Cris Townley

Cris Townley is a Research Fellow at the TeEACH Strategic Research Institute, Western Sydney University, with affiliations across the Schools of Medicine, Education, and Psychology. She leads and collaborates on projects addressing intersectional identities in education and service delivery, focusing on trans children, LGBTQ+ experiences, and integrated health-education policies.

• PhD in Sociology from UNSW
• Cert. Ed in Mathematics and Education from Cambridge University
• Deputy Research Lead for SAGE (Gender Equity) at Western Sydney University
• Member of the Institute for Culture and Society, Rainbow Western, and Sexualities and Gender Research (SaGR) network

Her research emphasizes:

• Listening to children’s, young people’s, and families’ voices
• Co-designing policy and practice reforms
• Addressing systemic barriers in early childhood services
• Advancing LGBTQ+ healthcare equity through video resources

Her recent work includes policy reports on community resilience, integrated health-education services, and qualitative analyses of trans children’s experiences in educational settings.

Scientific Awards:

• HDR Exceptional Achievement Grant (UNSW, 2018)
• Sydney International Metropolis Conference Scholarship (2018)

Townley actively collaborates with organizations like ACON and the NSW Government LGBTIQ+ Advisory Council, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals via intersectional research and policy translation.