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Research Team

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Bep Uink

she/her

Bep Uink (Master of Applied Psychology(Clinical), PhD) is a Noongar woman from Perth, WA. She works at Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, Murdoch University as a researcher. Her research focuses on understanding how socially determined disadvantage impacts the social emotional wellbeing of young people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and how social systems such as higher education can support young peoples’ wellbeing. Her work spans investigations into adolescent emotion regulation, the barriers and enablers of Indigenous student success in higher education, gendered barriers to higher education, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ youth mental health.

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Braden Hill

he/him

Professor Braden Hill is a Nyungar (Wardandi) man from the south-west of Western Australia and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equity and Indigenous) and Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research.

He has significant experience in Aboriginal education, as well as leading a range of equity initiatives including Sage Athena SWAN, Respect Now Always, Reconciliation Action Plan and Disabilities and Access Inclusion Plan within the tertiary sector. His current portfolio responsibilities include leading ECU’s commitment to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advancement, Equity and Diversity initiatives and working across the University to provide an environment that welcomes, and facilitates the success of, students and staff from a range of diverse backgrounds.

Professor Hill’s research interests include Indigenous education, identity politics, queer identities in education and transformative learning. He is also chief investigator on a project exploring the lived experiences of Indigenous LGBTQI people to better inform community health organisations in their working with queer-identifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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Shakara Liddelow-Hunt

they/she

Shakara Liddelow-Hunt is a Wajarri Yamatji who grew up on Noongar country. They are a Research Assistant in the Youth Mental Health Team at the The Kids Research Institute Australia and PhD student at the University of Western Australia, focused on the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people.

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Ngaire Pigram

they/them

Ngaire Pigram, a queer Wajarri and Yawuru person from Broome, is the Community Research Assistant for Rainbow Knowledge: Broome & Kununurra. Ngaire has worked in film, television, and media for over fifteen years and is passionate about supporting and raising the voices of First Nations LGBTQA+ young people. She spent three years at the National Drug Research Institute working as a Research Assistant on the YAWG project.

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Ashleigh Lin

she/her

Professor Ashleigh Lin is a Senior Principal Research Fellow at The School of Population and Global Health at the University of Western Australia.  She holds a NHMRC Investigator Grant .

Ashleigh's research is focused on early detection and intervention for mental health problems in adolescents and young adults. She is particularly interested in the mental health of Aboriginal and LGBTQIA+ youth. 
 

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Yael Perry

she/her

Associate Professor Yael Perry completed her Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of New South Wales, and her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, under the supervision of Dr Aaron Beck.

Yael returned to Australia in 2013 to work at the Black Dog Institute in Sydney, where she conducted clinical research on the prevention and treatment of mental illness in young people. In 2017, she relocated to Perth and joined the Youth Mental Health team at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Yael’s research continues to focus on the prevention of mental health difficulties in young people, with particular emphasis on high risk and vulnerable youth. She also has specialised expertise and interest in the use of digital technologies to improve engagement, access and uptake of mental health interventions.

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Mirella Wilson

she/her

Mirella Wilson is a bisexual woman undertaking a PhD at Murdoch University. Mirella's PhD research is exploring the concept of ‘intersectional competencies’ for healthcare and wellbeing organisations working with LGBTAQ+ Indigenous patients.  Mirella completed her Masters of Organisational Psychology at Murdoch University in 2018, and has experience in young-adult mental health service provision, and training and organisational development.

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Lily Hayward

she/they/he

Lily Hayward is a genderfluid, queer Noongar Yorga with ancestral connections all over Noongar Boodjar. They are a Research Assistant in the Youth Mental Health Team at The Kids Research Institute Australia. He is studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Linguistics, at the University of Western Australia. She hopes to integrate their studies of language with the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Past Staff and Students

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Lulkbudia McLean

they/them

Lulkbudia is a proud Miriwoong Gadjerong woman from Kununurra WA who has been living on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar for three years. Lulkbudia is passionate about mental health, LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal representation and Indigenous sovereignty. Lulkbudia works with young people from diverse backgrounds and has experience in Youth Justice, Sexual Health and Advocacy roles. Lulkbudia was a participant in the early stages of Walkern Katatdjin in 2019 and has now joined the Youth Mental Health team to work with more LGBTQIA+ young mob. 

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Travis Talbott

he/him

Travis Talbott is a Kamilaroi man who grew up on Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung country (Melbourne), before moving to Noongar country (Perth) 10 years ago. He is currently studying for his Bachelor of Science at Murdoch University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sports Psychology. Travis recently joined the Youth Mental Health Team after being awarded a scholarship by the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) WA branch, funded by Healthway.

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Sarah Munns

she/her

Sarah Munns is a Murri woman who grew up on Minang Noongar Country. Sarah completed a six-week Summer 2020/21 internship through the Aurora Education Foundation working with the Youth Mental Health team on the Walkern Katatdjin project. She has completed a Master of Infectious Diseases (2021) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in Genetics & Molecular Biology, and Animal Health (2017); and a BSc (Honours) in Molecular Biology (2018). Sarah is now completing a PhD in Indigenous Genomics.

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Natasha Stretton

she/her

Natasha Stretton is a queer cis woman, born and raised on Noongar country. She is a Research Assistant in the Youth Mental Health Team at the Kids Research Institute Australia. Natasha completed her Bachelor of Science in Population Health and, Human Geography and Planning at the University of Western Australia. She is actively working to integrate her passion for people and lived experience into research to improve health outcomes for LGBTQA+ young people.

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