Jessica Leslie

I am a social worker and academic staff member lecturing in Social Work and Social Policy at UWA. As a Koori and Kamilaroi woman born in Boorloo/Perth, I’m passionate about transforming systems through First Nations-led ways of knowing, being and doing.

As an accredited social worker, I bring practice experience working in both not-for-profit and government sectors across a range of areas, including alcohol and other drugs, mental health, justice, homelessness, child protection, and research and evaluation. I hold a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in Psychology and Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage, and a Master of Social Work.

I'm particularly passionate about the translation of social work theory into practice. With an understanding of teaching as a reciprocal, two-way process of learning, I aim to embed this in my practice as a lecturer.

My key areas of research interest include Aboriginal-led approaches to social work practice and pedagogy, First Nations data sovereignty, eco social work, alcohol and other drugs, child protection, and problematisations of marginalised peoples in welfare policies.