Dr Rachel Coghlan
Senior Technical Advisor
Research Focus: Narrative inquiry in health and social care; Ageing, disability, rehabilitation and palliative care; Humanitarian health practice, research and advocacy
Dr Rachel Coghlan has over 20 years’ experience in public health, humanitarian response, and clinical practice. She brings expertise in palliative and end-of-life care, ageing and frailty, disability, rehabilitation, and non-communicable diseases. Rachel has worked across humanitarian and development health research, practice, policy and advocacy with a range of international agencies, donors organisations and academic institutions.
She is a global leader on qualitative research and advocacy concerning palliative care in humanitarian settings. Her current research focuses on palliative care for people with serious illness or injury during armed conflict. In 2023, Rachel was awarded a Fulbright Professional Scholarship Award in Non-Profit Leadership, spending time at the Center for Humanitarian Health, Johns Hopkins University, to foster dialogue and strengthened policy and practice on palliative care amongst humanitarian agencies.
Rachel’s work is underpinned by a commitment to understanding the interplay of context, culture, society and politics on experiences of ageing, illness, dying and bereavement, and to exploring the intersections of health and social approaches to caring. Her research interests span medical anthropology, experience-based co-design, and narrative inquiry in disability, ageing and palliative care. Rachel is a storyteller who focuses on amplifying the voices and wisdom of those affected by illness, disability, or frailty.
Rachel is a practicing physiotherapist in specialist palliative care, neurology, oncology, and rehabilitation. She has a Master of Public Health (International Stream) and a PhD from the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, Deakin University. She holds Board Director positions with the Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network and Palliative Care Australia.
Rachel enjoys writing to spread a little compassion and humanity in living and in dying, and to help make sense of grief and suffering in our world. She has contributed writing to The Guardian, Crikey, Meanjin, ABC Religion and Ethics, Women’s Agenda and Arena Magazine.