Caren Friend

Caren Friend is a Disaster Manager and Registered Nurse based in Sydney, Australia, with a deep passion for bridging the gap between emergency management policies and clinical practice. With a focus on making plans operational and actionable, Caren regularly designs and delivers simulation exercises to test and refine disaster response strategies. She has a special interest in mass gatherings, focusing on planning that ensures optimal outcomes for patrons and all key stakeholders.

Caren is actively involved in professional education and is a dedicated instructor on a range of disaster medicine training programs. She teaches across courses including the Incident Command Structure, Major Incident Medical Management, Hospital MIMMS, CBR Disaster Training, and the AUSMAT Team Member Course. As an accredited Emergo Train System Educator, she also leads courses in exercise design and management. With a hands-on approach and a commitment to preparedness, Caren’s work ensures that both policies and people are ready to respond effectively when disaster strikes.