First Responder Network

The First Responder Network is made up of members of the UQ Community. First Responders provide a safe and supportive environment for survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment to receive information on the support services that are available.

Members of the First Responder Network also have other supportive roles around the university including; UQ Ally Network, Mental Health Champions and Discrimination and Harassment Contact Officer (DHCO).

Find out more about the First Responder Network

Need emergency support?

If you are experiencing an emergency or have just experienced sexual assault and misconduct then you can call:

+61 7 3365 3333 UQ Security for on campus emergencies
000 for immediate police or ambulance assistance
1800 Respect 1800 737 732 for 24/7 counselling support

First Responder Directory
About the FRN

Name	Organisational unit	Location	Other role	Email
Adriana De Michiel	UQ Library	St Lucia	UQ Ally	a.demichiel@library.uq.edu.au
Aideen McInerney-Leo	The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute	TRI		a.mcinerney@uq.edu.au
Andrea Strachan	Student Services	St Lucia		andrea.strachan@uq.edu.au
Bernadette Yates	Union College	St Lucia		b.yates@unioncollegeuq.com.au
Catherine Fitzgerald	Student Services	St Lucia	UQ Ally, DHCO	c.fitzgerald3@uq.edu.au
Ceridwen Wynne	St John’s College	St Lucia		seniortutor@stjohns.uq.edu.au
Christina Scattini	Emmanuel College	St Lucia		c.scattini@emmanuel.uq.edu.au
Clare Scoble	Student Employability Centre	St Lucia	UQ Ally	c.scoble@uq.edu.au
David Andersen	Student Services	St Lucia	UQ Ally, Mental Health First Aid	d.andersen2@uq.edu.au
Deborah Walsh	School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work	St Lucia		d.walsh@social.uq.edu.au
Desiree George	Faculty of Medicine	Herston		desiree.george@uq.edu.au
Diana McCluskey	School of Political Science and International Studies	St Lucia		d.mccluskey@uq.edu.au
Dino Willox	Student Employability Centre	St Lucia		d.willox@uq.edu.au
Elizabeth Gorga	Student Services	St Lucia	UQ Ally, Mental Health Champion	e.gorga@uq.edu.au
Emma Heard (Currently on leave)	Student Services	St Lucia	UQ Ally	e.heard@uq.edu.au
Eunice Ngunu	The Student Centre	St Lucia	UQ Ally, DHCO	e.ngunu@uq.edu.au
Heather Stewart	UQ Business School	St Lucia	Mental Health Champion	heather.stewart@uq.edu.au
Jacinta Sinclair	UQ Student Services	St Lucia	Mental Health First Aid	jacinta.sinclair@uq.edu.au
Jackie Fuller	Student Services	St Lucia	Mental Health Champion	j.fuller@uq.edu.au
Jackie Gonzales	UQ Student Union (UQU)	St Lucia	Mental Health Champion	jackie.gonzalez@uqu.com.au
James Fraser	School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine	St Lucia	Mental Health First Aid, First aid	j.fraser5@uq.edu.au
James Lewandowski-Cox	UQ Library	St Lucia	UQ Ally, DHCO	j.cox1@uq.edu.au
Katie Gollschewski	Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology	St Lucia	UQ Ally	k.gollschewski@uq.edu.au
Katie Smith	Student Employability Centre	St Lucia	UQ Ally	k.smith10@uq.edu.au
Kris Frost	Property and Facilities – Security Section	St Lucia		k.frost@uq.edu.au
Letitia Norton	Student Services	Gatton		letitia.norton@uq.edu.au
Lisa Dingwall	UQ Centre for Clinical Research	St Lucia	UQ Ally, Mental Health Champion	l.dingwall@uq.edu.au
Louise Hallo	Emmanuel College	St Lucia		l.hallo@emmanuel.uq.edu.au
Lynda Shevellar	School of Social Science	St Lucia	UQ Ally	l.shevellar@uq.edu.au
Margaret Dunne	Student Services	St Lucia		margaret.dunn@uq.edu.au
Marloes Dekker Nitert	School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science	St Lucia	UQ Ally, Mental Health First Aid	m.dekker@uq.edu.au
Michael Crome	Cromwell College	St Lucia		m.crome@cromwell.uq.edu.au
Miriam Henze*	MBRS (casual), QBI (honorary)	External		m.henze@uq.edu.au
Nancy Lachner	Australian Centre for Ecogenomics/School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences	St Lucia	UQ Ally, Mental Health Champion, DHCO	n.lachner@uq.edu.au
Paris Renzella	School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences	St Lucia		p.renzella@uq.edu.au
Peter Walker	King's College	St Lucia	UQ Ally	p.walker@kings.uq.edu.au
Philip Gillingham	Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences	St Lucia		p.gillingham@uq.edu.au
Rachel Zheng	Faculty of Medicine, Child Health Queensland Clinical Unit	Queensland Children’s Hospital, South Bank	Ally, DHCO	Rachel.Zheng@uq.edu.au
Rebecca Lush	Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences	Herston	UQ Ally	r.lush@uq.edu.au
Remash Ismail	School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences	St Lucia		r.ismail@uq.edu.au
Renee de Simone	Student Services	St Lucia		r.desimone@uq.edu.au
Roxana Paterson	Grace College	St Lucia	UQ Ally	deputy@grace.uq.edu.au
Ruby Wallace	Global Engagement	St Lucia		ruby.wallace@uq.edu.au
Sally Northcroft	The Women's College	St Lucia		deanofstudents@womens.uq.edu.au
Sallyanne Graham	Student Centre	St Lucia	UQ Ally	s.graham2@uq.edu.au
Sarah Walker	King's College	St Lucia		s.walker@kings.uq.edu.au
Shamara Pitiyage	Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, School of Communication of Arts	St Lucia	UQ Ally	s.pitiyage@uq.edu.au
Selina Lucy (Currently on leave)	Student Services	St Lucia	UQ Ally	s.lucy@uq.edu.au
Shirin Jamarani	Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)	St Lucia	UQ Ally	m.jamarani@uq.edu.au
Simon Scott	Halls of Residence	Gatton		s.scott@uq.edu.au
Sol Rojas-Lizana	School of Languages	St Lucia	UQ Ally, DHCO	i.rojaslizana@uq.edu.au
Sophie Plunkett	Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences	St Lucia		s.plunkett@uq.edu.au
Suaditya C Mohan (Suady)	School of Social Science	St Lucia	UQ Ally	s.mohan@uq.edu.au
Sybilla Wilson	Student Services	St Lucia		s.wilson6@uq.edu.au
Tania Kapp	Student Services	St Lucia		t.kapp@uq.edu.au
Tess Dobinson	School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences	St Lucia	UQ Ally	t.dobinson@uq.edu.au
Tracey Scott	UQ Sport	St Lucia		traceyS@uqsport.com.au
Valeska Wood	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit	St Lucia	UQ Ally	v.wood@uq.edu.au
Wayne Kollegger	Halls of Residence	Gatton		w.kollegger@uq.edu.au
Yohan Nair	International House	St Lucia		y.nair@inthouse.uq.edu.au

*Contact with this First Responder will likely be via email and phone only as they generally sit externally to UQ campuses.

Why should I contact a First Responder?

First Responders offer a safe and supportive environment so that you can receive information on the support services that are available to you. First Responders will:

listen without judgment;
help you find relevant support services on and off campus;
respect your right to choose services and whether to make a formal report to UQ or the police and
provide information about UQ's policies and procedures about sexual misconduct.

Limitations of First Responders

The First Responder Network is not an emergency response or counselling service.

If you need to see a counsellor our Sexual Misconduct Support Unit (SMSU) has dedicated counsellors who specialise in supporting survivors of sexual misconduct. Book an appointment with the SMSU.

If you are in immediate danger you can contact the police on 000, call UQ Security 07 3365 3333 or Australia's sexual assault hotline 1800 RESPECT for counselling and guidance 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Who are First Responders?

The First Responders Network (FRN) is a group of dedicated volunteers from all cross-sections of the UQ community who are committed to ensuring UQ is a safe and respectful environment, free from all forms of sexual assault and misconduct.

These volunteers are committed to the University’s stance of ensuring that the work and study environment for all employees, students and volunteers is safe, respectful and free from all forms of sexual assault, and misconduct.

You can find a full list of First Responders under our First Responder Directory.

Other roles

First Responders also often have other roles that centre on supporting members of the UQ community in a number of ways.

UQ Allies

Members of the UQ Ally Network provide a safe zone for students and staff identifying as LBTQIA+ and promote the University's commitment to developing a safe and inclusive work and study environment. Find out more about the UQ Ally Network.

Mental Health Champions

Mental Health Champions are trained in Mental Health First Aid and can provide information and guidance on mental health support services provided by UQ, as well as external organisations, events, initiatives and ways to promote mental health and wellbeing. Find out more about the Mental Health Champions Network.

Discrimination and Harassment Contact Officers (DHCOs)

Dscrimination and Harassment Contact Officers (DHCOs) are trained UQ staff members who can provide support with enquiries related to discrimination, harassment and bullying, including about UQ policies, grievance resolution procedures and access to support services that are internal and external to UQ. Find out more about the DHCOs.

How do I contact a First Responder?

You can find a list of First Responders on our First Responder Directory.

If you would like to get in contact with a First Responder please email them with a short summary that responds to the following questions:

Are you a student or staff member?
Are you reaching out in reference to an experience that happened to you or someone else?
What type of support are you seeking?
- Information on the policy and procedure regarding sexual assault and misconduct;
- Advice on the report options available to survivors and the process at UQ;
- Information on support services available at UQ including counselling and appropriate adjustments; or
- Something else - please provide a brief summary of the type of support you are seeking from a First Responder.

You can contact any member from our FRN and are not limited to talking to a First Responder from your Faculty or Unit.

Please note that First Responders are not counsellors, if you require counselling please book an appointment with the Sexual Misconduct Support Unit.

Privacy information

If you choose to engage with any of the support services available at The University of Queensland, it’s important to note that basic information from your interaction will be logged.

The University of Queensland needs to monitor interactions regarding incidents of sexual assault and misconduct. This information will be used to help improve our policies and support services.

This information can be kept anonymous and no further action needs to be taken. The choice is with the survivor on how they intend to proceed with the support services available.

Find out more

Need emergency support?

Contact a First Responder

Why should I contact a First Responder?

Who are First Responders?

How do I contact a First Responder?

Privacy information