Professors Jennifer McIntosh
& Louise Newman
lead the MERTIL team
MERTIL is led by two of Australia’s infant trauma experts:
Professor Jennifer McIntosh AM
Professor of Systemic Practice & Family Therapy at the Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University, and Director of the Melbourne Attachment & Caregiving Lab, Australian Temperament Project-Generation 3 study.
Jennifer is both a clinical specialist and researcher, with a particular interest in research translation, specifically making developmental theories “user friendly”, enabling parents, carers and professionals to consider the experience of children more sensitively in the context of family trauma. Over 30 years, Jennifer has completed extensive training and research programs for the Australian Attorney General’s Department, the Family Court of Australia, Department of Health and Human Services, Office for the Status of Women, and national family services including Relationships Australia and Anglicare.
Professor Louise Newman AM
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and formerly Director, Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria.
Louise is a practicing infant psychiatrist with expertise in disorders of early parenting and attachment difficulties in infants. Her research has explored the issues confronting parents with histories of early trauma and neglect. As Director, her work focussed on evaluation of infant-parent interventions in high-risk populations, parental reflective functioning in mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder, and the neurobiology of parenting disturbance.
MERTIL Project
Dr Anna Booth
Research Fellow,
School of Psychology, La Trobe University
Tanudja Gibson
Project Manager
Ellen Welsh
MERTIL Online Learning
Coordinator, La Trobe University
Dr Shikkiah de Quadros-Wander
Clinical Psychologist
Web Development Team
Dr Jade Sheen
Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Director of Simulation-based Education, School of Psychology, Deakin University
René Bennett
Learning Designer, Faculty of Health, Deakin University
Matt Johnson
Learning Management System Design,
UTS Education
Expert Advisory Board
Ms Meredith Banks
Enhanced Maternal and
Child Health Advisor,
City of Whittlesea
Professor Peter Enticott
Professor of Psychology
(Cognitive Neuroscience),
School of Psychology, Deakin University
Dr Sabin Fernbacher
Mental Health Consultant
Ms Beth Gammel
Clinical Nurse Consultant, Maternal and Child Health, Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne
Dr Amy Holtzworth-Munroe
Professor of Psychology, Director of Graduate Studies, Indiana University
Associate Professor
Brigid Jordan
Paediatric Social Worker and Infant Mental Health Clinician, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Ms Mary Mallia
Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Nurse, Centre for Women’s Mental Health, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne
Dr Robyn Miller
Chief Executive Officer,
MacKillop Family Services
Dr Graham Music
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, Travistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
Dr Susan Nicolson
General Practitioner, Centre for Women’s Mental Health, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne
Professor Craig Olsson
Director SEED, Director ATP Gen-3, National Convener, ARACY, Longitudinal Studies, Deakin University
Associate Professor Melissa O’Shea
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, Deakin University
Associate Professor Campbell Paul
Consultant Infant and Child Psychiatrist, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
Dr Claire Ralfs
CEO, Relationships Australia, South Australia
Dr Paul Robertson
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Mindful Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, University of Melbourne
Ms Emma Toone
Consultant Child Psychotherapist,
Berry Street
Dr Joe Tucci
CEO, Australian Childhood Foundation