Indigenous Health Equity Unit
The Indigenous Health Equity Unit is a research and teaching unit at Melbourne University committed to partnering with and producing research for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
We do rigorous, innovative research and teaching, centred on the strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to promote wellbeing. Our work is underpinned by the principles of self-determination. We work in partnership with communities and appreciate the support of Community Elders.
Our academic program is based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and principles, and respects the contribution and cultural background of all who work with us.
Current projects
We undertake research in health and wellbeing, that delivers tangible, useful outcomes with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This research is done in partnership with Koori Community, with the support of Elders. You can see our current projects below.
- Professor Cath Chamberlain
Midwife/Professor of Indigenous Health, The University of Melbourne
- Associate Professor Caroline Atkinson
Associate Professor in Indigenous Health
- Ms Debra Bowman
Research Assistant in Indigenous Health
- Ms Andrea Clarke
Lecturer/Teaching Coordinator in Indigenous Health
- Dr Elise Davis
Deputy Head of the Unit for Health Equity, Senior Research Fellow
- Dr Renee Fiolet
Research Fellow - Indigenous Health Equity Unit
- Dr Kimberley Jones
Research Fellow - Indigenous Health Equity Unit
- Dr Tess Bright
Lead on the Healing the past by nurturing the future project
- Dr Leo Kamitsis
Research Fellow - Indigenous Health Equity Unit
- Ms Julia Perdevich
Research Assistant in Indigenous Public Health
- Ms Isabella Freijah
Research Assistant in Indigenous Public Health
- Leanne Slade
Administrative Assistant, The University of Melbourne
Professor Cath Chamberlain
Midwife/Professor of Indigenous Health, The University of Melbourne
Cath is a descendant of the Trawlwoolway People (Tasmania), with over 25 years’ experience in reproductive and child health, including program and hospital service management, policy implementation, guideline development, evidence-based practice and research.
Associate Professsor Caroline Atkinson
Associate Professor in Indigenous Public Health
Carlie is an Aboriginal social worker and leader in the area of intergenerational trauma in Indigenous Australia. She developed the first culturally sensitive, reliable and valid psychometric measure in Australia that determines PTSD in Australian Aboriginal peoples.
Ms Debra Bowman
Research Assistant in Indigenous Public Health
Debra will be support the project with cultural leadership, resource development (including stories for parents) and more. Debra Bowman is a proud Ngemba woman from Brewarrina, NSW. She is currently studying her masters degree with the University of Melbourne and The Dulwich Centre in Adelaide in Narrative Therapy & Community Work, which she is very passionate about as storytelling and yarning comes natural to her cultural ways of being and keeps her grounded and connected to her cultural heritage.
Ms Andrea Clarke
Lecturer/Teaching Coordinator in Indigenous Health
Andrea is a proud Arabunna & Irrwanyere woman from Alice Springs, NT. She is currently studying her PhD with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Her research priority is diversity and the resulting educational impacts on equity. Andrea has worked across government, Aboriginal community-controlled health, non-government and educational sectors for the past 25 years and has a background in Education and Teaching. Andrea also is a volunteer committee member at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Dr Tess Bright
Lead on the Healing the past by nurturing the future project
Dr Tess Bright is a non-indigenous researcher living on Wurundjeri Country of the Kulin Nation. Tess is a Research Fellow with expertise in quantitative research and evidence synthesis. She is a clinical audiologist by background, holding a Masters of Clinical Audiology from the University of Melbourne. Tess completed a PhD in Epidemiology in 2020 at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and focused on building the evidence on epidemiology of hearing loss in low- and middle-income countries. Tess’ research to date has focused on improving access to health services for marginalised groups, in particular people with disabilities. Tess has extensive experience in systematic reviews, quantitative analysis and project design and implementation.
Dr Elise Davis
Deputy Head of the Unit for Health Equity, Senior Research Fellow
Dr Elise Davis is a public health researcher who is passionate about supporting child and parent mental health. She particularly enjoys evaluation and outcome measurement as well as qualitative interviewing and analysis. Elise has worked in university settings and non-government organisations for the past 20 years.
Dr Renee Fiolet
Research Fellow in the Indigenous Health Equity Unit
Dr Renee Fiolet is a non-Indigenous woman born and raised on Wadawurrung Country (of the Kulin Nation) where she still lives today. In Renee's words "I am terribly lucky to be a visitor on these beautiful lands that include the beaches along the Surf Coast of South Victoria." Renee has a background in nursing which is primary health care focused and has been an academic in the profession for a long time. Her research priorities include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, health equity and addressing the barriers which marginalised people experience when accessing care. Renee's thesis reported on the community-based participatory methods used to a co-designed family violence resource developed with the Wadawurrung community for their community members.
Dr Kimberley Jones
Research Fellow in the Indigenous Health Equity Unit
Dr Kimberley Jones is a non-indigenous researcher born on Awabakal Country, now living on Wurundjeri Country in the Kulin Nation. Kim is a Research Fellow with expertise in evidence synthesis and trauma research. Kim’s research interests are focused on health equity in marginalised populations. She is passionate about improving health and wellbeing outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Kim completed undergraduate studies in biomedical science, a PhD in Neuroscience studying the effect of stress-related immune responses in the brain, and a Master of International Public Health at UNSW. Kim’s background includes work in health behaviour research, knowledge translation, clinical trials, chronic illness translational research, and trauma-related mental health research. Kim has extensive experience in guideline development, evidence synthesis, and research project design and implementation.
Dr Leo Kamitsis
Research Fellow in the Indigenous Health Equity Unit
Dr Leo Kamitsis is a psychologist who has worked extensively with Aboriginal men who have experienced an addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs, complex trauma and other mental health issues. He has listened to stories of many Aboriginal men who have experienced severe trauma, but who have also shown incredible courage to overcome their difficulties and embark on a journey of healing. Leo completed his PhD in October of 2020 at Orygen and the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Youth Mental Health. He did a qualitative study exploring how people with a history of childhood trauma and psychosis experience the effects of antipsychotic medications on trauma-related thoughts, emotions, physical responses and dissociative symptoms.
Ms Julia Perdevich
Research Assistant in Indigenous Public Health
Julia holds a Master of Social Work and Master of Environment from The University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) from La Trobe University. She has worked in policy, research, and service development roles within the child and family, disability, and mental health sectors across both the Northern Territory and Victoria. She has experience using co-design approaches and qualitative research and consultation methods. She is committed to pursuing social justice and building inclusive communities. She will be building on this experience in her role supporting the work of the Indigenous Health Equity Unit in the in Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.
Ms Isabella Freijah
Research Assistant in Indigenous Public Health
Isabella is a non-indigenous researcher living on Wurundjeri Country of the Kulin Nation. Isabella is a Research Assistant with experience in post-traumatic mental health research, specialising in evidence synthesis methodologies. She has a passion for applied research that is translatable and meaningful to real world situations and communities, and aspires to work at the intersection of research, policy, and practice. She completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, and Honours in Psychology at Australian Catholic University, and will undertake a joint Master of Public Health at the University of Sheffield and Maastricht University from September 2022.
Ms Leanne Slade
Administrative Assistant, The University of Melbourne
Leanne is an administrative officer with extensive experience working in administration at a cultural institution. Leanne has a background in early childhood education delivering nature-based programs to children and also has an educational background in psychology.
Skye Stewart
Research Assistant, Registered Midwife
Skye Stewart is a Registered Midwife. First and foremost, Skye is a proud Wergaia and Wemba Wemba Custodian and Caretaker. Her cultural role and responsibility is to do what she can to ensure that Aboriginal parents and their babies stay safe, well, alive and together. Skye has worked with Aboriginal communities around Victoria since she was little, following her Mum around when she was a health worker at a local Aboriginal Co-Op. Over the years she has supported many Aboriginal families accessing and navigating the maternity care system. Many of these families experienced vulnerability with complex trauma backgrounds, however, they have shown incredible resilience and courage. The capacity as humans to ‘come home to oneself’ and begin to heal is a driving force of the work that she does.
Relationships sustain our work
Our partners include community controlled organisations like the Lowitja Institute, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.
We also work with governments, health departments and universities at local, national and international levels. The efforts of our team have been recognised in awards, grants and fellowships.
Get involved
Research collaborations range from government departments seeking our input for policy development, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities advising our researchers on how best to deliver health and wellbeing programs within their communities.
Find out more about our research by emailing us