Kate Loren Derry

Kate Loren Derry is a Research Fellow at the School of Indigenous Studies, The University of Western Australia (UWA), based on Whadjuk Noongar Country. She holds a PhD in Psychological Science from UWA and leads key initiatives such as the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB) project and the Youth Empowerment Project. Her work focuses on decolonizing mental health frameworks, Indigenous-led research, and cultural respect in healthcare systems.

Dr. Derry’s education includes a BSc (Hons) and PhD in Psychological Science from UWA. She has collaborated extensively with Professors Pat Dudgeon AM and Helen Milroy AM, emphasizing participatory action research and capacity-building in Indigenous communities. Her research addresses systemic inequities through culturally grounded approaches to social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), restorative justice practices, and ethical knowledge translation.

Her scholarly contributions span 36 publications including articles in The Lancet, textbook chapters, and policy reports like the Go8 COVID-19 Roadmap to Recovery. She has authored foundational guides such as Social and Emotional Wellbeing: A Welcome Guide for the Aboriginal Workforce (2022). Dr. Derry also pioneered the national SEWB Gatherings, fostering cross-sector collaboration in Indigenous mental health advocacy.

Current projects include the NHMRC-funded Youth Empowerment Project and evaluations of Aboriginal Health Council initiatives. She balances academic roles with entrepreneurial experience from her time at start-up TalentIdentify, now part of CarePage, which focused on research commercialization in mental health innovation.

Dr. Derry’s work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals targeting health equity, quality education, and reduced inequalities. Her research expertise bridges psychology, public health, and decolonial theory, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.