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Dr Tamara Butler is an Aboriginal woman of the Undumbi people from the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia and a NHMRC Emerging Research Fellow at the University of Queensland. She works withing the First Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Program. Her work is focused on women’s cancers with the goal of improving cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families, and communities. Broadly Dr Butler’s research interests also include First Nations research methods and process, co-design, wellbeing, and psychosocial aspects of cancer care.

Carl Francia (Saibai Koedal awgadhalayg) is a physiotherapist and population health researcher based at The University of Queensland, currently seconded as an NHMRC Synergy Fellow at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health. His research focuses on acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), with a particular emphasis on Indigenous-led, place-based approaches to prevention, early detection, long-term management, and health system reform.

Carl’s research program examines the burden, natural history, and progression of ARF and RHD using large-scale linked administrative and clinical datasets, with the aim of generating evidence that informs policy, improves service delivery, and supports disease elimination strategies. His doctoral research, recently completed and currently under examination, investigated the epidemiology and progression of ARF and RHD in Queensland over two decades, including population-level incidence and prevalence, progression and regression patterns, and inequities in outcomes.

Through his current role on the NHMRC Synergy project iPreventRHD, Carl is working to translate epidemiological evidence into practice by supporting life-course approaches to RHD prevention and care, strengthening primary and preventive care systems, and partnering with communities, clinicians, and policymakers. His work is underpinned by a commitment to Indigenous data sovereignty, community partnership, and research that is responsive to local context and priorities.

Carl maintains active collaborations across clinical, academic, and community settings and has published across epidemiology, public health, and cardiovascular disease prevention. He is particularly interested in research that bridges evidence and implementation, supports culturally safe care, and contributes to equitable health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Jared is a proud Yuwi man, pharmacist and early-career researcher with interests spanning from culturally safe and effective pharmacy practice through to new technologies for pharmaceutical development and delivery. After graduating from UQ with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) in 2012, he worked as a community pharmacist before returning to undertake a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, focusing on discovering new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. Throughout his PhD, Jared developed an interest in teaching and tutored for many pharmacy courses. Ultimately this led to his current role as a Senior Lecturer with UQ School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences upon finishing his PhD in 2021. Jared also works as a clinical and research pharmacist with the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH).