Karen is a Mein:tnk woman from SE SA and also from the Wotjobaluk nation in NW Victoria. She has two children and two grandchildren and has relocated back to Adelaide to be closer to them.

Karen joined the SAHMRI Women and Kids Theme in October 2016 as Aboriginal Senior Research Fellow. This is a joint position between SAHMRI and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). She is working predominantly on the Aboriginal Communities and Families Health Research Alliance (ACRA), a strategic initiative of the Women and Kids Theme and Aboriginal Health Equity Theme at SAHMRI, and the MCRI.

She was CREATE Program Manager with the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, Wardliparingga for 11 months prior to her current role. During this time she worked in with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations, contributing to the Aboriginal community identified research priority projects focussed on the sustainability of the sector. 

Since joining SAHMRI Karen has been an active member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collective, whose work is to assist all SAHMRI staff in working effectively and respectfully toward improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes. 

Karen brings her community engagement, management, governance and knowledge translation skills and experience to her role as Aboriginal Communities and Families Health Research Alliance (ACRA) pillar lead at SAHMRI Women and Kids theme. ACRA maintains a focus on the shared vision: ‘a healthy and just future for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families’.

ACRA aims to:

·      bring together the key people at the beginning of the research to make a difference at the end;

·      establish Aboriginal advice and leadership throughout the projects;

·      ensure appropriate Aboriginal protocols and principles are embedded throughout the research; and

·      build capability and reciprocity among Aboriginal and non Aboriginal researchers. 

Prior to this Karen worked in Mount Gambier and also in senior roles in state and federal public service in the areas of policy, service development and health and wellbeing. Her work included Aboriginal health and wellbeing, maternal and child health, housing and homelessness and family and lateral violence, community development, youth and women’s health both generally and for specific population groups such as women, youth and Dads. 

Karen has also contributed to research through a work program which includes the Aboriginal Families Study and other research projects as a study investigator, and her research relates to improving Aboriginal birthing outcomes, building on to strengthening parenting and safe families and communities. She has also chaired the Aboriginal Advisory Group for the Aboriginal Families Study.​