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 Families Health Research Partnership (AFHRP), a strategic initiative of the HMBC Theme and Aboriginal Health Theme at SAHMRI, and the MCRI.

She was CREATE Program Manager with the Aboriginal Health Theme, Wardliparingga for 11 months. During this time she worked with the CREATE team and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations, to contribute 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 with our communities. One of her strengths is community engagement.

Karen has also worked as the CEO at Pangula Mannamurna, the Aboriginal community controlled health service located in Mount Gambier, and she brings knowledge and experience of the sector to contribute to the team. This experience includes policy, continuous quality improvement and change management in relation to health and Aboriginal people.

Prior to working in Mount Gambier, Karen worked in senior policy and management roles in both state and federal public service in the areas of policy, service development and health. 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 the Aboriginal Families Study relating to improving Aboriginal birthing outcomes. Her role was the chair of the Aboriginal Advisory Group and also in investigator roles.

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.

Awards

Karen was the winner of the Community Engagement category of the inaugural SA Health awards in 2009 with her project entitled ‘The past, the present and the future’. This project set out to engage meaningfully and respectfully with Aboriginal people and communities to gain insight into their perceptions of the Children, Youth and Women’s Health Services so as to improve access and Reconciliation through these processes.

Karen was shortlisted for the 2017 Premier’s NAIDOC Award in recognition of her work and impact on improving health, wellbeing, education and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Education, Master of Business Administration.