Pat Dudgeon

Professor Pat Dudgeon is a Bardi woman and Australia’s first Aboriginal psychologist, holding a prominent role as Professor and Research Fellow at the School of Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia. She leads the National Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health. Her work focuses on Indigenous psychology, social & emotional wellbeing, and suicide prevention. Key roles include Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission, Co-Chair of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Advisory Group, and founder of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia. Her research emphasizes decolonizing education systems, cultural responsiveness, and addressing systemic racism in health policies.

Publications include foundational texts like Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice and evaluations of suicide prevention programs. Current projects include the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health & Wellbeing Project and studies on Indigenous women’s wellbeing in correctional facilities. Awards and recognitions align with her leadership in Indigenous health equity, though specific prizes are not explicitly listed in the text.

Advising and grant leadership are central to her career: she directs major national initiatives and collaborates internationally. Her work integrates Indigenous knowledge systems with Western academic frameworks to advance culturally safe practices in mental health and education.