Our People — Home2Health

Professor Lisa Wood has recently joined the Institute for Health Research at University of Notre Dame as a Professor and will continue to lead the Home2Health research team. Lisa is a tireless advocate for research being relevant and useful to the real world, and the need for academia to go beyond “the ivory tower”. She established the Home2Health team in 2018; a team that works closely with a breadth of health and homeless sector partners to build evidence of ‘what works’ to improve health and housing outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.

Lisa is also active in a number of other public health issues that often coalesce with homelessness, including family and domestic violence, Aboriginal health, mental health and reducing health inequalities.

Professor Lisa Wood

Angela Gazey is a Research Officer with the Home2Health team, and PhD Candidate at UWA. Angela is committed to research that promotes social justice and reduces health disparities. Her research has real world relevance and has focused on improving services for people experiencing homelessness and family and domestic violence. She also has an interest in tobacco control and the disproportionate impact of tobacco on people living in low socio-economic areas. Her PhD research examines parents’ understanding of the impacts of trauma on children with a view to improving trauma-informed practice in schools.

To follow Angela on twitter: @AngelaGazey

Angela Gazey - Research Officer

Maeve Hawkes is a Research Assistant, joining the Home2Health team in 2022.

Maeve has a background in nursing, working across medical and psychiatric settings and has completed a Master of Public Health through Monash University. Currently, Maeve works in specialist drug and alcohol nursing, providing medical care and support to individuals experiencing homelessness. Maeve has previously been part of the development of a new Drug and Alcohol service at Homeless Healthcare’s residential Medical Respite Centre, supporting individuals with substance use disorder who are experiencing homelessness and situational crisis.

Maeve Hawkes - Research Assistant

Shannen Vallesi is a Research Associate at the Institute of Health Research (University of Notre Dame) and PhD Candidate at UNDA. Shannen’s research is underpinned by a passion for reducing health inequalities through ‘real world’ relevant research, with a focus primarily around the complex and intertwined nature of homelessness, poor physical and mental health outcomes, social exclusion and the impact of intervention on these. Shannen co-leads the evaluation of Perth's first Housing First project; 50 Lives 50 Homes and various other health-led responses to ending homelessness and is a committee member of Perth’s By Name List/Advance to Zero Working Group through the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness.

Shannen Vallesi - Research Associate

Kate Fitzgerald is a Research Associate, joining the Home2Health team in 2023.

Kate completed her Bachelor of Science (Hons I) majoring in Population and Global Health at the University of Western Australia in 2018. Kate is committed to public health research that promotes social justice and aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for vulnerable populations. She is particularly interested in trauma-informed and restorative practice research. Kate’s current doctoral research is exploring facilitators and barriers to positive relationship development between teachers and adolescent students in Western Australian schools, viewed through a trauma-informed lens.

Kate Fitzgerald - Research Assistant

Dr Matthew Tuson is a Research Fellow with the Home2Health team at the Institute for Health Research, UNDA. He has a background in Applied Statistics, with his PhD research focusing on methodologic contributions to address the long-standing modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) in the areas of disease mapping and geographic targeting of healthcare interventions. He has an interest and experience in the curation and analysis of various data, including the extensive WA linked data collections. Matt is the go to statistician and advisor on all things data for our team, and works closely with Homeless Healthcare and the RPH Homeless Team.

Dr Matthew Tuson - Research Fellow

Dane Webster is a Research Assistant at Home2Health and an aspiring researcher in Physiology, commencing his work with the team in 2022.

Alongside his work at Home2Health, Dane is an aspiring physiological researcher beginning his PhD in 2024 at The University of Western Australia. Dane's work at UWA predominately revolves around physiology, such as the measuring of genic expression in biofluids to identify biomarkers for physiological stress and diseases.

Within the Home2Health team, Dane works on projects related to assisting disadvantaged populations. From a mixed background, Dane’s experience ranges from anatomy and physiology to the molecular sciences such as biochemistry and cellular biology, the sports sciences, and modern public health issues. To find out more about Dane on his LinkedIn, see: Dane Webster.

Dane Webster - Research Assistant

Varsha Maharaj is a Research Assistant, who first joined Home2Health as a placement student in 2024.

Varsha is currently completing a Bachelor of Health Promotion at the University of Notre Dame. During her studies, she has developed a strong interest in equity-centered approaches, effective research methods and policy advocacy. Through her placement experiences working with a range of community-centered organisations, she has developed a deep understanding of the wider determinants of health and the importance of community-based approaches. Varsha is eager to contribute her learnings towards meaningful initiatives via research that support healthier futures for at-risk communities.

Varsha Maharaj - Research Assistant

Dr Jocelyn Tan is a research associate, joining the Home2Health team in 2023.

Jocelyn has a background in chronic disease research, working with clinicians within the hospital system. Starting as a genetic counsellor, Jocelyn has a particular interest in genetic and developmental conditions and is committed to the reduction of health inequalities to empower individuals to live a healthier, happier life. improve individuals to improving people's quality of life via improving health behaviours. Jocelyn has a background in genetic counselling and has a particular interest in working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to help reduce health inequalities.

Amy Douglas is a Research Assistant, joining the Home2Health team in 2023.

Amy has completed a Bachelor of Behavioural Science at the University of Notre Dame and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Sexology at Curtin University, where her research focuses on fostering healthier, more inclusive understandings of sexuality, relationships, and gender.

Amy holds a personal and professional commitment to researching and advocating for a social landscape where violence has no place, enthusiastic consent is the norm, and inclusivity is advanced through an intersectional and trauma-informed lens.