Associate Professor Gregory Phillips has dedicated his life’s work to improving outcomes for Indigenous communities in health, education and social justice and to advancing reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
From the Waanyi and Jaru Aboriginal people, Phillips completed a Bachelor of Arts in Aboriginal Studies and Government at the University of Queensland. He worked in Aboriginal communities throughout Australia focusing on education, youth leadership, addiction recovery and land rights before returning to university to earn his Masters in Medical Science at UQ and later to complete his PhD in Psychology at Monash.
His PhD, entitled ‘Dancing with Power: Aboriginal Health, Cultural Safety and Medical Education’ looked at how and why Indigenous health is included or excluded in medical school curricula, and formed the basis for much of his later work, including founding the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education Network; writing an accredited Indigenous health curriculum for all medical schools in Australia and New Zealand; and co-authoring a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce strategy.
Phillips is currently an Associate Professor and Research Fellow in Aboriginal Health at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, following high profile roles that have included Head of the School for Indigenous Health at Monash University and Chief Executive of ABSTARR Consulting.
