Research Staff

Angelita has worked in public health practice, education and research since 1988, and holds a PhD, Master of Public Health, and Graduate Diploma of Education.

Her research is focused on the health needs of vulnerable Australians, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and families impacted by illness. She has extensive experience in policy and health services research, leading to substantial influence on policy and practice through successful collaboration with community, government, industry and non-government organisations.

Lakkhina is a clinical researcher with a background in neurodegenerative disease and neurotrauma. She has over 6 years postdoctoral training in biostatistics, epidemiology, population health and general practice research. She has worked on a wide range of research and evaluation studies including clinical trials, case-control studies, epidemiological surveys, big data research and data linkage. 

At Brightwater, her work focuses on acquired brain injury and neurorehabilitation, while also providing statistical support for the Research Centre.

Wendy comes from a diverse background, having worked at leading Western Australian Universities and Telethon Kids Institute, managing clinical, epidemiological and primary care research. Her research has been primarily on nutrition and cardiovascular health. Wendy holds a PhD from Curtin University and a PRINCE2 practitioner certification. Wendy is passionate about research methodologies, and seeing research outcomes being translated into practice.

Alexandra obtained her medical degree at The Medical University of Graz, Austria in 2004.

Since qualifying she has worked as Neurology registrar in Austria, the Netherlands and Australia. She developed a special interest for neurodegenerative and neuro-inflammatory disorders, which led to PhD studies at the Free University in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, which focused on imaging and histopathology in Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke.

Alexandra is passionate about disease prevention and the influence of lifestyle choices, especially nutrition and exercise, on health and disease. Alexandra’s work is centred around nutrition in neurological disease.

Melissa holds a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics from Edith Cowan University, and a Bachelor of Health Science from University of Tasmania.

She has been working as a private practice dietitian since graduating in September 2017. Research formed a significant part of Melissa’s studies and has led to her developing a strong passion for research that improves health outcomes and quality of life of individuals within the local and broader community.

Melissa is currently working on a nutrition based project at Brightwater Care with Dr Alexandra Seewann and Dr Angelita Martini that aims to assess the influence of food additives on behaviour in elderly with dementia.

Hayley holds a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Western Australia, and is currently working towards a PhD of Social Research at the Australian National University. She has been involved in a range of research studies in psychology and public health, including research focused on improving access to intervention and preventions programs for mental health problems and addressing the needs of children affected by chronic parental illness or disability.

In her role at Brightwater, Hayley is working on projects aimed at understanding community rehabilitation outcomes following acquired brain injury and addressing the needs of children who have a parent with acquired brain injury or younger onset dementia.

Joanne graduated from UWA in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts (double major in psychology), and is completing a Master of Public Health.

Her background is in business management. Joanne is passionate about vulnerable populations and is currently working on the Lotterywest Families Project looking to develop an informed support intervention for children and youths whose parents have an acquired brain injury or younger onset dementia diagnosis.

To get in touch with Joanne, please contact (08) 9202 3561.

Robyn graduated from Murdoch University with a Master of Applied Psychology (Clinical) in 2003.

Since then Robyn has worked in government and non-government agencies providing psycho-therapeutic treatment for children, young people and families.

At Brightwater,  Robyn has the opportunity to use her experience of working with children in distress and her curiosity about what helps families thrive, within a project that aims to develop support for children with an acquired brain injury or younger onset dementia.  

To get in touch with Robyn, please contact (08) 9202 3527.