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 A/Prof Sue Green and Nura Gili, Ms Elizabeth Harris, Professor Anthony Zwi, Professor Mark Harris, Dr David Sutherland, Ms Linda Kurti, Dr Lynn Kemp, Professor Richard Henry and others.
Staff
| Name | Position/Role | Image |
Ms Rachelle Arkles
Research Associate
Grad Dip Applied Sciences (Media Studies) ECU; MA (Sociology) University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | Rachelle is a researcher 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 and will be enrolling for a PhD in this area in 2008. |  |
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
Research Associate
MPH UNSW | Sally Fitzpatrick recently graduated from the Master of Public Health program at UNSW, specialising in Indigenous Health. She joined MMIHU in 2007.
Sally has been working in the field of reconciliation for over a decade and is an active member of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) advocating for Indigenous health. Sally recently edited ANTaR's publication 'Success Stories in Indigenous Health'. Sally is also Non-Indigenous Co-Chair of the National Sorry Day Committee and a Co-Convenor with the Women's Reconciliation Network of NSW. Formerly, Sally was Deputy Chairperson of the NSW Reconciliation Council (2005-2007). In a previous life, Sally made films and videos. Sally is also training to be a facilitator. | |
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. He is currently worrking in partnership with MMIHU to promote a Strategic Plan for the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation due for release in 2008. He is also the Director and Lay Leader of Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries in Redfern. 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. Ray is also a descendant of the South Sea Islander people with connections to the people of Ambrym Island. | |
Dr Lisa Jackson Pulver
Associate Professor and Unit Head
PhD; Grad Dip App Epidemiology; MPH | 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 | | |
| Mr. Dennis McDermott | | |
Mr. John Waldon
Research Officer and a Doctoral Scholar | 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 is principle investigator determining the efficacy of neonatal hepatitis B immunisation.
John is employed as a Research Officer and a Doctoral Scholar in Te Pumanawa Hauora, Centre for Maori Health Research and Development in the School of Maori Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North. John holds an honorary fellowship with the TVW Institute for Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
John is a part-time PhD student in Maori Studies, and is planning to submit his thesis for examination this year. In 2002, 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 | | |