Professor Mark Oakley Browne is a Graduate of University of Otago Medical School (BSC MBCGB). He undertook and completed a PhD in psychiatric epidemiology and social psychiatry at Christchurch School of Medicine. In 1986 he became a Fellow at the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Professor Oakley Browne has worked and resided in rural Victoria for 7 years and is very familiar with the health challenges within rural Australia. He has a strong methodological framework for undertaking quantitative mental health research with an applied focus, influenced by the public health perspective.

Professor Oakley Browne has an extensive list of refereed publications conference papers, addresses and other publications and success in research grants applications. Most of his research has been conducted within multidisciplinary teams and often has involved collaboration with international researchers.

Janice graduated with degrees from LaTrobe and Monash as a mature age student and joined the School of Rural Health in 1999. In both her academic work and community service she has a strong commitment to improving rural health, especially in Gippsland.

Marlene has lived in various places around Australia and for the past 19 years worked in Rural Victoria in Aboriginal education and health with a strong community focus. Marlene’s family ties are in Wiradjeri country in NSW. Marlene is currently completing a PhD ‘Reconciliation in Australia: A study of Communication Strategies and Symbolism. Marlene has been an active member of State and National Committee on education and health matters.

Mollie has broad experience in rural health management, education and research at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. She is a registered nurse with specific interests in advanced practice nursing and the develoopment and support of Interprofessional learning across health professions.

Helen graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Microbiology) and then Diploma of Education (Melbourne College of Education). Helen is now employed as data manager/research assistant for MUDRIH where she uses her skills/knowledge to develop databases and run analysis for projects as required by researchers.

Isabel is part of the Indigenous Health Unit team. She has a nursing background and has worked with Indigenous communities for many years as an archaeologist. She carries her interests in Indigenous health and transcultural learning into her teaching within the medical and nursing curricula.

Rose Gilby is a Wiradjuri woman and has been with the Indigenous Health Unit since 2006 and previously worked for LaTrobe University. Rose has a background as an Aboriginal Health Worker and is currently completing her Bachelor of Nursing. Rose is based at the Mildura Campus.

Hilton has extensive experience working within a number of key senior positions within the Gippsland regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and social and emotional wellbeing fields. Hilton has degrees in Social Welfare, Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Rebecca Jones is currently undertaking a PhD at the School of Rural Health. Her doctoral thesis crosses the fields of health ecology and environmental history and will examine the organic movement in Australia focusing on the values and practices of organic growers (farmers and gardeners) and the relationship between human health and the environment through food production. Rebecca commenced doctoral studies supported by an APA scholarship, in June 2004. Her PhD is supervised by Dr Janice Chesters.

Heather began her salaried working life as a teacher and discovered that being a careers teacher was the best job in the school! She combined her interest in health with career education and now works in the Indigenous Health Unit supporting prospective health science students, tutoring and doing research. Heather also liaises between WILDFIRE (Monash Uni rural health student club) and the School of Rural Health.

Ms Jowey (Wan Wei) Lim graduated from Monash University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Management) and a Bachelor of Business Systems. This was followed by a Master of Multimedia in 2005 (Monash University) and Master of Education (Monash University) in 2007. Jowey is now employed as the MUDRIH Primary Health Care Research Evaluation & Development (PHCRED) Program Manager.

Terry came to MUDRIH from the University of Tasmania. His professional background is in Aboriginal education, mostly in Far North Queensland but also central Australia. He is currently in the final stages of his PhD which focuses on Aboriginal identity, identity politics and public policy. His thesis argues that improvements in Indigenous well-being—primarily in education, but with wider implications—depend in large part on moving beyond the simplistic understandings of Aboriginality on which much policy, program and practice are currently based. His thesis and further research in the field of indigenous health is directed at uncovering the complex causes of contemporary Aboriginal circumstances, developing more sophisticated understandings of Aboriginality and proposing public policy approaches appropriate to that complexity.

Eli Ristevski is a Postgraduate Coursework Degrees Coordinator for Graduate Diploma of Rural Health and the Masters of Rural Health. Eli is currently on maternity leave.

Anske is a Research Fellow with the Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Monash University. She assists with the co-ordination of the postgraduate research degrees program and is a lecturer in research methods, and rural health units for the Master of Health Sciences, Monash University. She has a strong commitment to rural health issues and the rural environment. She also had a specific interest in complementary and alternative medicine use.

Jane is a Postgraduate Coursework Degrees Coordinator for Master of Health Sciences. She is a speech pathologist with extensive experience in rural areas providing clinical services and teaching in health and education.

Annette Woodhouse is a lecturer for MUDRIH and will be involved in the Bachelor of Nursing/Rural Health Practice for units SRH 4103—Rural Issues 3: Dynamics of Rural health and CRH 1005—Alcohol and other Drug Issues in Rural Australia. Annette has worked in mental health in Australia and New Zealand for too many years to mention, in each of the mental health nursing specialty areas. Most recently as the regional mental health promotion officer for Gippsland.

Dr. Anton Isaacs is studying the factors that affect utilisation of mental health services by Indigenous men in Gippsland.

Dr. Sharafat Malek is a PhD candidate at Monash University Department of Rural & Indigenous Health (MUDRIH). He has an MBBS from Dhaka University, a ‘Grad Cert in Public Health’ from University of Wollongong and a ‘Master of Public Health (with thesis)’ from University of New South Wales. Before his PhD enrolment, Sharafat worked for two years full-time in the research team of Prof. Rick McLean at the School of Rural Health, University of Sydney, located in Dubbo, NSW.

Michael is responsible for the overseeing of day to day running’s of the MUDRIH office & Administration, from preparation of MUDRH budget & audits, Human Resources, Occupational health & Safety and performance management of Administration staff. Michael has worked for the School of Rural Health for the past 6 years and has extensive financial knowledge. He’s also a member of the MUDRIH Executive & School of Rural Health Regional Manager’s team.

Marillyn Harkness is the Personal Assistant to MUDRIH’s Director Professor Mark Oakley Browne. Her duties include; providing liaison between the Director and whole-of-school, government, rural health agencies and external stakeholders, manage appointments, schedule and organise meetings and functions. In addition she works collaboratively with MUDRIH’s Office Manager with human resource issues and processes.

Leanne is the Administrative Assistant in the Indigenous Health Unit and also Personal Assistant to Associate Professor Marlene Drysdale; Head, Indigenous Health Unit. Leanne holds an administration role for the Footprints Forward project.

Cathy is a part-time Education & Administration Officer for the Department of Rural & Indigenous Health. Her working days are generally Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Julie has been a Receptionist and Administrative Assistant with MUDRIH since October, 2007. She is responsible for general reception work, switchboard, mail and the administrative requirements of the MUDRIH staff. Julie previously worked in an Admin./Finance role within the private sector.

Janelle is a part-time Research Assistant/Administrative Officer based at the Department of Rural and Indigenous Health at the Moe office.

Clare is the MUDRIH Primary Health Care Research Evaluation & Development (PHCRED) Administrative Officer. Her working days are Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. Clare provides administrative assistance to the PHCRED Program Manager & Research Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI) Director and also liaises closely with the Research Development Program (RDP) Fellows.