A global citizen at heart, my interests in peace studies and the plight of displaced people began when my family had to leave our home during farm invasions in Zimbabwe leading her to question the role of nationhood, race, and food security in maintaining peace.  My career has been working in disaster management, food security, health awareness and livelihood programs, community gardening and supporting asylum seekers. Working in Vanuatu during Tropical Cyclone Pam supporting the response and recovery as Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor with CARE International. Managing a social education project for the Australian Red Cross Migration Support program, she helped inspire humanitarian action and greater social cohesion in Australian communities through a focus on human rights, volunteering, and a sense of shared humanity.
I completed a BA in Sustainable Development and BA in Commerce from Murdoch University in Perth. Having been awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship after 6 years at the Australian Red Cross, my research interests are how community gardens can support displaced people to increase self-efficacy and self- reliance while simultaneously building peace through social cohesion fostering a spirit of community and volunteerism. As well as working with the Refugees in Towns Project exploring how returnees reintegrate back into their home countries.