Background

Freya joined Burnet Institute in March 2020 as Lead Policy Officer with EC Australia. Her role is to support EC Australia to translate knowledge into policy and advocate for health system changes to achieve elimination of hepatitis C.

Prior to joining Burnet Institute, Freya worked at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, and Carers NSW.

Qualifications

• 2015: Master of Research (Anthropology), Macquarie University, Australia
• 2013: Bachelor of Health, Macquarie University, Australia

Positions

• Current: Lead Policy Officer, EC Australia, Burnet Institute
• 2019-2020: Policy Officer, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine
• 2016-2019: Policy and Development Officer, Carers NSW
• 2016: Intern, World Health Organization
• 2016: Intern, Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia
• 2013-2014: Research Assistant, George Institute for Global Health

Reports + Policy Briefs

2022 (8)

• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 vaccine intention, and adherence to isolation and quarantine recommendations. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Jin D, Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Wilkinson A, Merner B, Ryan R, Pedrana A, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. Burnet Institute Optimise Study. September, 2022. 

• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 related worry, acceptability of prevention measures and confidence in Government. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Jin D, Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Ryan R, Lusher D, Wang P, Pedrana A, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. August, 2022.

• The Optimise Study: A rapid survey examining frequency, impacts of long COVID and associated concerns. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Hellard M, Gibney K, Stoové M, Chavez KM, Wilkinson A, Heath K, Altermatt A, Young K, Nguyen T, Gibbs L, Osborne D, Jin D, Saich F. The Optimise Study. August, 2022.
• The Optimise Study: A rapid survey examining the influence of potential cessation of the Victorian pandemic declaration. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Hellard M, Gibney K, Stoové M, Wilkinson A, Heath K, Altermatt A, Young K, Nguyen T, Jin D, Saich F. The Optimise Study. June, 2022.
• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 testing, test positivity and contacts over time. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Jin D, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Wilkinson A, Hill S, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. May, 2022.
• The Optimise Study: A rapid survey examining concerns about children returning to school in 2022. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Hellard M, Gibney K, Hill S, Merner B, Heath K, Altermatt A, Jin D, Young K, Thomas A, Nguyen T, Wilkinson A, Saich F. The Optimise Study. April, 2022.
• The Optimise Study: Summer 2021-2022 Snapshot. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Hellard M, Gibney K, Stoové M, Young K, Altermatt A, Heath K, Thomas A, Nguyen T, Wilkinson A, Merner B, Hill S, Saich F, Jin D. The Optimise Study. April, 2022.
• The Optimise Study: COVID-19 worry and perceptions about infection and potential severity. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Tse WC, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Hill S, Jin D, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. March, 2022.

2021 (9)

• The Optimise Study:- Impacts of the COVID-19 response on culturally and linguistically diverse communities. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Menon V, Munari S, Merner B, Hill S, Shearer F, Gibbs L, Coelho A, Fletcher-Lartey S, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. December, 2021.
• COVID-19 testing in schools and attitudes and concerns about the current state of the pandemic. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Thomas A, Nguyen T, Wilinson A, Merner B, Hill S, Fletcher-Lartey S, Gibbs L, Gibbs L, Shearer F, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. November, 2021.
• COVID-19 testing and vaccination. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S, Merner B, Hill S, Stoové M, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. October, 2021. 
• The Optimise Study: Vaccination knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Stoové M, Griffiths D, Collie A, Lim M, Eddy S, Meagher N, McDougall C, Marinkovic Chavez K, Carpenter L, Fletcher-Lartey S, Price D, Gibbs L, Shearer F, Power R, Cheong M, Caddy C, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. August, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: Impact of government restrictions on risk mitigation strategies. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Power R, Cheong M, Caddy C, Griffiths D, Collie A, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. July, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: The impact of COVID-19 on income and finances. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Griffiths D, Collie A, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. June, 2021. 
• The Optimise Study: Gendered differences in coping and responding to COVID-19. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Kwong E, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S. Merner B, Hill S, Stoové M, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. May, 2021.
• The Optimise Study: Social networks and mixing patterns. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Munari S, Merner B, Hill S, Lusher D, Radhitio Sadewo G, Wang P, Pedrana A, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. April, 2021. 
• The Optimise Study: Vaccine preparedness. (PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT) Saich F, Heath K, Altermatt A, Merner B, Hill S, Pedrana A, Munari S, Horyniak D, Walker S, Wallace J, Block K, Gibbs L, Gibney K, Hellard M. The Optimise Study. March, 2021.