Our people

Deputy-Director, First Nations Research Methodology

Professor Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama has recently joined the BOC CRE as a Senior Research Fellow. Lawurrpa will provide expertise in Indigenous (Yolgŋu) research methodology, Yolgŋu maternal, child health and wellbeing, Yolgŋu community engagement and the redesign of health services for the East Arnhem region and beyond. Lawurrapa has led and been involved in numerous research projects in education and community development.

Professor of Health Service Redesign  

Yu is a trained obstetrician who leads the research team in building evidence, testing implementation and scale-up strategies, and evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Birthing on Country and other maternity care services across Australia. She has many years of experience working with First Nations people, communities, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Yu also brings extensive expertise in advanced medical biostatistics, social science, and health economics research. She has an excellent track record in securing competitive external funding, including from the NHMRC and MRFF, and has published in leading academic journals such as Lancet Global Health and Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific. Yu is committed to driving innovation and delivering evidence-based solutions to complex health challenges.

Research profile

Associate Professor, Innovation & Impact

Medical anthropologist, nurse and midwife, Dr Sarah Ireland is an early career researcher, with expertise in cross-cultural qualitative research methods, especially collaborative approaches with Aboriginal people. Her research methodologies are informed by social justice, health promotion, decolonising theories, public health, gender, woman-centred midwifery, culture and human rights disclosure.

Research profile  CDU snapshot video

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Innovation

Dr Emily Armstrong has joined the team as a Post Doc Research Fellow and will be working on the Galiwin’ku research program. She recently completed her PhD which explored the perspectives of Yolŋu (Aboriginal) families and early childhood service providers (e.g. health providers, educators) about respectful and effective intercultural communication. Over the last seven years, Emily has also been working on a variety of other collaborative projects researching intercultural communication in health and education contexts. She and her Yolŋu colleagues regularly co-facilitate workshops on intercultural communication.

Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Dr Sarah Khaw is a Post Doc Research Fellow and is collaborating with Yolŋu co-researchers in evaluating the Djäkamirr supported service delivery for First Nations communities in Galiwin'ku, Darwin and Nhulunbuy. Sarah is a midwife and Master of Public Health and recently completed her PhD from The University of Melbourne. Her PhD explored how community-based volunteer doula programs may improve migrant women’s maternity care experiences by bridging the gap in culturally responsive care and factors, which may impact the implementation and sustainability of these doula services in maternity settings. Sarah continues to pursue her interests in maternal health equity with the Molly Institute.

Senior Research Fellow

Catherine’s professional mission throughout the past forty years of work as a Registered Nurse, Midwife, and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nurse, is to support all children to thrive, and live healthy, safe, and equitable lives in their early years. To support this mission, she has completed a Master Health Management (MHM), a Master Public Health - Indigenous Health specialisation (MPH), and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), with a focus on improving access and engagement of families at risk of vulnerability in MCH services. Catherine worked for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2020-2023 as an Advisor to the Minister of Aboriginal Australians and contributed to key Australian Government priorities in that role, including the refreshed Closing the Gap framework and the Indigenous Early Childhood Strategy. Catherine established her own consultancy business in 2023, and was elected as a board member of Maternal, Child & Family Health Nurses Australia (MCaFHNA) in the same year. Catherine will join the Molly Institute at Charles Darwin University in the role of Senior Research Fellow Maternal and Child Health Research.

Senior Research Fellow

Anneka is a Senior Research Fellow and is working in translational research. Anneka has over 15 years of research experience, and completed her PhD in 2022 focusing on poor pregnancy outcomes in high income countries. Over the last eight years, Anneka has worked on a variety of cross-cultural projects working to strengthen families during the perinatal period. Her research translation work has informed guidelines to emphasise and embed culturally safe care for bereaved families, and also has included work on the Stronger Bubba Born project to prevent poor pregnancy outcomes.

Research Fellow 

Dr. Isabella Garti is an early career midwifery researcher with over 12 years of experience as an educator and researcher in Africa. She holds a PhD from Charles Darwin University, focusing on informing midwifery service planning and education in LMICs by exploring factors influencing midwives’ care for women with pre-eclampsia. Isabella excels in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, employing a meticulous approach to project management to support impactful program endeavours. Aspiring to be a leading voice in midwifery research, Isabella is interested in research focusing on evidence-based practice, midwifery-led care, culturally safe maternity care, undergraduate midwifery education, and innovative continuing professional development approaches.

Research fellow

Haohui Lu is a Research Fellow specialising in data science, machine learning, and generative AI (GenAI) for public health research. He earned his PhD from the University of Sydney, where he explored graph-based machine learning and predictive modelling in healthcare analytics. His research focuses on leveraging AI-driven approaches for health data analysis, including developing data infrastructure, conducting statistical modelling, and enhancing policy-relevant insights. With expertise in Python, SQL, and AI-driven data processing, Haohui integrates advanced data solutions into health research and decision-making.

Team Lead Reflective Supervision

Dr Sascha Kowalenko is the Workforce Innovation Lead at the Molly Wardaguga Institute, bringing over two decades of experience in clinical psychology and a deep commitment to Aboriginal health. Sascha's 23-year career in clinical psychology has been dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes, with a significant focus over the past 17 years on working within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. In these roles, Sascha has been involved in direct service delivery, clinical supervision of multi-disciplinary teams, team management, and the development of policies and programs translating research into practice and tailored to the unique needs of Aboriginal communities.

With extensive expertise in child development, parenting support interventions, and family wellbeing services, Sascha has worked to strengthen the capacity of families and communities to support children’s health and development. Her approach integrates culturally responsive and evidence-based practices to enhance early childhood outcomes and family resilience.

Drawing from her Aboriginal (Gomeroi) and Ukrainian heritage, Sascha approaches her work with a rich cultural perspective that informs research, practice and leadership. At the Molly Wardaguga Institute, Sascha leads initiatives aimed at innovating workforce strategies to enhance health services for First Nations peoples.

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow - Res first became a midwife in 2015 and has worked clinically in metropolitan, regional, and Aboriginal community-controlled settings. Res has research experience in maternity service reform, as she worked at La Trobe University on an NHMRC-funded project called 'Baggarrook Yurrongi, Nuraagh Manma Buliana', which successfully implemented continuity of midwife care models for First Nations women across three maternity hospitals in Naarm, Victoria.

Using a blend of Indigenous and Western research methods, her PhD evaluated the models and focused on the views and experiences of women having a First Nations baby at one of the three services where the models had been implemented.

Res is a Noongar woman who was born and raised in Naarm.

Birthing on Country Research Fellow - Rosemary Gundjarraŋbuy is a Birthing on Country Research Fellow within the Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights. She currently lives in Galiwin’ku and is a well respected person in the Garrawurra clan and the community. Gundjarranbuy has approximately 35 years experience in teaching at bilingual schools. She has also worked in community roles with elderly and disadvantaged youth. Her previous 10 year role at Yalu Aboriginal Corporation as Manager has provided Gundjarraŋbuy with the knowledge and experience of collaborating and engaging communities. During that time, she worked on a number of research and service delivery projects including 'Sharing the Full and True Stories about Chronic Conditions Project' which was in partnership with CDU, and projects relating to early childhood and engagement in higher education.

Research Assistant - Kelsie is a Research Assistant at the Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights. Kelsie is also studying a Master of Public Health and is passionate about First Nations health sovereignty, health equity, social justice and community-led research that utilises decolonising methodologies to centre and privilege First Nations voices and agency.

Community Researcher - A proud Arrente woman & community researcher, Sarah grew up and lived most her life in Alice Springs. Sarah is a Community Research Assistant at The Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, Charles Darwin University on The Indigenous Birthing in an Urban Setting (IBUS) Study. Sarah has worked with the team for three years (2016-present).