Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research Director and Advisory Committee
The Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research is led by an experienced team who understand the importance of research collaboration that results in translatable outcomes.
Professor Leigh Kinsman
Professor Leigh Kinsman brings an outstanding record of community engagement and industry partnerships in rural health to translate research into practice and build the capacity of rural researchers to conduct and implement meaningful research. Joining the Violet Vines Marshman Centre of Rural Health Research from his most recent position as Joint Chair with the University of Newcastle and Mid North Local Health District, Professor Kinsman’s impressive career has reflected a whole-of-community approach to addressing health disparities, particularly for our most disadvantaged and vulnerable. Most recently, Leigh partnered with the NSW Mental Health Commission to improve the responsiveness of health and community organisations for people with lived experience of mental ill-health and their carers.
The Advisory Committee of the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research provides strategic advice on the Centre’s vision and agenda.
Dr Neil Marshman
Dr Neil Marshman is Trustee of the VV Marshman Charitable Trust and Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research. Dr Marshman obtained a PhD in soil microbiology from the University of New South Wales. His career spanned forty years in the mining and electricity sectors where he worked in environmental, health and safety roles in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the United Kingdom and India. Dr Marshman, together with his brothers and mother, became a trustee of the VV Marshman Charitable Trust in 2006. He participates in several postgraduate and early career mentoring programs, and sits on two sub-committees of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, and the Melbourne University Office of Environmental Programs Community and Industry Advisory Board.
Emeritus Professor Stephen Duckett
Emeritus Professor Stephen Duckett is Health Program Director at the Grattan Institute. He has a reputation for creativity, evidence-based innovation and reform in areas ranging from the introduction of activity-based funding for hospitals to new systems of accountability for the safety of hospital care. From 1996-2006 he was Dean of the then Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University, and a Pro-Vice-Chancellor for much of that period. He was appointed an Emeritus Professor of the University in 2014. An economist, he is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
Dr Catherine Lees
Dr Catherine Lees is the Head of Education Governance and Development at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Dr Lees completed her PhD in tumour immunology at Victoria University. She worked in cancer education at the Cancer Council Victoria before moving to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners to manage the College’s national research, grants and ethics program. In 2004, Dr Lees joined the Ethics and Research Department at the Royal Children’s Hospital, where she remained for 12 years before moving to regional Victoria to become Director of Education, Training and Research at Echuca Regional Health. Dr Lees returned to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in early 2024.
Professor Leesa Hooker
Professor Leesa Hooker is a Professor of Maternal and Child Health nursing and is currently Associate Dean Research and Industry Engagement at the La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Australia. She is a Principal Research Fellow, leading two streams of research -1. on Reducing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and 2. Child, Family and Community Health. She has established expertise in the epidemiology of family violence, women’s mental health, sexual and reproductive health and parenting. Her research includes intervention trials, observation studies and systematic reviews with a focus on improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Professor Toby Wilkinson
Professor Toby Wilkinson is Deputy Vice-Chancellor for External Relations at the University of Lincoln. He was previously part of the University of Cambridge International Strategy Office, working with the Pro Vice-Chancellor to support the international engagement of schools, faculties and departments, and to develop the University's international strategy. Professor Wilkinson is an expert on ancient Egyptian civilisation and is one of the leading Egyptologists of his generation.
Mrs Marie Aitken
Mrs Marie Aitken is an experienced psychologist with an interest in health and wellbeing. She is the Board Chair for the Wimmera Health Group and has previously had board roles with Rural Northwest Health and Western Victorian Primary Health Network. Mrs Aitken has a wealth of experience in working with local communities and believes that boards must take an active interest in clinical matters to benefit patients and communities. She recognises the inequities in rural health and the resilience of rural communities, and is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of country people.
Associate Professor Virginia Dickson-Swift
A/Prof Virginia Dickson-Swift is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research at La Trobe University. She is a public health researcher with over 20 years’ experience working in rural communities. Dr Dickson-Swift specialises in public health approaches to health and wellbeing challenges, oral health, qualitative research methodologies, sensitive research, ethics and working with vulnerable rural communities to solve local health issues.