Dr Merran Smith - Chief Executive

Merran is the inaugural Chief Executive of Australia’s Population Health Research Network and chairs the PHRN Participant Council. She is a past Director of the International Population Data Linkage Network (2019-2020) and current member of the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre Board.

Merran has an extensive background in science, health, and economics with strengths in strategic leadership and many years’ experience in Australia’s health and research infrastructure systems.  She is well versed in data management and oversaw the WA Department of Health’s Health Information Centre for more than 10 years. While with the Department, she established data linkage as a core service and served on Australia’s peak national health information committees. 

Qualifications: BSc, BA, MSc, PhD, Postgrad Dip (Bus), MAICD

Dr Felicity Flack - Senior Manager, Strategy and Services

Felicity provides strategic support to the Chief Executive and Board, develops national policies, and coordinates the national strategic planning process. She is also responsible for negotiating strategic partnerships with external collaborators that share common goals and manages communications for the national network.

Felicity has considerable national research data infrastructure, research ethics and governance experience, having worked in hospitals, research institutes and universities for more than 20 years.

Qualifications: BSc (Hons) PhD CF

 Ms Alexandra Wood - Manager, Contracts and Finance

Alexandra is currently on maternity leave.

Helen Pelusey -  Administrative Officer

Helen is responsible for all administrative functions including financial activities, event and travel organisation.  She provides executive support for senior staff, the Board, Participant Council and the NCRIS Health Group.

Helen has extensive experience as a senior administration officer in a research environment. She also holds a Masters in Interpreting and Translating (French and German) from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

Qualifications: MA

Dr Kate Miller - Senior Specialist, Science and Partnerships

Kate is PHRN’s Coordinator for Science and Partnerships. She implements strategic projects and establishes relationships with our partners, industry collaborations and participants. She has extensive experience facilitating training and developed the online Data Linkage Researcher Training and the Ethics and Data Linkage training provided by the PHRN.

Previously, Kate worked at the Telethon Kids Institute as an epidemiologist with the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium. In this role she led the development of standardised surveillance protocols to provide standardised case definitions for diseases caused by Strep A and guide researchers with the design and planning of clinical trials to measure vaccine efficacy and safety.

Kate undertook her PhD at the UWA using linked data to explore the relationship between ultraviolet radiation and type 1 diabetes.

Qualifications: BSc, MHP, PhD

Dr Erika Hagemann - Coordinator, Client Services

Erika facilitates and promotes access to multi- and cross-jurisdictional linked data for researchers. She works collaboratively with client services officers across Australia, and key external and internal stakeholders, to coordinate the application and approval process. She also manages the PHRN Online Application System (OAS) and is involved in strategic projects and activities which aim to improve and enable innovative data linkage infrastructure and research capacity.

Erika has over 20 years’ experience conducting research projects and considerable experience in ethics, governance, research establishment, and management within research institutes, hospitals, and universities. She has worked closely with a range of stakeholders including clinicians, community members, participants, researchers, students, service providers, data custodians, and representatives from government departments, organisations, and industry. Erika is driven to enable rigorous, impactful research that translates into better outcomes, policies, and practice which improves people’s health and wellbeing.

Qualifications: BAppSc (Hons), PhD

Mikhalina Dombrovskaya - Coordinator, Client Services

Together with Erika, Mikhalina advises researchers and coordinates the PHRN’s management of cross-jurisdictional research projects, including operation of the PHRN Online Application System. Maintaining positive relationships with our network of client service teams Australia-wide, she also promotes the PHRN's cross-jurisdictional linkage capabilities to researchers, guiding research teams through the application and approvals process.

Mikhalina previously worked in health and medical research, as well as government. She has a keen interest in population health. In her role with the WA Department of Health, she helped clients navigate the complex pathways to gain access to linked administrative data for research purposes.

Qualifications: BBNSc (Hons), MPH 

Aggie Boukley - Manager, Contracts and Finance (maternity leave cover for Alexandra Wood)

Aggie manages the reporting, contractual and financial arrangements for PHRN and the Program Office.  She ensures obligations under Head Agreement with the Commonwealth are met and provides support to the Chief Executive and PHRN Board to facilitate the implementation of the PHRN strategic plan and national investment in data linkage infrastructure.

Aggie is also joint Operations Manager for The Raine Study, a longitudinal study based in WA where she has senior responsibility for all operational matters, including finance, human resources and corporate support. She also oversees all operational issues related to cohort follow-ups, data and biosample management, communications and participant engagement.  

Qualifications: BCom, CPA

Lauran Davis - Senior Legal Research Officer

Lauran undertakes legal research and reform activities on behalf of the PHRN. Her focus is on legal and ethical privacy considerations in data management and data linkage in Australia, and the efficacy and viability of existing and future governance and policy frameworks nationally and at a State and Territory level.

Lauran was admitted as a solicitor in 2018 and has previously worked for government as a solicitor in civil litigation and dispute resolution at the ACT Government Solicitors Office, providing advice to various government directorates including ACT Health. More recently, she worked in private practice with a focus on health (medical negligence) law. Lauran’s legal experience is complemented by her background in research, policy and law reform, facilitated by work and internships she has undertaken with Legal Aid and the Australian Parliament.

Qualifications: LLB, BA, GDLP

Dr Elysia Hollams – CROSS-Link Project Manager

Elysia joined the PHRN in November 2024 to facilitate the CROSS-Link project. She will establish an evidence-informed and co-designed framework for streamlined, efficient and routine linkage of clinical quality registries data with administrative data.

Elysia has over 30 years' experience in the medical research sector. After obtaining a PhD in cancer molecular biology from the University of WA, Elysia spent 15 years investigating the immune drivers of asthma in longitudinal birth cohorts such as the Raine Study. She has since worked in multidisciplinary research management – establishing governance frameworks and providing project management support in a collaborative research scheme at the Telethon Kids Institute – and in clinical trial management, supporting studies related to infectious diseases and vaccines.

Qualifications: BSc(Hons), PhD

Akhtar Ali -  Data Management Officer

Nikki Liley - Communications Officer

Nikki promotes the PHRN and related research undertaken, nationally and internationally. She produces content for social media, quarterly newsletters and the annual review and manages the website. She engages with PHRN stakeholders through NCRIS Health Communications and NCRIS Communications meetings and manages the logistics for webinars and other events.

Previously, Nikki provided freelance communications and worked for various government departments and health-related institutions including the Department of Health WA, the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Qualifications: BA, GDipSoc, GDipJourn