Dr Jenny Mackay is Principal Lecturer (forensic psychology/forensic mental health) with responsibility for outreach and student volunteering. Jenny is a Fellow of Advance HE and Chartered Psychologist. She teaches on both the undergraduate and postgraduate psychology courses in specialist areas related to forensic mental health, trauma, and offending behaviour. Jenny leads the PriSim (prison simlutation) lab at Nottingham Trent University, a mock prison cell that is an experiential learning space.Jenny has worked with vulnerable clients in a range of settings, both forensic and non-forensic. She has delivered substance misuse work, offending behaviour programmes and psychological one-to-one work in prisons with adults and young adults. She has worked in a Secure Children’s Home with 10-17 year olds who have offended or who are considered ‘at risk’. Jenny also worked inthe NHS, for the Probation Service, as a Project and Policy officer for an adult education research charity and has delivered workshops for expectant and new parents.Jenny is currently a Trustee for YMCA Leicestershire.

Dr. Rosanne Freak-Poli is a life-course epidemiologist. Her work is strongly driven by social justice, being the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. Worldwide #44 top-ranked expert in Loneliness. #6 in Australia and #8 in the Netherlands. Plus top-ranked in Australia and the Netherlands in Social Isolation (#6), Widowhood (#11), Optimism (#13), Social support (#14), Marital status (#16), Social Environment (#21), Happiness (#34), and Social conditions (#58). Rosanne is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and a newly appointed role (2023) at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health. Rosanne continues her independent research program (ongoing from successful NHMRC and Heart Foundation fellowships) and initiates new initiatives with A/Prof Kilkenny in the Big Data, Epidemiology and Prevention Division. Rosanne has a background in public health, statistics, and psychology and has experience in government, hospital, and university research settings. Rosanne’s Ph.D. (Epidemiology) evaluated the impact of a physical activity intervention in the workplace, which has been described in a Scientific Statement as one of only a few interventions that decrease or interrupt sedentary behaviour in the work environment to improve metabolic risk. Rosanne’s Ph.D. findings have informed a mandated, comprehensive clinical practice guideline for the 70+ million obese Americans; an Evidence Check for the development and implementation of workplace programs, brokered by the NSW Ministry; and clinical guidelines (e.g. appropriate anthropometric indices for South Asians by World Health Organization to assess adiposity health risk among nearly 2 billion worldwide). In 2013 Rosanne was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship (2013-2018) to investigate the relationship between happiness and health. This award provided an international residency in The Netherlands to gain access to The Rotterdam Study, a longitudinal database following 15,000 older adults. Her research aimed to gain a better understanding of the interaction between psychological and physical health – an important aspect for government resource allocation. For example, depression after a cardiovascular disease event is commonly considered a risk-factor for increased mortality. However, Rosanne demonstrated that the cardiovascular disease event was inflating already high levels of depressive symptoms that were present prior. Rosanne also demonstrated that being “unhappy” does not necessarily contribute to cardiovascular disease, which led to a re-evaluation of prior dogma, as evidenced by discussion in 9 books including by a prominent social epidemiologist. Rosanne’s NHMRC ECR research also has impacted international tertiary psychology courses; impacted global policy (e.g. United Nations World Bank report to address the 11,200+ premature deaths, 60% among children <5y, from air pollution in Lagos, Nigeria); local national policy (e.g. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s policy to reduce the 1.2 million, or 1 in 20, people in Australia with diabetes); and evidence-based guidelines (e.g. diabetes among older people, by UK government). In 2018 Rosanne was awarded a National Heart Foundation of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2022) to investigate social isolation as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in an Australian setting. Rosanne has made an internationally significant and impactful contribution to understanding the population impact of social health. She has progressed the field by examining the social health components of social isolation, social support, and loneliness separately. Rosanne has demonstrated that social health is associated with a greater severity of chronic disease risk-factors1 and lower quality of life2,3; increased risk of cardiovascular disease4,5 and dementia6,7; and high-intensity healthcare services (i.e., nursing home, rather than rehabilitation, or outpatient), lower outpatient rehabilitation attendance, greater rehospitalization, worse mental health and poorer survival during cardiovascular disease recovery8,9. Rosanne’s Heart Foundation Postdoctoral research has been highlighted in an Editorial as having direct clinical implications through improving current cardiovascular disease risk prediction practices. Rosanne has been the recipient of a number of awards including a BUPA Emerging Health Researcher Commendation Award, Doctoral Program Excellence Award, and a competitive World Health Organization Internship in Geneva, Switzerland. Rosanne's work has had immeasurable media attention, including live national interview (Studio10), national news (6pm 7NEWS, SBS News radio, 7am ABC Radio reaching 1,136,600 people, WSFM 101.7 Sydney iHeartRadio), and local outlets (ABC Radio Melbourne reaching 94,000 people). Additionally written media span different target groups, including Medical Journal of Australia InSight+ “Take socialising seriously for your patients’ survival”; Loneliness can be a health hazard. Manu's garden project offers a solution; Social isolation linked to lower brain volume; Isolation and loneliness linked to mortality; Loneliness link to heart disease in older Australians downloaded nearly 60,000 times; I don't think lonely could apply to me, I was wrong; The case that exercise cuts depression is stronger than ever; Two million Australians feel isolated at Christmas, Salvation Army says; Mental Health During The Festive Season; Encouraging older Australians to connect this festive season.Rosanne's involvement in numerous research projects has given her a strong understanding of project design, implementation, post-production and completion and has had extensive experience with current advanced statistical analysis techniques and methodologies. From prior work she has research strengths in sexual behaviour, chronic disease risk, sleep, physical activity and intervention evaluation. While Rosanne’s focus is upon active ageing, she has a passion for longitudinal analysis, knowledge translation and program evaluation that is inclusive of a wider range of health areas and age groups. Her aim is to utilise epidemiological theory, biostatistical application and knowledge of human psychology to give a more comprehensive picture of health issues.

Dr Anastasia Powell is Professor of Family & Sexual Violence, in Criminology & Justice Studies at RMIT University, specialising in policy responses, legal reform and primary prevention of sexual and family violence against women. Dr Powell has published widely in these fields, including eight books, and has contributed to policy specific research on violence against women for the Victorian State and Australian Commonwealth Governments. Dr Powell holds national leadership roles both as a director of Our Watch, and as an expert member of the Domestic, Family & Sexual Violence Working Group of the National Women’s Safety Alliance (NWSA). Her recent research has examined technology-facilitated abuse and includes national projects funded by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and the Criminology Research Council. Currently she is a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council funded Discovery Project investigating sexualised deepfakes.

Dr James Best is an award-winning GP who developed a special interest in autism, after his youngest son Sam was diagnosed in 2004. In 2017 his book, Sam’s Best Shot, chronicled a 6-month backpacking journey he and Sam undertook around Africa, which was also featured on Australian Story.James is an experienced GP who moved from Sydney to the Shoalhaven in 2018. He has a special interest in children’s health, particularly behavourial issues, parenting and autism.James is the Chair of the Child and Young Person Health Network, within the RACGP.Having a keen interest in GP education James has previously won the title of RACGP Supervisor of the Year.

Allen Cheng is a specialist in infectious diseases and an epidemiologist. He is Professor/Director of Infectious Diseases at Monash Health and the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne. He is involved in the treatment of patients with infectious diseases, and providing advice to governments on communicable diseases control. He is also involved in surveillance for influenza-related hospital admissions and in clinical trials. He was previously Deputy Victorian Chief Health Officer, and a past Co-Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and the Advisory Committee for Vaccines.

MBBS PhD FHEA FRCP FERSPresident of ISAM (International Society Aerosols in Medicine) Co-Deputy Director Phase 1 Imperial MBBS Programme and Clinical Lead of CSI MBBS Director of ICRRU (Imperial College Respiratory Research Unit) St Mary’s Hospital Former Head of ERS (European Respiratory Society) Assembly 5 – Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, 2020-2023

Moksh is an epilepsy specialist with expertise and special interest in seeing patients seizure disorders. He completed his neurology training at the Austin and St Vincent’s hospitals, and then completed a clinical epilepsy fellowship at the Austin Hospital. He works as a consultant neurologist at Eastern and Northern Health. He specializes in the assessment and management of patients who have a suspected or confirmed first seizure, as well as those diagnosed with epilepsy or seizure disorders. He speaks fluent English, Hindi and Punjabi and basic Urdu.

Professor Anne Chang is an established clinician researcher recognised for her contributions to clinical research in the areas of paediatric cough, bronchiectasis and evidence-based medicine. She has helped develop and apply evidence based medicine for respiratory illness in children, in Australia and internationally in the areas of paediatric cough, bronchiectasis and asthma. She has published >650 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, and led several guidelines. She was a continuous NHMRC Practitioner Fellow from 2004-2023 and now holds L3 fellowship. Professor Chang has altered several paradigms related to children’s lung health.

Dr Ford graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery from Griffith University in 2009. After graduating from medical school she worked as a resident medical officer at Logan Hospital for 3 years completing a year of dedicated obstetrics before deciding to join the General Practice specialist training programme in 2013 and completing her specialist training in 2015.Dr Ford has over 10 years of personal and professional experience helping neurodiverse families live their best lives. In addition to her work with neurodiverse families Dr Mel also has a special interest in managing complex antenatal patients and enjoys all aspects of women’s health and paediatrics. She also has many years managing complex medical patients and enjoys working with her patients to better their lives and health.

Dr Watson is currently working his second year of a Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Fellowship at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. He completed his core training at the Royal Women’s Hospital and is in the frantic final 12 months of RANZCOG training. He have special interests in gender affirming care, paediatric and adolescent gynaecoclogy, sexual health and abortion care.

I completed my PhD at the University of Sydney in 2023. My thesis rigorously tested claims that moderate alcohol consumption has health benefits. I have a strong interest in statistical methods and research designs that help us tease apart correlation from causation. My primary work now involves researching the relationship between alcohol and the brain across the lifespan. I am also helping to generate global dementia incidence and prevalence statistics, as well as analysing the relationship between chronotype and mental health in adolescence.