Patricia Dudgeon is a Bardi woman from the Kimberley and Professor of Indigenous Health and Well-Being. Her research focuses on suicide prevention and uses community engagement, consultation and responsiveness, and draws upon multi-disciplinary approaches. Her large, national integrated projects map social phenomena and seek to implement transformative methods and practices.

Foremost in Professor Dudgeon’s list of achievements is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP), funded by the Australian government. This ground-breaking evaluation clearly identified the key elements for best practice suicide prevention programs and strategies, and the central importance of Indigenous leadership at all levels of delivery. This work led to the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention, which Professor Dudgeon directs.

Professor Dudgeon is a prominent contributor to the National Torres Strait Islander Leaders in Mental Health group, the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association, co-chair of the National Ministerial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group and a board member to the Gayaa Dhuwi Proud Spirit Group. She is also a member of the National Suicide Prevention Taskforce to the Prime Minister’s advisor on national suicide prevention.

She leads the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and is a member of the editorial boards of the Australian Aboriginal Studies Journal and the international Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing: Te Mauri Primatisiwin.