Health, Society and Environment Advisory Board

Raymond Burnett (Chair)

Raymond Burnett B.A., B.S.W., M.Ed., MPH., MAICD., Cert IV Government, Partner & Executive Consultant, Consulting by Design.

Raymond is an executive consultant who specialises in supporting health and human service initiatives across the community and government sectors. He brings proven experience in supporting organisations to define and implement strategies for success.

Raymond has over 30 years of experience working across all levels of government, the community sector, private sector and academia. His roles include sitting on national decision-making panels and senior evidence advisory bodies; leading reforms in clinical and allied health services and managing disability service redevelopments.

Raymond has completed the Institute of Company Directors and the International Partnership Brokers Association Programs. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Education (Management and Leadership), Master of Public Health and Cert IV Government.

Raymond is Vice President of Refuge Victoria and sits on the Maroondah Halfway House Board and Looking Ahead Inc Board. Raymond is Past President of Doncare (Patron Rosie Batty).

Jo Hopkins

Jo Hopkins is passionate about the health and well-being benefits derived from nature.

Currently the National and International Engagement Manager at Parks Victoria, Jo has extensive experience in park and protected area management. She was part of the team that established the Healthy Parks Healthy People approach to managing parks and has continued that work for over 20 years.

Jo has a combination of substantial professional experience with a deep commitment to the vital role that parks, and protected areas play in ensuring a healthy natural world.

Jo is also Chair of the IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, Health and Well-being Specialist Group and Co-Chair of the World Urban Parks Advocacy Committee. Jo collaborates with many organisations to influence local, national and international policy advocating for parks as a nature-based solutions to some of the world’s most pressing global challenges.

Dr Brydie Clarke

Brydie (she/her) leads the Office for Youth (OFY), at the Department of Families Fairness and Housing in Victoria. OFY provides advice and support to the Minister for Youth with the aim of improving outcomes for young Victorians. Prior to this role, Brydie held various positions across the Victorian Public Service, including as Acting Director of the Family Violence Reform unit and as Assistant Director with the Office for Women.

Prior to that Brydie completed her PhD in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services and Institute for Health Transformation at Deakin University, with her research focusing on the development of evidence-informed policy as part of the Healthy Together Victoria initiative. Brydie also holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Public Health and has worked in both local government and research contexts and has published work in the fields of obesity prevention, public health policy, systems, and political sciences.

Paul Murfitt

Director Industry & Infrastructure

Paul has worked in the sustainability field for more than 25 years. He is currently Director Industry & Infrastructure with Sustainability, working with industry stakeholders to support investment in the infrastructure required to build a circular and sustainable economy in Victoria.

Paul has held other executive roles in the Victorian Government, leading workstreams on policy and programs addressing energy sustainability, affordability, reliability, and security. Paul was CEO of the Moreland Energy Foundation Limited (MEFL) for over eight years and also worked for 10 years with Sustainability Victoria (mainly with predecessor organisations).

Paul also delivers a subject at RMIT University in the Masters of Renewable Energy Engineering program – The Social, Environmental and Economic Context of Sustainable Energy.

Professor Jennifer Watts, Head of School, Health and Social Development

Sue Noy, Associate Lecturer, Sustainability

Dr Claire Henderson-Wilson, Discipline Lead, Health Society and Environment

Dr Elyse Warner, Co-director, Bachelor of Health Sciences

Dr Greer Lamaro-Haintz, Co-director, Bachelor of Health Sciences

Dr Rebecca Patrick, Director, Master of Health and Human Services Management

Dr Julie Abimanyi-Ochom, Director, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)

Ms Hasini Gunasiri, PhD student

Ms Tracey Egan

Dr Deirdre O'Sullivan

After a career in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development in Australia and overseas, Dr Deirdre O’Sullivan embarked on a new adventure in 2019 by enrolling in a Health Sciences degree at Deakin. Deirdre’s interest areas include population nutrition, sustainability, social determinants, and political/regulatory environments. Deirdre also works as a Project Officer at the Cancer Council, supporting a longitudinal cohort study of diet, health, lifestyle and genetics.

Coco Thyne

Born and raised in Launceston, Coco completed her first year at Deakin in 2021 and is studying a Bachelor of Health Sciences, majoring in Family, Society and Health and Disability and Inclusion. She is hoping to widen her knowledge and understanding of health, social and developmental concepts during this degree, with the aim of enrolling in a Master of Speech Pathology and is striving to become a paediatric Speech Pathologist.