Who We Are
Meet the Team
Lecturer in Psychology & Psychologist
Hannah Yared, PhD (she/her)
Dr. Yared is an academic in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology. Her research explores race and racism in the fields of education and psychology. Her PhD research focused on these issues in Australian schools.
Clinical Psychology PhD Candidate
Ruby Hamer (she/her)
Ruby is interested in trauma and dissociation. She is particularly interested in developing trauma-related training resources that will prepare psychologists and psychiatrists to support more effectively clients who experience dissociation.
Clinical Psychology PhD Candidate
Elena Slodecki (she/her)
Elena is interested in trauma, marginalisation and the interplay between sociocultural factors and mental health. She works from a social justice perspective and is studying violence and self-objectification among women.
PhD Candidate
Eva Johansen (she/her)
Eva's research on sexual wellbeing aims to discover ways trans youth can be empowered to navigate sexual risk, look after their sexual health, and feel positive about their sexual lives. She is interested in designing research that is inclusive and affirming for trans people.
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
Dean Kolovos (he/him)
In partnership with Movember Institute, Dean’s research explores how economic and social factors shape men’s mental health. He is interested in the impacts of economic precarity, relationships among masculine norms and help-seeking, and how masculinities are negotiated online.
Clinical Psychology Masters Student
Kiesha-Marie Jude (she/her)
Kiesha is interested in making counselling safer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients by enhancing psychology education. She is investigating whether AI characters can facilitate student exploration of and reflection on complex topics, such as intergenerational trauma.
Clinical Psychology Masters Student
Alex Billett (she/her)
Alex is passionate about promoting trauma-informed practice and equity across health, housing, and social service sectors. Her research explores the lived experiences of women with histories of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and housing instability.
Clinical Psychology Masters Student
Samuel Johansen (he/they)
Samuel is a proud, Queer, Singaporean Australian who is interested in ways we can build greater safety, accessibility, and inclusivity in psychological practice. They are exploring barriers that impact access to postgraduate psychology study and workforce diversity.
Clinical Psychology Masters Student
Elisabetta Materazzo (she/her)
​Lizzy's research, supervised by Dr Hannah Yared, explores experiences of racially marginalised individuals in Australian mental healthcare. She studies access barriers, therapeutic experiences, and culturally grounded pathways to empowerment and healing.
Clinical Psychology Masters Student
Selin Gunes (she/her)
Selin is interested in working with marginalised communities in rural and remote areas within the public mental health space. She is interested in the intersectionality of cultural diversity, systemic trauma, and equitable access to mental health support.
Research Assistant
Jessie Elizabeth (they/them)
Jessie is interested in trauma and how frontline workers can best support individuals to adapt and recover, following traumatic experiences. Jessie is currently assisting in the evaluation of a TBI training module for frontline workers in the homelessness space.
A/PROF MACKELPRANG'S PAST STUDENTS
Inge Gnatt, PhD (Clinical Psychology), co-supervised with Prof Maja Nedeljkovic & A/Prof Andrea Phillipou
David Eckel, PhD, co-supervised with Prof Glen Bates & A/Prof Stephen Theiler
Lucca Randazzo, BPsych (Hons)
Jemma Parnaby, MPsych (Clinical), co-supervised with Dr Chris Ludlow
Samantha Dax, MPsych (Clinical)
Emma McCulloch, BPsych (Hons), co-supervised with Prof Monica Thielking
Shuyan Cao, BPsych (Hons)
Miranda Mirabile, BPsych (Hons)
Freya Medley, BPsych (Hons)
Selma Lunde Fjaestad, BHs (Hons), co-superised with Dr Jonathan "Yotti" Kingsley
Hien Nguyen, MPsych (Clinical)
Jessica Mejia, MPsych (Clinical)
Niclés Bestel, MPsych (Clinical)
Lilith Korndörffer, MPsych (Clinical), co-supervised with Dr Carolynne White
Tialara Harris, BPsych (Hons)
Kathleen de Boer, PhD (Clinical Psychology), co-supervised with Prof Maja Nedeljkovic
Stephanie Hartanto BPsych (Hons)
Kathryn Taylor, PhD, co-supervised with Prof Monica Thielking & Prof Denny Meyer
JP Miller, MPH (Monash University), co-supervised with A/Prof Gerard O’Reilly & Prof Biswadev Mitra
Molly McQueen, BPsych (Hons)