About Me

I spent my early years in Ireland and Australia (including an interesting outback high schooling experience). I relocated to London for undergraduate study (University of Surrey) and began my research career (University College London; Royal Colleges of Physicians; City University). I moved back to Australia for a PhD (Western Sydney University) and then shifted from psychology to public health research (via the Kirby Institute, UNSW). About a decade ago I started a research position (centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine) and then secured an academic research and teaching position in the School of Public Health (Sydney University). I am a settler on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

I use my academic resources to understand and advance the health of socially disadvantaged people and communities. Engagement with LGBTIQ and First Nation peoples profoundly shaped my approach to academia. I am committed to working ethically with communities to undertake meaningful research that produces positive change (by using knowledge for advocacy, health promotion, and service design and delivery). For over a decade I’ve been working with ACON, Australia’s largest HIV prevention and LGBTQ health promotion organisation, including 5 years on their ethical review committee; I have served on their board since 2012.

I have a strong track record in research on the health of sexuality and gender diverse people with a specific expertise in LBQ women’s health. I lead the longest running periodic survey of LBQ women’s health and wellbeing in the world (SWASH), and collaborate on several projects about LGBTQ substance use. I favour qualitative methodologies, but I’m pragmatic – I’ll use methodologies that will generate knowledge that can be used to produce positive outcomes. Check out my research projects page. I’m open to supervise/examine honours, postgraduate, PhD projects on the health of sexuality and gender diverse people.

Through my teaching, I provide people with the intellectual and practical tools and confidence to undertake good quality qualitative research. I lead qualitative health research teaching on the Master of Public Health and for the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. I was the Academic Director and Course Coordinator of the Master of Qualitative Health Research for six years and have over 10 years experience teaching qualitative health research, qualitative study design and methodologies, and qualitative analysis and writing to university students and community researchers. Check out my teaching page.

I am an Associate Professor in Qualitative Research in Health at Sydney Health Ethics (School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney), and a visiting fellow at the Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (University of Wollongong).

Pronouns she/her/hers.

You can contact my through the university, get in touch via the form below, or catch me on twitter.