Committee

President

Dr Anshul Kaul is a clinician turned health promotion professional. Her qualifications include Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of International Public Health and Master of Public Health in Health promotion and Disease Prevention. She has worked in remote and rural communities both in India and Australia, and has experience working in government and non-government sectors, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
Her work in health promotion has involved translating research into evidence-based best practice through projects such as smoking cessation and more recently oral health.

Anshul has a strong interest in social determinants of health and has been volunteering in a range of social initiatives. She is also an active member of Multicultural Council of the NT, Climate Action Darwin, NT Writers Centre and Alliance for Cavity Free Future. Additionally, she is also a part of the AHPA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Working Group.

Secretary

Jessica Murray is an allied health professional and with a diverse clinical background in recreational therapy, health promotion, primary health care, research and public health policy. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Therapeutic Recreation & Health Promotion, and spent over 6 years working primarily in traumatic brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation across Sydney and rural and remote communities in NSW. Since returning home to the NT Jessica has worked in public health research, and was fortunate to work across 20 remote Aboriginal communities with the Hearing for Learning Initiative at Menzies School of Health Research. As a Senior Policy Officer with NT Health, Jessica is currently focused on developing, implementing and reviewing policy and programs promoting evidence based, best practice health promotion and prevention across the continuum of care in the NT. Jessica is currently completing her Master of Global Health and Master of Health Leadership and Management and is dedicated to engaging in collaborative partnerships to effect community-led and sustainable changes in health equity throughout the NT.

Committee Member

Professor James Smith is the Deputy Dean of Rural and Remote Health - NT, and Matthew Flinders Professor (Health and Social Equity) at Flinders University. He is an applied social health researcher with 20+ years’ experience working in rural and remote health policy, practice, and research contexts in SA and the NT, with a particular focus on improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and education outcomes. Prior to commencing at Flinders he held Professorial roles at both Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University in areas relating to alcohol and other drugs, men's health and Indigenous higher education. Professor Smith is recognised nationally and globally for his expertise in both health promotion and men's health. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia and is a Fellow of the Australian Health Promotion Association. He is the Deputy Chair Association for Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies NT and Board Member of FCD Health Ltd. He holds academic status at Menzies, Curtin University, Deakin University, University of Michigan and the University of Saskatchewan.

Social Media/Advocacy Committee Member 

Chantelle de Lastic currently works alongside communities in the Red Centre, in her role with the NTG Department of Health as the Oral Health Promotion, Planning and Evaluations Officer. After igniting her passion for health promotion at the University of the Sunshine Coast, she undertook a dual Bachelor of Health (Health Promotion) & Arts (Human Services). Chantelle has a strong connection to the Central Australian people, community and landscape. As such she considers one of her professional successes to be her return to the red centre after participating in her student placement back in 2016.

Chantelle is passionate about: health literacy, health promoting settings, food security, community empowerment approaches, culturally appropriate health communication and strategies that action the social determinants of health. External to her professional world, Chantelle enjoys hiking, the performing arts and embracing the vibrant lifestyle the Northern Territory has to offer.

Committee Member

Based in Jabiru, Tamzin is the Community Wellbeing Senior Project Officer with West Arnhem Regional Council.  This role sees her working with communities across the West Arnhem region supporting primarily youth, sport and recreation, and community safety programs. Tamzin is a recent Health Science graduate from Deakin University with majors in Physical Activity and Health and Health Promotion,  and minoring in Family, Society and Health. Tamzin has lived and worked in the NT for over 7 years within both the not-for-profit and local government sectors, working with communities and stakeholders across the NT to deliver education workshops, develop and implement programs that build social connections, youth engagement, and strengthen protective factors for improved health outcomes. Tamzin is passionate about building cohesive, active, and sustainable communities with a focus on social justice and mutual respect.

Committee Member 

Vincent is a statistician with diverse experience in the research fields of mental health, Indigenous health, demography, early childhood development, school education, child protection and juvenile delinquency. In 2016, Vincent completed a PhD study which used data-linkage and survival analysis to investigate the long-term health outcomes of NT Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Prior to his current research, Vincent worked on a Menzies project that develop a culturally appropriate tool to identify the support needs of Indigenous cancer patients (http://www.scnatip.org). Previously, Vincent was at Singapore Institute of Mental Health, where he took lead responsibility for the statistical analysis for a nation-wide epidemiological study on the mental health status of the national population. His current research focuses on using data-linkage to inform a public health approach to child protection and youth justice in the NT.