People
Critical Friends
Muru Marri relies heavily on colleagues and others, collectively called "Critical Friends" throughout its work. It would be remiss of us not to include these important people in this document. These people (and this list is not exhaustive) include Associate Professor Sue Green and Nura Gili Indigenous Programs, Ms Elizabeth Harris, Professor Mark Harris, Dr Elizabeth Comino and the team at CHETRE, Professor Anthony Zwi, Dr David Sutherland, Ms Linda Kurti, Dr Lynn Kemp, Professor Richard Henry, Professor G. A. (Tony) Broe and colleagues at POWMRI, and Associate Professor Jan Ritchie.
| Name | Position/Role | Image |
Ms Rachelle Arkles
Grad Dip Applied Sciences (Media Studies) ECU; MA (Sociology) University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Rachelle is a PhD student with the Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit and the Prince of Wales Medical Research Unit. Formerly with the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Rachelle has conducted research into global health workforce flows; international medical graduates, including their deployment in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services; and the areas of rural medical students and the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students for careers in medicine and health.
Rachelle is currently working on a three year NHMRC funded project grant addressing the burden of dementia in urban dwelling Indigenous Australians. |  |
Dr Ilse Blignault
Senior Research Fellow
BSc (Hons) UNSW; MClinPsych ANU;
PhD UWA, MIH Curtin | Dr Blignault is a Senior Research Fellow at Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit and the School of Public Health & Community Medicine. She has broad interests in research and service/policy development in cross-cultural contexts including Indigenous health, multicultural health and international health. Specific areas of research include the social and emotional well-being of Indigenous Australians, transcultural mental health, primary mental health care and telehealth. Another major area of interest is the development of research and evaluation methods (including issues of data availability and quality) and ethical frameworks suitable for a multicultural society.
Dr Blignault is a registered psychologist and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Interest Groups on Aboriginal Issues, Aboriginal People and Psychology; Psychology and Cultures; and Rural and Remote Psychology. She has over 25 years' experience in the health sector in Australia (NSW, ACT, NT, WA, QLD) and overseas (UK and Malaysia and the Solomon Islands), and has worked as a clinician, researcher, educator and manager. |  |
Ms Allison Dejanovic
Research Assistant/Personal Assistant
BA Adelaide University | Allison has a background in geography and GIS having completed a BA from the University of Adelaide in 1989 doing a double major in Geography. She then worked as the Assistant Aboriginal Site Registrar for NSW with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of NSW from 1990 to the end of 1992. The work involved maintaining the Aboriginal Site data base and carrying out archaeological surveys for the NPWS. She also assisted in the development of a GIS that predicted and mapped Aboriginal sites in NSW.
Allison taught at the School of Geography at UNSW from 1993 to 1997 in the capacity of Associate Lecturer. She conducted undergraduate level tutorials, computer labs and field classes in many areas of geography, with an emphasis on the physical sciences and computer mapping. While at the University, Allison enrolled in the Masters by Research program, her thesis topic being: The geomorphology of Cuddie Springs. |  |
Ms Sally Fitzpatrick
Lecturer
MPH UNSW | Sally Fitzpatrick is a graduate of the Master of Public Health program at UNSW, specialising in Indigenous Health. She joined Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit in 2007 and plays an active role in the research, teaching and community service activities of the Unit.
Sally has been working in the field of justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and reconciliation for over a decade and is an active member of ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation) advocating for Indigenous rights, particularly health and well-being, part of this work involved the editing ANTaR's 'Success Stories in Indigenous Health'. Sally is also a member of the Bringing Them Home Working Group. From 2005-2007, Sally served as Deputy Chairperson of the NSW Reconciliation Council. Sally was awarded the inaugural Woman of the Year for the NSW electorate of Marrickville in 2005 for services to Aboriginal Reconciliation and to the Community. In a previous life, Sally made films and videos. Sally also has experience as a facilitator. |  |
Dr Melissa Haswell
Associate Professor Indigenous Health, MMIHU
and
Head, North Queensland Health Equalities Promotion Unit, School of Medicine, University of Queensland
MSc University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD Epidemiology, Imperial College, University of London
| Melissa joined the Muru Marri Unit in July 2009 to contribute to the Unit’s research, teaching and service activities in Indigenous Health. Melissa is a highly experienced researcher in epidemiology, primary health care and health promotion and has applied her expertise in diverse areas including infectious and parasitic diseases, HIV/AIDS, toxicology and environmental health, chronic disease, young people’s health and, since 2004, Indigenous mental health, empowerment and well being. She has been the Principal Investigator on four NHMRC grants and has authored over 65 peer reviewed journal articles and 11 book chapters across these disciplines.
For the last six years, Melissa has been the head of the North Queensland Health Equalities Promotion Unit of the University of Queensland in Cairns. She has led a team of full time researchers, six who are Aboriginal Australian and one is First Nations Canadian. Melissa also has extensive teaching and tertiary Indigenous education development and management experience. She established an office on Thursday Island and delivered the Bachelor of Applied Health Science (Indigenous Primary Health Care) degree course (1998-2001) and a joint delivery program in Cairns (2002) for the University of Queensland. | |
Mr Ray Minniecon
Project Officer
BA in Theology (Murdoch University Western Australia)
Diploma in Christian Ministries from Commonwealth Bible College | Ray Minniecon is involved in a number of critically important community initiatives. Ray has played a key role in the development of a Strategic Plan for the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation. Until 2008, Ray was Director and Lay Leader of Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries in Redfern, and until July 2002, he was the Executive Associate for World Vision Australia, responsible for the development of Indigenous Programs.
Ray is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi people of South-East Queensland, and he is also a descendant of the South Sea Islander people with connections to the people of Ambrym Island. | |
Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver
Director MMIHU
PhD; Grad Dip App Epidemiology; MPH
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute; Visiting Research Fellow, National Centre of Epidemiology and Population Health (ANU); Visiting Consultant at the Ageing Research Centre; Squadron Leader, RAAF Specialist Reserve (Public Health Epidemiologist)
Recent speech to graduates | Lisa was appointed to the School of Public Health and Community Medicine in 2003 following a career that has progressed through positions as epidemiologist, public health officer, postgraduate health and medical student, registered nurse and counsellor. Lisa’s background has made her acutely aware of the lack of available data to identify underlying issues in the health for Aboriginal people who today, usually reside in the large metropolitan and urban centres of Australia. Along with her colleagues in the Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit, the unit whose reputation she helped establish, Lisa is working to provide that data. This she achieves through extensive and comprehensive research with an impressive list of research credits to her name; conference participation, including leadership and presentation; publications including conference papers, public domain reports and journal articles; and, through her teaching career both before and after her appointment to UNSW. |  |
Conjoints and contributors to the Unit | | |
| Associate Professor Dennis McDermott | | |
Ms Marion Norrie
Conjoint Lecturer, SPHCM
Lecturer (Academic), School of Medicine and Dentistry, JCU | Marion Norrie is currently Dental Manager of the Oral Health Care Unit at Wuchopperen Health Service, Cairns, Far North Queensland. Marion plays a leadership role in the implementation at the community level of the 'Filling the Gap' Indigenous Dental Program and is on the program's Board of Directors, alongside members of Muru Marri and others. Marion is a renowned advocate for oral health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Far North Queensland and nationally. | |
Professor Ian Ring
Visting Professorial Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
MBBS University of Sydney, 1966
MPH University of North Carolina, 1971
MSc Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, London University, 1976
FAFPHM, 1990
DLSHTM Medical Statistics, London University, 1996
FACRRM 1999 | Professor Ian Ring has been a signficant contributor to Muru Marri since the Unit's inception as both a research and teaching colleague and as a mentor. Professor Ring has been critically engaged in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public health and epidemiology for over twenty years. Professor Ring currently contributes expertise to the Close the Gap Steering Committee lead by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. | |
Associate Professor Jan Ritchie
Senior Visiting Fellow, SPHCM, UNSW; Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Griffith University, Queensland; Regional Director, South Western Pacific Region, International Union for Health Promotion and Education
| Associate Professor Jan Ritchie (PhD, MHPEd, Dip Phty) has taken an academic role in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW, over the last 20 years with primary responsibility for health promotion research and teaching in that period, maintaining a particular interest in promoting the health of vulnerable groups and communities. Since her retirement in early 2006, Professor Ritchie has held an honorary position with SPHCM as a Senior Visiting Fellow seeking to continue to focus on research in this topic arena.
Her initial qualifications were in physiotherapy where she was especially interested in patient-centred care and disease prevention. Following this, she worked in the Health Promotion Unit of the NSW Department of Health where she was interested in the prevention and self-management of chronic disease, On joining UNSW, she became particularly committed to promoting the health of Pacific Island peoples and subseuently has been building on this understanding to work with Australian Aboriginal communities. Recognising the importance of strengthening cultures, sub-cultures and community self-determination, she has developed expertise in qualitative research generally and participatory action research in particular. She will use these skills is a chief investigator on a new NHMRC research grant (2009-2013) building the capacity of remote Aboriginal communities to maintian their food security.
Professor Ritchie is currently the Regional Director of the South Western Pacific Region of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education. She was a recent President of the Australian Health Promotion Association and was awarded a Life Membership of this Association in recognition of her contribution to the profession. |  |
Dr John Waldon
Eru Pomare Post Doctoral Fellow (Health Research Council of New Zealand) | John is Maori, of Tuhoe and Ngati Kahungunu descent, identifying with the Ngati Koura and Te Urewera. John's research interests are focussed on Maori health for children and the development of indigenous health measurement tools.
John is employed as Eru Pomare Post Doctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Maori Health Research and Development at Massey University, Palmerston North. John is a Life member of the Cancer Society and holds an honorary fellowship with the TVW Institute for Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
John has graduated with a PhD in Maori Studies and was awarded the Health Research Council of New Zealand Eru Pomare Post Doctoral fellowship. John undertook a two-month short-term consultancy to improve the control of hepatitis B in the Western Pacific region with the World Health organisation in Manila, Philippines. John has voluntary positions with the Cancer Society and the Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHANZ). | |
| Professor Ken Wyatt AM | Professor Wyatt is currently the Director, Office of Aboriginal Health in the Department of Health, Western Australia, a position that he has held since August 2007. Previously, Professor Wyatt has served as the Director of Aboriginal Education with the Department of Education in Western Australia for 10 years from 1992, before serving as Director for Aboriginal Health with the NSW Department of Health until 2007.
In 1996, Professor Wyatt was recognised with an Order of Australia and in 2000 was awarded The Centenary of Federation Medal for his efforts towards improving the quality of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Professor Wyatt is committed to working to achieve better outcomes and opportunities for Indigenous Australians and Australian society, and brings a strong Noongar, Yamatji and Wongi heritage to the work that he does. His contribution as supporter and mentor to the Director and staff of Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit is highly valued. | |
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