Pandemic Planning with Kristy Crooks and Bryony Roberts

Kristy Crooks is a Euahlayi woman and the Aboriginal Program Manager for the Public Health Aboriginal Team in Health Protection, Hunter New England Local Health District. She has worked in Aboriginal health and population health for more than 20 years, with experience spanning health protection, governance, and community engagement. Kristy is a PhD scholar with Charles Darwin University  and the Menzies School of Health Research, where her research focuses on privileging First Nations voices in infectious disease emergency planning and response. She has also influenced state-level approaches to pandemic preparedness, particularly in strengthening cultural governance and embedding First Nations leadership in emergency response systems.

Bryony Roberts also joined the conversation, sharing insights from her work with the FIRST Network. She has a strong foundation in qualitative research and community and stakeholder engagement. Bryony is dedicated to achieving equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, through research that empowers and strengthens community voices