I am an Educational & Developmental Psychologist, Fulbright Scholar & Senior Lecturer. I work collaboratively with health care professionals, teachers, parents and young people to support the individual and unique needs of youth. My research interests lie in engaging with the young person's perspective and experience. As a psychologist I have worked in schools, hospitals and in private practice in various supporting roles with young people and their families. Alongside clinical practice I lecture in inclusive education and psychology and supervise research students within this area. Underlying my research interest is my passion for supporting the needs of all students in the best ways possible through their active participation and agency. My doctoral research examined interventions for children of parents with a mental illness which received the Lewis & Lewis Educational & Developmental Psychology Postgraduate Research Award.

My research interests have lead me to find ways to bridge education and psychology to understand the experiences and needs of youth in schools and the community; including individuals with diverse and high needs. I was awarded the Deans Early Career Researcher Award to develop and pilot an artificial intelligence technology application, known as a Chatbot, to support the mental health of youth. I was also selected to participate in The Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft 5 day Ideas Lab on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Vienna, Austria. Thirty six researchers were selected from around the world and across disciplines to work together to create next generation approaches to youth mental health. I am also an international collaborator on a project funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Council of Canada with Professors Aude Villatte and Geneviève Piché, University of Québec, using photovoice and participatory research methods to (co)develop services with youth who have a parent with a mental illness. Most recent (2019) I was invited to attend European Parliament in Brussels to provide expert comment about the wellbeing of youth and young carers.

I am collaborating in two international research groups. One group aims to develop an international scale of recovery and mental health knowledge of youth with colleagues based in the USA, Netherlands and in Australia. The second I am the group co-leader of the Child, Parent and Family Mental Health Worldwide Network Communications Group focused on translating and disseminating research knowledge where families have a parent with mental illness. 

University and Faculty engagement activities currently include directing the Offshore programs as Education Coordinator in Singapore and Hong Kong and an active member of the Education Faculty Committee and Student Engagement Committee. Previous activities include Student Adviser for Master of Teaching (Primary and Secondary), Master of Teaching (Secondary), Graduate Diploma in Education (2015- 2016) and International Placement Coordinator for the Cook Islands (2017-2018).

I am a fellow of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) (MAPS, FCEDP) and treasurer of their Victorian branch Educational and Developmental College Committee, a member of The United Nations Association of Australia Academic Network (UNAA), an International Affiliate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a previous member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. I am an member of the APS Disaster Response Network, a national network of psychologists who have a special interest and expertise in working with individuals and communities affected by disasters and emergencies, volunteering in response to bushfires, floods, cyclones, as well as community-violence events.

• Mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents
• Youth voice and engagement
• Child and adolescent focused research
• Inclusion and special education
• Primary and secondary school: social and emotional learning
• Prevention and early intervention
• Children and families where a parent has a mental illness
• Individuals with a disability
• Digital Technology interventions including AI and ML
• Therapy dogs in clinical and educational settings 

Research Methods

• Mixed-methods research design
• Participatory research methods
• Qualitative methodologies

Current Research Projects

• Developing a scale to understand youth knowledge of mental health and recovery
• Building an evidence base for animal assisted interventions: The use of Therapy dogs in clinical and educational settings
• Developing and evaluating an artificial intelligence application to support the mental health of young people
• Youth Reference Group to provide feedback on current research program to ensure they are addressing youth needs and to translate research to key stakeholders