Ethics Committee Biographies

Aunty Valda Keed

HREC Elder Representative

Aunty Val was born in Peak Hill, New South Wales and is a descendent from a long line of proud Wiradjuri people in this area. Aunty Val has generously shared her cultural knowledge and guidance with many researchers over the years and enjoys educating researchers on the most culturally appropriate ways to consult, engage and acknowledge the Aboriginal Community and their involvement in human research. Aunty Val is passionate about supporting her mob to be further involved in the human research space in New South Wales and continues to support the HREC to deliver high quality, transparent and informed ethical reviews of research.

Aunty Val was a founding member of the AH&MRC since its establishment (initially as the Aboriginal Health Resource Committee) in 1985. Aunty Val has held a number of positions on the AH&MRC Board of Directors over the years, representing the Lower Central West area on many occasions. Aunty Val is currently the Chairperson of the Peak Hill Aboriginal Medical Service and has also been involved in many community-based organisations in the region, including the Peak Hill Local Aboriginal Land Council, Warramunga Aboriginal Advancement Co-operative, Mid Lachlan Aboriginal Housing Management Association, Weigelli Drug and Alcohol Centre (Cowra), and the National Parks Peak Hill/Bogan River Aboriginal Joint Management Group.

Uncle Danny Kelly

HREC Community Representative

Uncle Danny is a Mutthi Mutthi and Wemba Wamba Man. With over 40 years’ experience working in The Victorian Aboriginal Community beginning with The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) and has background in Social Work, also worked in Koorie Services /Human Services Swan Hill in establishing the Mutthi Miah Aboriginal Family Preservation Program with Rumbalara and Morewell.

15 years served as Wilandra World Heritage Joint management committee for Mungo National Park, NSW known as the 3TG’s as Mutthi Mutthi representative.

In 2001 Uncle Danny worked to establish the Balranald Aboriginal Medical Service, NSW.

Mr Kelly is a long-standing committee member and has served the Special Ethics Committee for NSW Aboriginal Health Medical and Research Council as Elder’s representation since December 2004.

A member of for Wemba Wamba Aboriginal Corporation.

As of 2024 Uncle Danny has joined the Victorian Treaty process as one of the Elders of the Elders Voice for Treaty Group.

2024: Currently working on The University of Tasmania “Privileging the spirit, voices, and culture of Aboriginal people in dementia care: As a Victorian Elder representative with The University of Melbourne.

Aunty Rochelle Patten

HREC Community Representative

Aunty Rochelle Patten is a Yorta Yorta woman, an artist, an advocate for her community and a founding member of the AH&MRC. Aunty Rochelle has been an integral member of the AH&MRC Human Research Ethics Committee for over a decade. Aunty Rochelle is passionate about the need to keep children safe and out of the juvenile justice system and hopes to guide researchers working in this area to ensure Aboriginal people are included in the design, conduct and outcomes of research as well as the translation of research into policy.

Aunty Rochelle Patten was previously the Chairperson of the Cummeragunja Housing and Development Aboriginal Corporation and has had a long involvement in several Aboriginal community organisations, including the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League (through its Aboriginal Women’s Refuge) and the Cummeragunja Building Program. Aunty Rochelle is a previous member of the Yorta Yorta Nations Incorporated, the Yembeena Education Centre, and also the Koori Court in Shepparton, Victoria. Aunty Rochelle is currently working on the Elders Advisory Committee for the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital.

Associate Professor Julieann Coombes

HREC Co-Chair

Julieann Coombes is a Gumbaynggirr woman through her grandmother and has connections to Gamilaraay country where she grew up. Julieann is a Researcher on the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and has extensive experience in social and cultural determinants of health research, Indigenous methodologies and applies decolonising methods to all her research projects. Julieann has a commitment to ensure that all research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is conducted in an ethical correct way and research integrity should be underpinned by equity, transparency and self-determination.

Julieann has worked as Registered Practice Nurse with extensive involvement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and has lived and worked on the NSW Central Coast for the last 30 years. Julieann has taught Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in secondary and tertiary institutions and has represented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses at the national level.
Julieann is very active in her local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative groups on the Central Coast where Darkinjung are the custodians. Julieann also serves as a Research Fellow on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at The George Institute for Global Health. Julieann has passed her PhD and is awaiting conferral by the University of Technology, Sydney.

Todd Heard

HREC Co-Chair

Todd is an experienced Director, Board Member and Aboriginal Clinical Psychologist with a proven track record in leading in the non-profit and government sectors. Skilled in Health Promotion, Psychology, Charity Governance, Project Management, Mental Health and Clinical Governance.  Todd is a strong business development professional and Conjoint Lecturer at the University of Newcastle with an Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Todd is currently a Chief Psychologist working in Youth Justice supporting Psychologists and other allied health staff supporting young people connected to the Youth Justice system.

Professor David Peiris

HREC Researcher

David joined the AH&MRC Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) in 2018. David’s main role is to provide high level technical advice to the HREC in terms of both research and the provision of clinical care.

David is passionate about ensuring all people have access to affordable, high-quality health services and programs and has longstanding relationships with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector, having previously worked as a GP at Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, Ngalkanbuy Health Service – Galiwin’ku Community and Nunkuwarrin Yunti. David is Director of the Global Primary Health Care Program (Better Care) and Co-Director of the Centre for Health Systems Science and is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney and works clinically as a GP in Sydney.

David’s research focusses on health systems science, a dynamic and emerging discipline that includes health services research, health policy and systems research and implementation science. David has been a board member for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and sits on several government, non-government and research advisory committees.

Associate Professor Paul Gray

HREC Researcher

Dr Paul Gray is a Wiradjuri man from NSW, living on Tharawal country on the south-western edge of Sydney. Paul is a Researcher on the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and believes that Aboriginal community-controlled research is an essential element of Communities exercising self-determination. Paul hopes to contribute to Communities self-determination through his work as part of the AH&MRC HREC.

Paul has served in a range of roles in supporting Aboriginal children and families affected by the child protection system for over 12 years, including working as a Psychologist and in project roles with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice and as Executive Leader Strategy, Policy and Evidence at AbSec – NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation. In these roles, Paul has advocated for the importance of Aboriginal self-determination in shaping systems and practices to enable Aboriginal children and families to thrive.
Paul is a currently Associate Professor at the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research, UTS. Paul completed a DPhil in Experimental Psychology at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, as an inaugural Charles Perkins Scholar, investigating the relationship between early maltreatment and adolescent social and emotional processes. His current focus is on delivering community-led research and policy development to improve child protection systems and practice.

Josie Newton

HREC Researcher

Josie is a Wiradjuri descendent through her father’s side of the family and has ancestral and genealogical ties to Burrangong central western NSW, and has Celtic descent. Born on Gadigal country, her health career spans some 40 years, commencing with general nursing training, and followed by roles in health administration and in the higher education and government sectors. She has extensive experience in the Aboriginal health services sector including through research, administration, ethical and peer review, funding and financing, accreditation and supporting community and organisational aims to self-determine. She has experience in health-related research and health promotion with a diverse range of experience in Aboriginal affairs and the NSW Aboriginal community-controlled health sector. Her commitment is to improving justice and equality for Aboriginal peoples – informed by her personal history and experiences, and actioned through her work. In her spare time she is a printmaker and photographer.

Emma Walke

HREC Researcher

Emma Walke is a Bundjalung woman from Northern NSW. Emma is a researcher on the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and has been an Investigator in more than 20 program evaluations over the past 11 years, all of which have been for Aboriginal not for profit services.

Emma is passionate about the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples and brings with her a strong background in community engagement, and existing relationships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, Public Health Networks and Aboriginal health peak bodies around Australia. Emma is the Academic Lead of Aboriginal Health at the University Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney and an Honorary Affiliate with Sydney School of Public Health. Emma has been employed as a Manager of Human Resources and Community Development Employment Programs at Bunjum Aboriginal Corporation and as a Practice Manager at Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, where she still serves as a Board Member and Deputy Chair. Emma is also the Chairperson of the North Coast NSW Local Health Districts Community Participation Advisory Group.

Emma has a Diploma in Practice Management- UNE, a Certificate IV in Governance, a Certificate IV in Indigenous Leadership – AILC, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Emma is in the process of completing an MPhil by research at the University of Sydney, exploring the use of aids for medication adherence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Jenny Hunt

HREC Researcher

Jenny is a public health physician and has worked in clinical, public health and research practice in the Aboriginal Community controlled health sector for more than 25 years. She completed a PhD about improving pregnancy care and outcomes and was a Public Health Medical Officer with the AH&MRC for 12 years. She is currently working with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service as Senior Clinical Advisor.

Stephanie Campbell

HREC Legal Representative

With more than 20 years’ experience in legal practice, governance and executive leadership, I have built my career at the intersection of law, health, housing and community wellbeing. I have worked across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, supporting organisations to design and apply robust legal, governance and risk frameworks that promote accessibility, address inequities and enable meaningful, ethical and sustainable outcomes.

My specific areas of legal expertise span property, corporate and commercial law, governance and regulatory compliance. Alongside my executive roles, I also serve on several boards, primarily in the healthcare sector, where I integrate my experience in health, law, research oversight, governance, risk management and strategic realisation.

As a member of the AH&MRC HREC, I am committed to safeguarding legal and ethical integrity, strengthening public trust and ensuring that research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities is conducted with cultural respect and safety, legal rigour and the highest standards of accountability.

Brittany Wilson

HREC Youth Representative

Brittany Wilson is from Wiradjuri country, NSW and is passionate about the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She is currently a population health trainee at the Sydney Childrens Hospital network where she completes a series of public health placements. Brittany holds a Bachelor of Psychological science and is currently studying a Master of Public Health part-time. Brittany hopes to amplify the voices of young people through ethical research.

Cory Paulson

HREC Community Representative

Cory Paulson is a Worimi Bundjalung, Kanakan, European man, who grew up on Biripi country on the east coast of NSW. Cory has been living on Wilyakali country Broken Hill for over 25 years with his wife and 4 children.

Throughout his working life, Cory has worked in urban, regional, rural, and remote communities across many industries within the Western and Far West of NSW, including mining, telecommunications, retail, construction, and many social services health, housing, justice and education. As an Allied Health professional has an understanding and works with the multi-disciplinary teams that provide services within the area he serves.

Cory has a wealth of lived experience in cultural governance, Research, Education, Housing, Justice, and Training, Healthcare, Mental Health, Alcohol, and other Drugs suicide pre and post-vention, from personal and professional experiences that support the work he is currently engaged in at the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section (NSW). Cory seeks to become more involved in research to advocate for equitable and culturally safe research working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in regional, rural, and remote communities on his journey to contemplating his Ph.D.

Over his life and along with his study, and professional career, he has gained lived experience and knowledge of the issues facing First Nations individuals, families, and the communities he serves. He hopes to continue to add value to the system through leadership, support, education, and advocacy through actions.