PIRI Staff

PIRI Clinical & Research Staff

Professor Jeannette Milgrom

Professor Jeannette Milgrom

Executive Director
Professor Jeannette Milgrom has been involved in clinical practice and research on difficulties in the mother-infant interaction and postnatal depression (PND) since 1978, and has held a Harkness Fellowship in the USA as well as an O’Rouke Fellowship in Paris for work with families and infants.
Dr Alan Gemmill

Dr Alan Gemmill

Deputy Director, Research and Senior Research Fellow
Dr Alan Gemmill has strong interests in reproductive biology, human health, psychology and biomedical statistics. His published work has modelled the reproductive ecology of infectious, disease-causing organisms in the light of modern evolutionary theory and has focussed on direct experimental tests of theoretical predictions.
Dr Charlene Holt

Dr Charlene Holt

Senior Research Fellow
Dr Holt is a Senior Research Fellow at PIRI, trained as a psychologist. She completed her Doctor of Clinical Psychology degree at La Trobe University, Melbourne in 2007.
Dr Yafit Hirshler

Dr Yafit Hirshler

Research Fellow
Dr Yafit Hirshler graduated with a Bachelor of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University, Israel in 2002. She completed her Doctor of Neuroscience degree at Bar-Ilan University, Israel in April 2010.
Dr Andre Rodrigues

Dr Andre Rodrigues

Research Fellow
Dr. Andre Rodrigues has a PhD with Monash University in Health Behaviour Change and Chronic Disease Prevention.
Mrs Sarah Maher

Mrs Sarah Maher

Research Assistant
Sarah graduated with Bachelor of Behavioural Science at LaTrobe University in 2005 and Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research at the University of Melbourne in 2012.
Ms Jennifer Ericksen

Ms Jennifer Ericksen

Senior Clinical Psychologist
Appointed a Board Director in 2001 and Consultant Senior Clinical Psychologist, Jennifer Ericksen is a Consultant Senior Clinical Psychologist, Program and Training Manager at the Parent-Infant Research Institute, Austin Health.
Dr Tamsin Kane

Dr Tamsin Kane

Clinical Psychologist
Tamsin completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Monash University majoring in Psychology and graduated with a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from Deakin University in 2000.
Dr Michele Burn

Dr Michele Burn

Research Psychologist
Dr Michele Burn completed a Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Deakin University. Her doctoral thesis focused on the impact of family-based child mental health interventions on parental mental health and wellbeing.
Elizabeth Loughlin

Elizabeth Loughlin

Dance Therapist
Ms Loughlin is a professional dance therapist who has worked with mothers and infants in dance in the community, studio and clinical setting for many years.
Melissa Buultjens

Melissa Buultjens

Honorary Research Fellow
Melissa Buultjens is a midwife who shares her time between working clinically, and as a lecturer in the School of Public Health at La Trobe University.
Dr Holly Andrewes

Dr Holly Andrewes

Research Psychologist
Dr Holly Andrewes completed Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychologist at the University of Melbourne. She has experience working in public and private settings with individuals spanning all ages. Holly has a special interest in perinatal and infant mental health with parents experiencing both acute and chronic mental illnesses.
Brittany Watson

Brittany Watson

Research Psychologist
Dr Brittany Watson completed a Doctorate of Psychology (Clinical) At Deakin University. She has experience working in research and clinically in public settings with children and families. Brittany has a special interest in perinatal and infant mental health.

Previous PIRI Staff

Dr Felicity Holmes

Dr Felicity Holmes

Clinical Psychologist
Felicity completed a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) at Deakin University in 2014 and began working with PIRI in the same year.
Dr Chris Holt

Dr Chris Holt

Research Fellow
Dr Christopher Holt graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne in 2003.
Dr Natalie Rose

Dr Natalie Rose

Senior Research Officer
Natalie completed a Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Teaching (Honours) at The University of Melbourne, and in 2003, she completed her PhD in Educational Psychology, also with Melbourne University.
Ms Jo du Buisson

Ms Jo du Buisson

Senior Clinical Psychologist
Jo du Buisson is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice, and former Senior Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Austin Health.
Dr Jessica Oliva

Dr Jessica Oliva

Dr Jessica Oliva completed her PhD with Monash University in 2015. Since joining PIRI, Jessica has worked on several projects including our e-mental health treatment programs.
Dr Jessica Ross

Dr Jessica Ross

Clinical Psychologist
Jessica completed her Doctor of Psychology degree at the University of Melbourne in 2008
Ms Rachel Watts

Ms Rachel Watts

Clinical Psychologist
Rachel graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor Science in 1990, and completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied at Science at RMIT in 1991.
Dr Carol Newnham

Dr Carol Newnham

Neuropsychologist & Researcher
Dr Newnham trained as a neuropsychologist and her main area of interest is optimising the development of premature babies.
Ms Sofia Galgut

Ms Sofia Galgut

Clinical Psychologist
Sofia Galgut graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) at Victoria University, Melbourne in 2003 and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at Deakin University in 2004.
Dr Carmel Ferretti

Dr Carmel Ferretti

Clinical Psychologist
Dr Carmel Ferretti is part of the PIRI’s PremieStart team and completed a PhD in Psychology at the University of Melbourne in 2016.
Meg Walsh

Meg Walsh

Provisional Psychologist
Meg is currently studying a Masters of Clinical Psychology at RMIT University, and is due to graduate mid next year.
Dr Fallon Cook

Dr Fallon Cook

Research Fellow
Fallon completed her PhD in Psychophysiology at Swinburne University of Technology in 2011.
Sofia Rallis

Sofia Rallis

Clinical Psychologist
Sofia completed her Master of Clinical Psychology degree at RMIT University, Melbourne in 2007 a PhD in Psychology at Deakin University.
Ms Christine Loft

Ms Christine Loft

Christine completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK.

Recently Graduated Postgraduate Clinical Placements

Julia AsanovAnna GerngrossSusie Hancox
Julia CheahHein NguyenAbigail Sheed
Sian ColeShana AslamSkye Borwick
Gypsy O’Dea

Student Placements

The Infant Clinic regularly accepts students on placement completing postgraduate degrees including masters or doctorate qualifications in clinical and health psychology.

Visiting international students and colleagues are also accommodated.

If you are interested in a placement with PIRI, please contact Catherine Acton by email: catherine.acton@austin.org.au