Leigh-ann has worked in regional and remote northern Australia for more than twenty years, and prior to her current role at CQUniversity, Leigh-ann has worked in a range of research and teaching roles in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. 

Leigh-ann completed a Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management at Deakin University in Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Public Health (coursework) and a Masters of Public Health (research) through the Menzies School of Health Research at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. Leigh-ann's PhD (Management) was completed at James Cook University in Cairns.

James Cook University (College of Business, Law & Governance, Indigenous Education and Research Centre, College of Arts, Society & Education)

Edith Cowan University (School of Business)

University of New South Wales (School of Aviation)

Charles Darwin University (Menzies School of Health Research)

James Cook University, CBLG Award for best uptake of research in the popular media (2023)

James Cook University, CBLG Award for Research Impact in Society (2022)

Best Overall Paper Award, ANZAM Conference 2021 (Shafaei, Farr-Wharton, Omari, Pooley, Bentley, Sharafizad & Onnis)

HRM Stream Award for Best Paper, ANZAM Conference 2014 (Onnis)

Media Release, 'Treating older workers better' (10 March 2023) 

Leigh-ann was the Coordinator of the HRM major in the Bachelor of Business at James Cook University (2022-2025), teaching Management & Leadership, and was the Subject Coordinator/Lecturer for Employee Relations (2015), and Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management.

Leigh-ann was the Subject Coordinator and lecturer for the capstone subject in the Masters Business Administration (MBA) Global at James Cook University (2021-2025).

Leigh-ann has a professional background in Human Resource Management having worked in a variety of roles in the education, health, water management, tourism, and retail industries.

Member of the Australia & New Zealand Academy of Management.

Fellow, Certified Professional of the Australian HR Institute (FCPHR).

Onnis, L. & Oorschot, J. (November 2025). How does place shape human resource management?: A qualitative study in tropical northern Queensland. HR in the Tropics, James Cook University, Australia. ISBN 978-1-923389-11-3.

Bentley, T., Onnis, L., O'Neill, S., Brunetto, Y., Blackwood, K., Bezemer, P., Franken, E., Farr-Wharton, B., Hernandez Grande, A., & Huuskes, L. (August 2023). Strengthening the priority of WHS for business leaders: Discovery Phase 2 Report. Centre for WHS, NSW.

Bentley, T., Farr-Wharton, B., Onnis, L., Bezemer, P., Franken, E., Vassiley, A., Green, N., Zaman, R., Brunetto, Y., Huuskes, L., & O'Neill, S. (June 2023). Strengthening the priority of WHS for business leaders: Exploratory Phase 1 Report. Centre for WHS, NSW.

Farr-Wharton, B., Bentley, T., Onnis, L., Caponecchia, C., Neta, A., Vassiley, A., O'Neill, S. & Andrew, C. (2022). A quantitative study on the relationship between workplace factors, work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) and psychosocial risk (PSR) in older New South Wales-based workers. Centre for WHS, NSW.

Maryland, E., Caponecchia, C., Onnis, L., Manca, D., Gopaldsani, V., Jokic, T., Coman, R., O'Neill, S., Farr-Wharton, B. & Bentley, T. (2021). Mentally healthy workplaces: Facilitators, motivators and barriers to improved management of psychosocial risks at work, Centre for WHS, NSW.

Bentley, T., Farr-Wharton, B., Omari, M., Vassiley, A., Onnis, L., Shafei, A., Nejati, M., Pooley, J., Divine, A. & Neta, A. (2021) Flexible work and psychological safety - Best practice to advance psychologically safe solutions from alternate locations: A report on findings from interviews with NSW flexible employees and managers (Phase 2). Centre for WHS, NSW.

Teo, S., Bentley, T., Nguyen, D., Farr-Wharton, B., Onnis, L., Brunetto, Y., Nguyen, H. & Neta, A. (2020). Flexible work and psychological safety - Best practice to advance psychologically safe work from alternate locations: A report on findings from a survey of New South Wales employees (Phase 1). Centre for WHS, NSW.

Onnis, L., Moylan, R., Whiteside, M., Klieve, H., Smith, K. & Tsey, K. (2019). Family Wellbeing: "It's not about reinventing the wheel; it's about making the wheel turn".