Professor and Director

For over two decades, Andrew has advocated for social justice, working with vulnerable communities and not-for-profit organisations through extensive collaboration and community engagement. This includes as Executive Director of Student Equity, Professor of Higher Education, and Director of the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research at La Trobe University. Andrew has published extensively on the experiences of new migrants, people from out-of-home care backgrounds, Indigenous students, and other under-served groups. Having served as Chief Investigator on 30 external grants worth over $5 million, Andrew is committed to community-led, research-informed practice. See Andrew’s Griffith Experts page for more info.

Senior Research Development Manager

Heidi has over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, policy, and stakeholder engagement across community, government, and university sectors. She has a PhD in intercultural families with media communication degrees at QUT, and has held senior research policy and grants manager roles at Griffith University. Heidi is also a futurist consultant, having led Logan City's inaugural 20-year community plan, corporate performance management frameworks, and community-relations programs. She is currently focused on developing strategic funding proposals for collaborative multidisciplinary research initiatives that aim to empower people's lives through education and have a positive impact on communities.

Community Research Fellow (Pasifika Communities)

Inez was born in Fiji to Tongan parents, Ilaisia and Fatai Fainga'a, and married a Samoan chief, Ps Toleafoa Bruce Manu-Sione. She was adopted into a Yolngu clan, the Gumatj clan, and given a Yolngu name, Budiyo. She has spent the past 25 years working in community, specifically with Pasifika and Māori peoples across Queensland. She originally studied a Bachelor of Theatre and enjoyed a career performing with La Boite and Queensland Theatre. She also completed a Bachelor of Laws/Business at QUT (after which she was admitted into the Supreme Court as a lawyer) and a PhD. In addition to her role with Pathways in Place, she is a Community Research Fellow with the Pasifika charity Village Connect Ltd. See Inez’s Griffith Experts page for more info.

Senior Research Fellow

Vaoiva (Iva) Ponton completed her PhD in education at the University of Melbourne. She investigated the motivations of Melbourne-based Samoan students to learn, what concerns them, and impediments to their educational success. She has spent the last 25 years as an educator, and is interested in strategies to enhance student success in the transition from school to the tertiary sector. Iva is passionate about utilising Pacific methodologies when supporting communities to achieve educational and social outcomes with success. Her favourite way to unwind is to walk on the beach. See Iva’s Griffith Experts page for more info.

Program Coordinator

Jane has worked as an administrative professional supporting directors and managers within Allied Health Sciences, in both the community and acute hospital settings, for more than 20 years. After moving to Queensland from South Australia, she continued her passion of working with health professionals within the School of Health Sciences and Social Work at Griffith University, before joining the Pathways in Place team. Jane loves the great outdoors and goes camping on weekends, either in the 4WD rooftop tent, in the hybrid caravan, or exploring the islands in a pop-up tent.

Senior Research Fellow

John is a proud Murri Ambae man and is a Traditional Owner of the western sides of Bunya Bunya Mountains, Country we call Boobagarrn Ngumminge. “My people are Cobble Cobble kinnected to Warra and Dalby. We have links directly to the Barunggam and Wakka Wakka people”. John was a founding Senior Research Fellow at the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab Deakin University, and also the former CEO of the Stronger Smarter Institute. He is a regular media commentator and Community translator and successfully launched his first book in 2024, “Strength Basing, Empowering and Regenerating Indigenous Knowledge Education” (Routledge.com) . Dr Davis brings his rich experience & his home Community footprints in and around Logan City, to the PiP research team in First Nations research fellowship.

Research Assistant

Lucy completed her PhD in 2022, which focused on the effectiveness of Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation in Queensland. Lucy has a background in law and was admitted as a practitioner in Queensland in 2014 after completing an LLB (Hons) at QUT and a BA (Hons) at Sydney University. In 2013, she was associate to his Honour Justice Applegarth of the Queensland Supreme Court. Lucy has practiced as a solicitor in Brisbane and Darwin and has taught law courses at Southern Cross University and Griffith University. Lucy is excited to be working on a research project that puts community at the center. When not at work, Lucy can be found rummaging through op shops, pottering in the garden, or at the beach with the kids.

Senior Research Assistant

Mandy has 15 years of experience in community health practice and research. She has worked as a psychologist in mental health services, and has delivered social and emotional wellbeing outreach programs and conducted public health projects exploring community perceptions and barriers to service access. Her research is focused on lived-experience-led and community-based preventative programs. She is a PhD candidate exploring the protective effects of cultural connection against First Nations youth suicide. Mandy is passionate about using strength-based approaches in public health and social justice advocacy – and is always up for a coffee and a chat!

Research Assistant

Rebecca has 20 years of experience in family services working with vulnerable and complex families involved in the child protection system both in Australia and the UK. Much of her work has focused on the importance of building healthy attachments between parent and child. Rebecca has held several leadership roles, managing teams to deliver playgroups, parenting programs and intensive support for families. Rebecca recently completed post-graduate study in psychology and is now enjoying working in a research-focused role. She is passionate about advocating for the needs of vulnerable families and helping to remove the barriers they face in accessing much needed services to support the health and development of their children.

Community Initiatives Lead

Sara has a background in organisational psychology. Her work over the past 20 years has focused on workplace bullying, change management, and social justice. Currently, her focus is on helping to make the process of partnering for community impact easier for those involved. She has worked extensively with various partners on programs of research that bring practice and research closer together, including Pathways to Prevention and CREATE-ing Pathways to Child Wellbeing. Sara is a passionate supporter of women’s reproductive rights and over the years has volunteered her time in support of this cause and other worthy efforts within community. See Sara’s Griffith Experts page for more info.

Research Assistant

Ko Māhuhu-ki-te-rangi te waka. Ko Kaipara te moana. Ko Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Taou me Te Uriroroi ngā hapū. Ko Ngāti Whatua me Ngāpuhi ngā iwi. He mokopuna ahau hoki o te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Nō Aitutaki tōku māmā. Nō Rakahanga me Tahiti tōku pāpā.

Tīhei mauri ora!

Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato e tū mai nei! Matangaro is a proud alumna of the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Te Reo Māori and Bachelor of Management Studies in Public Relations (2010). She also worked in various roles over 10 years, in Māori marketing and recruitment, academic support and pastoral care to Māori and Pasifika students, lecturing in communications and facilitating a Māori student leadership programme. Matangaro is excited to be working as a Research Assistant alongside the Mozzy Foundation, who engage with rangatahi Māori living in Australia, to help them connect or reconnect with their Māoritanga in a school-based programme called Tūhono.