ABOUT US
RESEARCH
CULTURAL HEALTH MODEL
RELATED PROJECTS
PARTNERS
NEWS
While we use the word ‘Aboriginal’ to explain the terminology of ‘the health gap’ in current research and policy, we would like to acknowledge it as a colonised term. We advocate for shifting to the use of cultural group names as identifiers. Where this is not possible, we use ‘Indigenous’.
University of New South Wales
Ary is a Senior Research Associate at the School of Population Health. Ary’s research builds on strong connections to Aboriginal traditional cultural knowledge holders, who have shaped her in-depth understanding and respect for Aboriginal cultural governance and protocols. She is committed to collaborative, intercultural and translational research that centres tangible benefit at the grassroots. Ary’s more than 50 publications are complemented by an exceptional funding track record. She has secured more than $3.4 million as Principal Investigator to conduct research in Aboriginal health and health equity. Her research has been cited in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework and national clinical guidelines.
Ary is the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Principal Investigator.
University of New South Wales
Brett is a Murrawarri man originally from Brewarrina. He has been living on Wiradjuri country for the last 20 years. Brett is the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Engagement and Research. Brett has contributed to Indigenous health and wellbeing for the last 15 years. Prior to this role, Brett was the inaugural Associate Dean Indigenous of the Faculty of Medicine.
Brett is the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Indigenous academic lead.
University of New South Wales
Brooke is an Early Career Research Fellow at the School of Psychology, a Conjoint Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia and an Associate Investigator, UNSW Ageing Futures Institute. Brooke is interested in the various elements that contribute to one's personal, cognitive, and cultural resilience throughout their lifetime. In her current position, she has provided advice to the ACT Chief Minister, Treasury, and Economic Development Directorate on public policies regarding social connectedness and resilience.
Brooke leads our projects’ quantitative components.
Joel is a proud Gammea-Dharrawal, Dhurga descendant from the Yuin Shoalhaven people on the South Coast of NSW. Joel is the great-grandson of Lena Chapman nee Carpenter, referred to as one of the last speakers of the Dharrawal language. Joel grew up learning dance and song from the Doonooch dancers and is a member of the Gulaga Dance Group. Alongside his family, Joel works tirelessly to restore the Gammea Dharrawal language. He does so through facilitating local community language programs within the Shoalhaven area. Carrying cultural responsibility from his teachers and uncles, Joel has played a key role in returning traditional fire methods back to Country. He understands that language, Country, people and fire go hand-in-hand.
Joel is a Gaawaadhi Gadudha South Coast language and cultural facilitator.
University of Montreal and University of New South Wales
Evelyne is Professor of Public Health at the School of Public Health at the University of Montreal (ESPUM) where she holds a ‘Canada Excellence in Research Chair’ in One Urban Health. Her UNSW appointment is with the UNSW Cities Institute. Evelyne’s background is in public health and health promotion, cities and health political science. Evelyne serves on a dozen global advisory groups, from small community endeavours, to public sector entities, to the World Health Organisation.
Evelyne is a Chief Investigator on Gaawaadhi Gadudha projects.
Dermott is a proud Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay man born in Walgett, living and working on Gamilaraay Country. He teaches Gamilaraay language in schools across the region, driven by a deep commitment to revitalising and sharing culture. He is also passionate about supporting men and boys who are doing it tough, helping them reconnect with Country, culture, identity and purpose. To Dermott, cultural health means staying connected to who he is, including his language, Country and people and carrying this knowledge with pride. When our culture is strong, our communities are stronger.
Dermott is a Gaawaadhi Gadudha North West language and cultural facilitator.
University of New South Wales
Premila joined the team as a Project Officer in 2025. Drawing from her professional background as an anthropologist, she brings extensive experience working closely with Aboriginal communities in Central Australia and Far North Queensland.
Premila supports the team through project coordination, implementation and evaluation, as well as research assistance.
Warren Foster Jr, known as Prodikal-1, is a Yuin Djiringanj artist who blends traditional Indigenous and contemporary influences. As a talented musician, singer-songwriter and hip-hop performer, he connects with audiences, especially youth, through his music, which often carries powerful cultural messages.
Warren Jr. is actively involved in community music initiatives, such as the ‘Grow the Music’ program at Wallaga Lake, where he has mentored young performers. He has also contributed to collaborative projects that support cultural education. His performances frequently feature young people from his community, demonstrating his commitment to fostering talent and cultural knowledge across generations within his Yuin Djiringanj Country.
Warren Jr is a Gaawaadhi Gadudha South Coast language and cultural facilitator.
Swinburne University of Technology
Jonathan is a Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion. Prior to academia, Jonathan worked in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, government bodies and Non-Government Organisations in public health and community development. Jonathan views our natural environment as having the capacity to bridge health inequalities. In addition to maintaining an extensive publishing track record, Yotti is involved in community engagement related to Indigenous and environmental health.
Yotti is a member of the Evaluation Team on the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Cultural Health Program study.
Kyiesha is a proud Gamilaroi woman born and raised in the Tamworth region of NSW. She has supported many walaay (camp) with her bubaa (father) and guni (mother). She is mentoring and supporting Gamilaroi children in out-of-home care, including their time at walaay.
Kyiesha is supporting the delivery of the Cultural Health Program, particularly the walaay component.
University of New South Wales
Nina is a PhD researcher and writer trained in anthropology and cultural studies. She is interested in culture, belonging and place in Australia's settler colonial context. Nina has critical theory and qualitative research experience and has published in the areas of migration, global public health, urban development and domestic violence. Outside of academia, Nina has worked in community development and communications.
Nina is a member of the Evaluation Team on the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Cultural Health Program study. She also supports project communications.
University of New South Wales
Craig Sinclair has a background in social science and applied psychology. He undertakes research in rights-based care and the design and evaluation of psycho-social programs. Originally from Western Australia, he now lives with his partner on Gundungurra and Darug lands in the Blue Mountains.
Craig advises the team on the trial design and statistical analysis.
James Cook University
Steph is a health policy and systems researcher with a background in global public health, political, and social sciences. Her research focuses on the political and power dynamics that influence the design and operationalisation of equitable health policy and health systems. Steph is Director of James Cook University’s Centre for Rural, Remote and Tropical Health Systems and course co-coordinator for the Masters of Public Health – Masters of Development Studies. She is on the Editorial Board of several leading journals and previously served on the Board of Directors for Health Systems Global. She has published over 120 peer reviewed publications and currently holds a NHMRC EL2 Investigator Award.
Steph is a member of the Evaluation Team on the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Cultural Health Program study.
University of New South Wales
Anthony is Professor of Global Health and Development. He teaches, researches and supervises Masters and PhD students. Anthony has longstanding interest in global health, rights and social justice, the positive and negative experiences of ‘development’, and the promotion of evidence-informed policy. His works are highly regarded with the co-edited World report on Violence and Health cited over 12,657 times to-date.
Anthony is a member of the Trial Research Team on the Gaawaadhi Gadudha Cultural Health Program study.
- Indigenous health
- Allied health
- Geography
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Global health
- Health policy
- Community development
- Health systems
- Qualitative research