Lead of the Cardiovascular Risk in Indigenous People Study 

Elizabeth is a senior epidemiologist within the DIABETES across the LIFECOURSE: Northern Australian Partnership. Elizabeth holds appointments at Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Her PhD work provided the first Australian national data on the cardiovascular and mortality risks associated with diabetes and intermediate hyperglycaemia, with findings providing an important rationale for developing diabetes prevention programs. Elizabeth’s work also contributed to international consortiums: The Emerging Risk Factor Collaboration, headed by a Cambridge University group; and specifically as a means of validating the Globorisk international cardiovascular risk score. Elizabeth received the 2021 Australian Diabetes Society Jeff Flack Diabetes Data Award for the development of epidemiological data systems for chronic conditions. Elizabeth established the Cardiovascular Risk in IndigenouS People (CRISP) study, a collaboration of five epidemiological studies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, a key translational project, and collaborates on the NHMRC-funded projects: The eGFR3 study and the Pregnancy And Neonatal Outcomes in Remote Australia (PANDORA) studies. Elizabeth works in partnership with several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community stakeholders to embed community support and priorities within research and translation strategies to improve the lives of people with diabetes, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Elizabeth is committed to capacity building in public health and epidemiology and provides mentorship to research staff and students.

Project Manager of the Cardiovascular Risk in Indigenous People (CRISP), Intergenerational Health in the Northern Territory (I-HiNT), IMPACT Diabetes NT, and the Screening for diabetes in pregnancy among Aboriginal women in remote NT communities study

Isabella Marovich is based in Melbourne, Victoria. She has a background in public health and epidemiology, and has worked in research and government roles relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health since 2019. She is passionate about knowledge translation and data-driven policy-making.

Isabella is the Project Manager for Epidemiology and Clinical Diabetes projects and has previously worked in the Diabetes and Pregnancy team in the Partnership. She is currently studying for her Master of Public Health at Charles Darwin University.

Principal Chief Investigator and Partnership Mentor

Louise Maple-Brown is a Senior Endocrinologist at the Royal Darwin Hospital (NT, Australia), Deputy Director of Research (April 2023), and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Menzies. Louise established the Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership and continues to chair the quarterly Partnership Steering Committee meetings.

After completing the majority of her physician and endocrinology training at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Louise moved to Darwin in 2002 to pursue her passion of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to improve health outcomes. Louise was Head of the Department of Endocrinology at Royal Darwin Hospital (2012-2022) and founded the NT Diabetes Network in 2018 (inaugural Chair 2018 -2022). She was a member of the Australian Diabetes Society Council (2014-2022) and the Council of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (2011-2014). Louise has been providing clinical diabetes services to urban and remote NT communities for over 20 years. She is a current member of the NT Clinical Senate.

In 2020 Louise was awarded the Australian Diabetes Society Ranji and Amara Wikramanayake clinical Diabetes Mid-Career Research award and in 2021, Louise was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. 

Project Coordinator of the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Study

Aiden is based in Katherine working as a Project Coordinator for two Youth Type 2 Diabetes projects focused on the Big Rivers region of the NT. His background is in Public Health spending time working for an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation servicing remote communities in the Kimberley of WA. He also has experience working in the charity and government sectors in WA. Aiden spent time in Europe completing his Master of Public Health in Hamburg, Germany and an internship at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Aiden is passionate about preventing chronic diseases and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Project Officer of the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia Study

Trained as a Physiotherapist, Alison has enjoyed the transition to project work and has worked on quite a few studies at Menzies in her more than 10 years with the organisation.

She has worked on all stages of the PANDORA study excluding the initial recruitment of participants.

Project Coordinator of the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia Study

After spending 2 years working on the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study and the Top End Cohort study as Project Officer, Ally has now taken on the Project Co-Ordinator position on the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia (PANDORA) study.

Ally has over 10 years’ experience as a Physiotherapist, and over 5 years’ experience working as a health professional in Indigenous remote health.

Her passion for working with and helping to contribute and improve health outcomes for First Nations peoples, led her to taking on a research-based role here at Menzies. 

Lead of the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Study

Angela Titmuss is a paediatric endocrinologist and paediatrician at Royal Darwin Hospital and Senior Research Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research, working within the youth type 2 diabetes team of the diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership. Her PhD explored the prevalence and characteristics of youth-onset type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in northern Australia. It also explored the impact of maternal hyperglycaemia in pregnancy on the growth, cardiometabolic profile and developmental risk of children, part of the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia (PANDORA) study. Her PhD work was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians NHMRC Woolcock Award, the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, the Diabetes Australia Research Program, and an NHMRC Hot North PhD Completion Scholarship. 

She is an Investigator on several studies exploring prevention strategies for obesity and type 2 diabetes in childhood, as well as the development of new models of care for management of youth-onset type 2 diabetes, and youth engagement. She is the only paediatric endocrinologist in the Northern Territory and also provides outreach and clinical support across the region. She sits on multiple regional and national representative bodies regarding youth-onset type 2 diabetes and has been heavily involved in clinical guideline development and workforce education.

Lead of the PANDORA Wave 2 and Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Studies

Dr Anna Wood is Head of Department of Endocrinology at Royal Darwin Hospital and a Senior Research Fellow with Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin. She works within the Diabetes Across the Lifecourse Partnership at Menzies, and leads the PANDORA study. Dr Wood  also leads the weight management service in the NT with expertise in cardiometabolic health. Dr Wood is a Director of the Australian Diabetes Society and serves on the steering committees for the National Association of Diabetes Centres and the Obesity Collective.

Program Manager of the Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australia Partnership

Anthony is the Program Manager for the DIABETES across the LIFECOURSE: Northern Australia Partnership at Menzies School of Health Research, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to his role. Since 2012, he has served as a Project Manager, playing a key role in numerous groundbreaking and impactful projects. Throughout his career, Anthony has been instrumental in the successful execution of innovative projects, including the co-design of enhanced care models for youth with Type 2 Diabetes and the implementation of community health initiatives such as the Healthy Stores 2020 project.

His portfolio also includes initiatives like SHOP@RIC, the BREAD Study, and FoodFox. Anthony is driven by a commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through strategic planning, effective team leadership, and collaborative stakeholder engagement.

Based in Darwin, Anthony dedicates a significant portion of his time to travelling across Northern Australia, engaging with service providers, health professionals, and community members. His deep commitment to fostering these relationships highlights the importance of collaboration and community engagement in his work.

Lead of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Co-Design and DIP Clinical Register

Diana MacKay is a clinician-researcher within the Diabetes Across the Lifecourse: Northern Australia Partnership, and is an endocrinologist at Royal Darwin Hospital where she is the Clinical Lead of Diabetes. Diana has research expertise in mixed-methods and program evaluation, in the areas of diabetes and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

Diana is currently completing her PhD, leading the evaluation of the Partnership’s work to improve models of care for diabetes in pregnancy in the NT and Far North Queensland. Diana’s other current research includes a co-design program with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to reduce the diabetes-related risks before, during and after a pregnancy complicated by diabetes, funded by the Medical Research Future Fund.

Originally from South-East Queensland, Diana moved to the NT in 2017. She has developed and contributed to numerous guidelines relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, including the CARPA Remote Primary Healthcare Manuals. She sits on the Clinical Advisory Committee of the Australian Diabetes Society and the NT Maternal and Neonatal Network, and co-chairs the NT Gender Affirming Care Network.

Project Officer of the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia Study

Ellie is based in Larrakia Country (Darwin) and her background is in Exercise Physiology. Her keen interest in remote health and commitment to improving health outcomes for those living with chronic disease led her to join the Diabetes Partnership in January 2023.

Project Manager of the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Study

After spending over 20 years engaging with regional communities and building capacity in the emergency management space in Australia and Southern Africa, Jen has now taken on the Project Manager position for three youth projects for the Diabetes Partnership at Menzies.

Jen has a background in disaster risk resilience, conservation and land management, climate change education and public health as an auxiliary paramedic. Her extensive professional experience working with First Nations peoples in the Northern Territory as a Ranger and Fire Coordinator continues to inspire her passion for the development of autonomy and empowerment in remote communities both in Australia and globally.

Jens continued interests lie in facilitating community-led projects, encouraging inter-cultural communication, and developing strengths in all collaborative partners, which has led her to taking on a research-based role here at Menzies.

Senior Research Officer of the Intergenerational Health in the Northern Territory (I-HiNT), IMPACT Diabetes NT, and the Screening for diabetes in pregnancy among Aboriginal women in remote NT communities study

Dr Hannah Barbour is an early career researcher with research and teaching experience in geography and demography. She is currently Research Fellow in Education and Training Evaluation in Regional and Remote Australia at Poche SA + NT, and Senior Research Officer at Menzies School of Health Research.

Business Manager of the Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division

Project Officer of the Pregnancy and Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia Study

Leonie is a Noongar woman from her mother’s side and part Yamatji from her father’s side, originally from Western Australia. She is a saltwater woman, who loves the outdoors and the Darwin Culture.

Leonie is a Senior Aboriginal Health Practitioner and has been in that role for over 17 years. She completed a Graduate Diploma in Nursing at Flinders University in Diabetes Education and Management. Through this, she has gained extensive experience and knowledge in primary health care (PHC). She has delivered PHC to various town camps in the NT and has extensive experience working in remote Aboriginal communities. She has also worked in all aspects of health settings, Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

Evaluation Lead

Natasha has worked within the Diabetes Across the Lifecourse Northern Australia Partnership as a qualitative researcher and evaluator since 2018. She currently works as an evaluator for the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Team, which focuses on co-designing youth-friendly, culturally appropriate models of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people with type 2 diabetes aged 10-25. Natasha has both led and contributed to several evaluations for various teams, since commencing with Menzies in 2016. Before working at Menzies, Natasha worked in rural and regional centres in Western Australia and Far North Queensland focusing on health promotion and building workforce capacity.

Project Coordinator of the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Study

Marylin has been working with the youth diabetes team as a Project Coordinator for the Top End region and has been with the Partnership since 2022. Previously based on Treaty 1 Territory, the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk (Ininew) Nations and the Homeland of the Red River Métis, she is now based on Larrakia Country. She has over 10 years of experience coordinating projects in North America, Europe and Africa. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®).

Lead of the Intergenerational Health in the Northern Territory, IMPACT Diabetes NT, and the Screening for diabetes in pregnancy among Aboriginal women in remote NT communities, and the DIP Clinical Register

Matt is a clinician-researcher whose work focuses on addressing the intergenerational impacts of diabetes and related conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. He is a Staff Specialist and Clinical Lead for Remote Services within the Endocrinology Department at Royal Darwin Hospital. Matt is also currently a Board Director of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society and serves on the Research Advisory Committee of the Australian Diabetes Society.  

After completing his undergraduate medical training, Matt undertook specialist physician training at The Alfred Hospital and later Monash Health in Melbourne. He moved to Darwin in 2019 to complete a PhD under the supervision of Professor Louise Maple-Brown looking at intergenerational trends in diabetes and cardiometabolic health in a large data-linkage study.

Matt has a longstanding interest in the epidemiology, determinants, and prevention of non-communicable diseases. Through both clinical and academic work, he is committed to working collaboratively to reduce health inequalities. He has previous experience working with the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne and the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. His work has been recognised with awards and scholarships from the Australian Diabetes Society, National Health and Medical Research Council, International Diabetes Epidemiology Group, Australian Academy of Science, Diabetes Australia, and the US Centers for Disease Control.

Matt is currently the lead investigator on multiple epidemiology and translational projects, with competitive funding from the Diabetes Australia Research Program and the Commonwealth Department of Health.
 

Project Officer of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Co-Design Study

Norlisha is a Bardi and Jabirr-Jabirr woman from the Kimberley. Norlisha has nine years of experience working in remote communities in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, including work in the Diabetes Partnership.

Norlisha has been with the Diabetes Partnership for four years and is now a Project Officer in the Diabetes in Pregnancy team and Stakeholder Engagement. 

Norlisha is passionate and committed to working with communities to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, families, and communities. 

Project Officer of the Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring In Women Trial Study

Rosemary is a local Indigenous woman. Her country is Roper River (Ngukurr) which is located in the Katherine Region. She has worked in the NT Government for 33 years in three different departments and completed an Associate Degree in Community Development and Management at Curtin University, West Australia. She has worked mostly in Housing, Urban, and Remote.

Project Officer of the Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring In Women Trial Study

Seileshia is a proud Kungarakan Aboriginal woman who is a local to Darwin. For the past seven years, she has dedicated herself to working at her nana’s cherished shop, Paperbark Woman, a beloved local establishment that sells Aboriginal fabrics.

Project Coordinator of the Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring In Women Trial Study

Sue has worked within Health for over 35 years, predominantly in roles interstate within Indigenous Health; Project Management, Health Service Management, Remote Area Nursing, Aboriginal Medical Service Nurse & Midwifery. Sue commenced with Menzies in 2023 as the Northern Territory Coordinator for CAC study.

Senior Research Officer of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Co-Design Study

Tara coordinates the Diabetes in Pregnancy co-design study and is based in Darwin. She joined the team in late 2019, bringing experience in community and organisational development, health policy and consumer/systemic advocacy.

Senior Research Fellow of the Intergenerational Health in the Northern Territory (I-HiNT), IMPACT Diabetes NT, and the Screening for diabetes in pregnancy among Aboriginal women in remote NT communities study

Dr Winnie Chen is a clinician with research interests in health economics and health informatics. Winnie recently completed her PhD with the Territory Kidney Care team at Menzies. She is developing skill sets in health economics (modelled economic evaluations), health informatics (EHR/clinical decision support), and data analysis (Python/R).

Winnie works clinically as a GP and is a lecturer at Flinders NT. Previously, she worked as a medical editor (Medical Journal of Australia) and clinical guidelines editor (Northern Territory Primary Health Network).