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Elizabeth-Rose Ahearn is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Queensland (UQ). Her research centres on measuring and evaluating the impact of charitable not-for-profit organisations, as well as other purpose-driven entities, including those in the public sector, social enterprises, corporate social responsibility efforts, and social impact bonds. She has a particular interest in leveraging digital technologies to enhance impact measurement, improve management processes, and support evidence-based decision-making. Elizabeth-Rose has extensive experience as an evaluator, having collaborated with a diverse range of for-purpose organisations, including a research secondment with the Department of Social Services focused on digital tools for advancing Australia's social impact investing sector. Alongside her role at UQ, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Queensland chapter of the Social Impact Measurement Network of Australia (SIMNA).

My vision for Australia’s future is that knowledge creators are embedded and intertwined within the communities they serve. Discovery and understanding come from listening, genuine connection and enrichment. I creatively blend research excellence, leadership and strategy to create new knowledge for a better world.

As a researcher, my work shapes how communities thrive through health and wellbeing. I am Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing at The University of Queensland. Together with my team, we are internationally acclaimed with several awards and accolades for research excellence.

As a leader, I inspire people and organisations to imagine a more prosperous future. I bring people together and harness their collective ability to create innovative solutions to solve complex challenges.

As a strategist, I have a fresh and engaging approach to developing a shared vision, mapping the path, celebrating achievement and transforming improbable goals into realistic expectations.

The cornerstone of my work is leading the Springfield Living Lab. Living labs use geographical boundaries and systems thinking approaches to examine whole-of-city implementation and innovation mechanisms. They leverage infrastructure and partnerships to enable codesigned, pragmatic solutions in health and other disciplines that drive knowledge translation to benefit other contexts and regions. Springfield exemplifies the defining features of a living lab through its integrated urban design, strong local governance, and commitment to innovation across health, education, and technology. As Australia’s largest master-planned city, Springfield offers a contained, yet complex, real-world environment to co-create, test, and refine solutions to contemporary issues facing society. Living labs are increasingly recognised as effective models for place-based research, characterised by multi-stakeholder collaboration, iterative development, and embeddedness within everyday community life.

I have an international reputation for research excellence in primary care, community care, hospital services, allied health, health promotion and health policy. I use this expertise to drive improvements to the way community members are supported in pursuing their health and wellbeing. I am always looking to work with people, teams and organisations who share my vision. Together, we have the power to inspire, connect and deliver on new opportunities that will open doors to innovation and exemplify how communities prosper and thrive.

Please get in touch to explore how we can work together.

I am a health psychologist and researcher with a strong focus on health psychology and mental health, particularly within First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. My research expertise lies in the development and evaluation of health and wellbeing programs, and cultural adaptations to programs and research methods to more effectively measure mental health and wellness. I have extensive clinical and industry experience, including roles in program design, evaluation, and advocacy within First Nations health, chronic disease management and chronic pain.

Currently, my work spans several projects, including evaluating mental health services for First Nations Australians and investigating the needs of First Nations carers for loved ones with mental health concerns. I also have a keen interest in cultural correlates and expressions of mental disorder, in empowering people to make health behaviour changes, and to engage more effectively with healthcare services through individual, group and health promotion interventions.

Carl (Saibai Koedal) is a PhD Candidate studying the epidemiology of rheumatic heart disease in Queensland using linked hospital and administrative data. Currently, Carl holds an academic appointment (Lecturer, Physiotherapy) in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, the University of Queensland, and maintains a clinical role as a Staff Physiotherapist at The Prince Charles Hospital. Alongside research, Carl is also working to strengthen relationships between remote Torres Strait Islander communities and UQ to explore opportunities for education, student clinical placement and research partnerships.

Dr Penny Haora (Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Māhanga) is a Research Fellow in the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.

Penny researches innovations and system transformation for better maternity care with a focus on First Nations families. She uses qualitative, mixed methods, community-based participatory, and realist approaches. As a First Nations Māori researcher, Penny is learning Kaupapa Māori and Indigenist research approaches and works to see the revaluing of Indigenous knowledges and science. The overall aim of her research is to support healthy families through better births. She does this by conducting and facilitating research that places the lived experiences of mums and bubs, families and community front and centre.

Penny aims for her work to incentivise action to address entrenched inequities in maternity care, such as care quality/safety (including cultural safety) and access. She has worked in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community organisations, internationally with remote communities and in post-conflict settings with local and international non-government organisations, and within diverse organisational contexts.

Penny is leading projects with a view to better understanding and evaluating First Nations-led maternity and family care and wellbeing. From 2019 to 2022, she managed the Building on Our Strengths (BOOSt) project based on the beautiful Lands of the Yuin Nation (NSW) embedded with Waminda South Coast Aboriginal Women’s Health and Wellbeing Organisation. Penny completed a Doctor of Philosophy in 2013 enrolled at the ANU working on a project based in Thailand. Her Master of Public Health research was undertaken in Rasuwa District, Nepal, and she has around six years of experience working in research/evaluation/management and clinical roles in Thailand, Nepal, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Papua New Guinea.

Penny is available to supervise PhD students, Honours and Master of Public Health projects.

Zoe is a Honorary Research Fellow with the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences. She also currently holds an appointment as a Senior Research Officer with the Mental Health Evaluation Research Stream at Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), where she leads and manages large-scale evaluation projects that seek to enhance mental health services within Queensland. During her time at QCMHR, she has worked on several state-wide evaluations for Queensland Health - including of their Crisis Support Spaces, Adolescent Day Program and Youth and Adult Step-Up-Step-Down Programs.

Zoe's research work largely focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions that seek to promote positive health behaviours and which improve social and mental health outcomes. Previously, she developed and trialled a behavioural support program (Active Choices) for the Department of Veterans Affairs, with the aim of increasing self-managed physical activity and social connectedness in Australian Defence Force veterans. Zoe has also designed and evaluated a brief motivational intervention for cannabis users (iAx), which is now in routine use at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

In addition to her work as a researcher, Zoe has held roles in health consulting where she assisted State and Federal Government agencies, PHNs and peak bodies to design, implement and review health services, programs and policies.

Zoe's educational background in psychology, having completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science (2013) and Doctor of Philosophy (2020) in this discipline.