An experienced analyst and practitioner with a commitment is working collaboratively on real-world challenges from conflict prevention, social cohesion to good governance, with an ambition to influence positive change. I have extensive skills and knowledge needed to use research to develop insights into complex problems and the ability to translate these into options for policy and practice. As an academic and practitioner in peacebuilding, I have focused on supporting local actors and peacebuilding initiatives and worked hard to translate policy-oriented research and grounded experience to influence and engage a range of government and non-government stakeholders to enhance support to peacebuilding efforts. My regional focus has been Oceania, South East Asia and China. My background is in psychology, with a Postgrad Dip in Psychology and BA (major in psychology). Early in my career I focused on working to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services to Victoria’s refugee communities and continue to work as a consultant (policy and research) with the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture and Trauma Inc. I went on to complete a Masters in Public Administration in Tokyo (Peace and Conflict Studies) and a PhD in Political Science (Peace and Conflict Studies from UQ, Brisbane, that focused on contemporary conflicts in China. For the past twenty years, I have worked on policy-oriented research to enhance local and international support to peacebuilding initiatives locally and internationally. I has worked with the Cambodia-based NGO, the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies as Faculty on the innovative Applied Conflict Transformation Studies Masters program and am now with the ACTS PhD program, both aimed at engaging peace practitioners in action-research and supporting transformative engagement in peacebuilding across the Asia region and embedding grounded experiences into and invigorating the discipline. Since May 2015 I have been engaged on the Australian International Conflict Resolution Project, which seeks to enhance the role of conflict prevention and peace building in Australian foreign policy with the Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne. My strength is in working collaboratively with a range of actors and stakeholders from policy development and research in international development, peacebuilding and conflict prevention in these multi‐disciplinary and multi-sectorial capacities.