Our people

Associate Director - Nina is the Associate Director of the Mitchell Institute. Her current work focuses broadly on young people, the intersection between education and health, and equity.

Director of Pathways in Place - Melinda is an internationally recognised researcher with over 20 years’ research experience.

Project and Communications Coordinator - Madeline assists all arms of the Institute in communications, administration, and project coordination.

Senior Research Fellow - Beatriz's research focuses on the study of disadvantage, how to measure and model it to acknowledge that this is a problem with multiple dimensions and levels.

Senior Research Fellow - Esther has played key roles in research projects across all stages of learning, and is adept at employing a wide range of research methodologies.

Project Administration and Publications Officer - Eleonora is a Project Administration and Publications Officer at the Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy.

Education Policy Fellow - Dr Melinda Hildebrandt has a particular interest in access and equity in education, and disability advocacy.

Research Fellow - Sam has a particular research interest in tertiary and vocational education. His PhD focused on academic professional development in higher education.

Research Officer – Bryce is a casual research officer with the Mitchell Institute with extensive professional experience in the community services sector.

Senior Research Fellow - Andres has worked for more than 20 years in the design, analysis, evaluation, and implementation of educational projects and programs in several countries.

Research Fellow at Pathways in Place - Amy is an early career researcher with an interest in social theory and digital media.

Education Policy Fellow - Ha is a Policy Fellow at the Mitchell Institute with over 10 years of experience in tertiary education.

Senior Research Fellow - Bo is passionate about reducing health and education inequities and achieving better outcomes for disadvantaged communities through policy change.

Lead Data Scientist - Dr Maria Prokofieva has a Bachelor in IT and Graduate Certificate in Accounting and her PhD is in the area of Business Information Systems (Russia).

Research Fellow - Melissa is a Research Fellow at the Mitchell Institute and has worked on research projects across the school system.

Research Fellow - Binh is a Research Fellow at the Mitchell Institute and has a particular interest in advocating international students and doctoral students

Administration Assistant - Freya’s work includes project organisation and planning, meeting schedules, and staff leave coordination.

Senior Research Fellow - Anne has undertaken qualitative and quantitative research projects on a state and national basis and across all sectors of education.

Professor - Professor Peter Dawkins was Vice-Chancellor and President of Victoria University from 2011 to December 2020.

Honorary Fellow - A key area of interest for Lizzie is equity of access to and in tertiary education, the provision of institutional information and support for transition into post-school education.

Adjunct Professor - Adjunct Professor Leung has a background in international research into early childhood education and care.

Professor of Tertiary Education Policy - Professor Noonan has played a major role in shaping policy in Australia’s education and training system.

Dr Reshmi's research aims to advance global understanding of how auto/ethnographical experiences of education shape the creation of academic identities among marginalised groups within Higher Education in diverse contexts.