The Team

Melissa Argent is the CEO of Rockpool Residential Aged Care.

Moving into a Residential Aged Care facility is a life changing process for many people, their families and friends. Melissa is determined to ensure Aged Care provides support, dignity and trust, as well as a happy environment for all.

Melissa has over 20 years of diverse Healthcare and Financial Services experience. Melissa commenced her career as a Registered Nurse receiving her Bachelor of Nursing from Griffith University, a Graduate Certificate in Health Management from QUT and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern QLD.

Early in her clinical career, Melissa found her passion for the Aged Care sector and has since worked in a variety of specialties both in Australia and internationally. Her experiences have reinforced her commitment to ensuring the provision of exceptional Aged Care services. It is this commitment combined with her passion and enthusiasm for the sector that ensure Rockpool residents live their best life whilst receiving the care, support and compassion that they need.

Melissa is committed to leading a culture of excellence which always focuses on the resident and their family, ensuring professionalism, quality outcomes and collaborative practice.

With over 25 years in Aged Care, Desma has filled a variety of positions across Australia including Quality and Compliance Manager, Staff Development and Training Manager, Facility Manager, Chief Executive, Industry Consultant, Quality Assessor and Mediator. Desma is skilled in change management and team development. She is passionate about creating a culture that values cooperation and collaboration to achieve common goals. Desma believes that by leading and partnering with team members, a sense of community is built which empowers the team to provide care and services in a way that enhances the quality of life for those who live in residential aged care. Desma has no doubt that Rockpool is an organisation that can offer these values to any resident seeking residential care.

Matthias has cooked and catered private dinners for the likes as American Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush at the Ritz Carlton Double Bay, Luciano Pavarotti’s private dinners during his last 2 Sydney visits, The Arias, Gala dinners and Movie premier's at Fox Studios and worked at some of Australia’s best-known 5 star Hotels and also alongside Australia’s best-known chefs.

Matthias began working within the aged care sector in 2017 as catholic healthcare national hotel and support services manager after ten years as managing director of his own hospitality group.

Other culinary highlights include working in top hatted restaurants and 5 star Hotels in Austria, Germany and Italy as well as some of Sydney’s most iconic restaurants including Gecko at Sheraton on the Park, Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Bank Restaurant Martin Place, Multi award winning Navara Venues and lastly his own Hospitality group of 7 Restaurants and Bars over 10 years. Matthias has now embraced the opportunity to bring to the aged care sector his vast restaurant experience along with his love for ‘honest’ foods where the ‘flavours do the talking’ through fresh, seasonal and sustainable produce and innovation in modified meals.

Matthias also embraces and endorses for all his leading chefs to attend Maggie Beer’s creating an Appetite for Life schools.

Karen has a passion for nursing leadership and provides clinical supervision as the Care Manager within Rockpool. The Care Manager role is central to leading and overseeing safe and effective care undertaken by our health workers. Karen has over thirty years’ experience in health with expert clinical knowledge in a range of practice settings including Medical Surgical, Residential, Subacute, Rehabilitation, Brain Injury and Psychogeriatric.

Karen facilitates the delivery of high-quality nursing care, blending her skills in chronic and acute illness to ensure an individualised person-centred approach to the nursing care of all our residents. Karen is very approachable and has an enthusiastic attitude to her work and the desire to ensure the aged care industry has a voice.

When not at work Karen will be boating on the high seas, actually she is really a fair-weather boater who is terrified of the high seas and is devoted to her family.

Jimina is one of Aged Care leading Consumer Relations Managers and comes to Rockpool with a breadth of experience to relationship building for our Consumer relations team and has over 20 years’ experience of Client Relations and Sales teams.

Jimina is responsible for leading Rockpool’s Occupancy and engaging with their local communities and works closely with teams on the ground to ensure our new family’s experience a smooth transition into Aged Care. Empowering and supporting Rockpool’s team to deliver exceptional care to every resident as they make their journey into Rockpool’s Residential Aged Care.

Jimina is constantly recognised for going the extra mile from start to finish when assisting families when making difficult decisions with their journeys into Aged Care.

Prior to Aged Care Jimina experience in Public Relations, Insurance, sales management, Client Relations and Property Sales working closely with developers on the Sunshine Coast for over 20 years.

Jimina hold current licences and certificates in Financial Services Institute of Australia and Property Sales Licences.

Jenny has had over 20 years Registered Nursing experience throughout Queensland and Northern Territory Health Service. The last 10 years, Jenny has specialized in Aged Care and values devotion and diligence in the industry. Currently, as Admissions Coordinator, Jenny ensures that residents and their families are given a smooth transition into care and feel supported throughout the journey. By capturing resident’s life stories, she has been able to personalize the resident experience. She believes that Rockpool should make everyone feel at home.

With over 17 years’ experience in Aged Care, Candice has shown a great deal of passion and drive within the industry. She is dedicated to making everyone’s day, going the extra mile however she can, to enrich and enhance the lives of residents and her team. Candice truly believes in making Rockpool a Remarkable home for everyone.

Jeanine is the Receptionist at Rockpool Residential Aged Care Facility.
She has recently moved to Australia with her family all the way from South Africa.
She has been with Rockpool since commissioning and is the core of the Reception.
Jeanine is passionate about Aged Care and making a difference in the lives of the Residents at Rockpool.
When Jeanine has free time, she enjoys being with her family in the outdoors and playing sport.

Passionate about enabling elders to experience their individual journey to achieve wellbeing and comfort in their own way.
Keanna has worked in the aged care sector for 5 years and is committed to supporting residents and their family to enjoy and have fun each day in the best way possible.
Keanna is also a former Eden associate and has a passion to make people life as enjoyable as possible.
Keanna enjoys having fun and is loving and caring.
In her spare time Keanna enjoys spending time with family and friends.

I am a professionally trained chef with a business education in culinary management. I have over 15 years of experience in food and hospitality and have worked for a number of well-known venues and chef elites, including the Annual Grammys Awards in the U.S and Wolfgang Puck.
I always strive for excellence and I am passionate about delivering the best quality service. When I am not working, I love to enjoy my time surfing or rock climbing.

Jason is a dedicated full-time single parent to a 5-year-old boy.
He has been with the Rockpool family since before opening and is committed to providing rapid and certified response to any request for works or assistance.
Jason also drives the bus and accompanies residents on outings.
In his spare time Jason enjoys fishing, camping and all outdoor activities with his son.

These are the people who really make Rockpool a remarkable place.
Always with a smile and a welcome greeting, there are many wonderful people who do their very best every day to make the lives of everyone around them better every day.

Too many to list here, we encourage you to come in and meet the team yourselves.