Associate Professor Cathy O'Mullan has worked as a health promotion practitioner for over 20 years both here in Australia and in the UK. She has managed diverse programs within a number of government and non-government organisations across areas such as chronic disease, cancer, mental health and sexual health. She has extensive practical experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and has led a number of capacity-building public health projects on Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands.

As a research-focused academic at CQ University, Cathy is passionate about capturing the voices of marginalised populations through qualitative and participatory research approaches. She has a particular interest in applying a gender equity perspective to her work in women's health, sexual health and domestic violence. Her most recent research focuses on international development where she is committed to working with women subsistence farmers in PNG and Fiji to improve health and livelihoods. She is a committed and engaged community-based researcher who seeks to foster inclusive partnerships. She also strives to develop capacity-building opportunities for all those involved, particularly community organisations and members. Cathy has been awarded > $2.5 million in external research funding, most as Chief Investigator. She has published > 40 refereed manuscripts and has authored several industry reports.