 minutes for all new patient appointments to allow for a comprehensive and unhurried consultation. As a result, the new patient reduced rate does not apply to your first appointment with him.
Dr Mark is available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays.
Dr Shaun Ewe
MBBS, FRACGP, BMedSci (hons), Prof Cert of Skin Cancer Medicine
Dr. Shaun Ewe holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), Bachelor of Medical Sciences with Honours (BMSc) from the University of Tasmania, and a Master of Medicine (MMed) in Ophthalmology from the University of Sydney.
Prior to returning to Tasmania to work as a specialist General Practitioner and Skin Cancer Doctor, Dr Shaun spent years working in public hospitals across Tasmania, New South Wales, and Victoria. During this period, he gained comprehensive hospital clinical experience in various specialties, including general medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, emergency medicine, paediatrics, and geriatric health.
During his specialist General Practice training, Dr Shaun further advanced skills training in Skin Cancer Medicine and Surgery and has completed a postgraduate Professional Certificate in Skin Cancer Medicine and a Certificate of Dermoscopy. He is a member of the Skin Cancer College Australasia and a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Dr Shaun has a keen interest in skin cancer management and currently offers comprehensive full skin checks at our clinic. He continues to provide a comprehensive range of primary health care services to individuals of all ages.
In his leisure time, Shaun enjoys a good cup of coffee, riding his electric skateboard and spending time with his young family.
Dr Shaun will be available on Tuesdays.
Leanna Brown
Practice Manager
Leanna is an Tasmanian Local who started in General Practice clinics in 2018. She grew to love General Practice for the opportunities to improve the health and wellbeing of patients while working closely within a team. Leanna is an experienced Practice Manager with a passion for optimising patient care and streamlining processes to ensure a great experience for everyone. With many clinics often experiencing rapid turnover of medical practitioners, Leanna is passionate about aiming for our medical team stay with her clinics and therefore achieve long term relationships with their patients, improving patient care and satisfaction. Leanna thrives in environments with like-minded individuals and is excited to contribute to the growth of Australian Family Medical!
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends, staying active and healthy by regular exercise at the gym, getting lost in a good book, live-music and being kept on her toes by her attitude riddled labrador Meka.
Margaret Chesterman
Registered Nurse & Nurse Manager
Margaret is a registered Nurse who joined the Australian Family Medical team shortly after the practice opened last August.
Margaret has been nursing for over 30 years. Her career commenced in RHH hospital where she worked in the Burns Unit and Cardiology before specialising in Intensive Care and becoming a nurse in the hyperbaric chamber.
She began working in her local general practice clinic in 2006 and found herself gradually moving away from hospital nursing to focus in this area. She has worked in a number of practice roles over the past 13 years including a training and support role for GPs and nurses, working as a care coordinator for the Cygnet region, as well as working as a nurse in a number of genereal practices. Margaret enjoys all aspects of her role as a general practice nurse, especially getting to know patientss and their families and aiming to provide the best nursing care possible.
Outside of work, Margaret loves spending time with her 2 wonderful daughters, enjoys pilates and water activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving as well as socialising with friends.
Danika Lukic
Registered Nurse
Danika is an experienced Registered Nurse with a strong foundation in critical-care and perioperative settings. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Tasmania and has since pursued further qualifications, holding post graduate certificates in both emergency nursing and anaesthetic and recovery nursing.
Danika also contributes to the development of future nurses through her role as a university Clinical Facilitator, providing mentorship, guidance and assessment to nursing students in clinical practice.
She is particularly passionate about expanding the scope of procedures safely managed in outpatient settings, aiming to enhance patient outcomes and healthcare system efficiency.
In her leisure time, Danika enjoys finding a good coffee, staying active, reading, and exploring beautiful rurally located Airbnbs with her partner.
Danielle Garwood
Registered Nurse
Elle studied at the University of Tasmania and after graduating, she joined the Tasmanian Health Service, beginning her career in the Older Persons Unit before moving into Emergency Nursing, where she has worked for the past six years. Most recently, Elle worked as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) in the Emergency Department, coordinating daily operations and leading clinical teams in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Her years in emergency care have given her a broad and practical understanding of acute medicine, a strong foundation in procedural support, and the confidence to respond quickly and knowledgeably to patients’ needs.
Elle brings a calm, capable approach to care and is passionate about supporting people across all stages of their health journey—especially outside of hospital, where ongoing connection and continuity can make all the difference. Elle’s special interests are in patient advocacy, providing continuity of care and in high quality preventative healthcare.
Outside of work, Elle is a proud step-mum who loves cheering on her stepson at football and basketball games. She’s a hobbyist photographer, video game enthusiast, and lover of peace and quiet—though life is always lively at home with her fiancé Cody and their golden retriever–Labrador puppy, Archie!
Ayla King
Medical Receptionist
Ayla grew up on the East Coast of Tasmania but has called Hobart home for the last 16 years. With over 8 years of experience in administrative roles across a range of various industries in both Hobart and Sydney, she joined the Australian Family Medical team in August 2024. Ayla is passionate about providing exceptional support to both staff and patients, and creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for patients as they receive care. She has always had a strong interest in the healthcare industry and enjoys the personable aspect of getting to know long term patients.
Outside of work, Ayla enjoys camping, beach trips, sharing a glass of wine with friends, and spending quality time with her partner, their dog Bella, and cat Max.
Kate Badenach
Chief Baking Officer
Kate has a wealth of knowledge having worked within various General Practice reception and management roles over the past 6 years. After joining the Australian Family Medical reception and administrative team in October 2024 Kate is excited to contribute to the growth and quality care provided by the clinic.
Kate is passionate about ensuring a welcoming environment for patients and staff and works hard to facilitate cohesive care. Kate also plays a large role supporting in practice management and core operations including accreditation. With a vibrant personality, Kate values making sure everyone is comfortable during their healthcare experience.
When she's not busy brightening someone's day at the front desk, Kate is chasing after her three energetic children or baking delicious cakes to share with her coworkers. She's always finding new ways to add a little sweetness-literally and figuratively-to everyone's day!