Gail Garvey


Gail Garvey is an Indigenous Australian Health Services Researcher with a core focus on Psycho-oncology and Indigenous people. Garvey is a Kamilaroi woman whose family originated from Moree in western New South Wales. She is currently Professor at the Menzies School of Health, where she is Senior Principal Research Fellow and Deputy Division Leader for the Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases Division.

Academic career

Garvey began her career in education. She completed a Bachelor of Education at Newcastle College of Advanced Education in 1986 and a Master of Education at The University of Newcastle in 2000 and a PhD at Charles Darwin University in 2016. Her thesis investigated “Psychosocial aspects of cancer care for Indigenous Australians”.
Garvey's research career has focused on investigating cancer experiences and outcomes of Indigenous Australians. She has publicly advocated for better prevention and treatment of cancer in remote areas in Australia. Her work in cancer has illuminated critical shortcomings in health system performance for Indigenous Australians affected by cancer and has identified pathways to improve equity of access and outcomes.
In 2009 Garvey won the Our Women, Our State Awards award.
In 2015 Garvey won the Harry Christian Giese - Research into Action Award.
In 2016 Garvey won the Bupa Health Foundation Award - Emerging Health Researcher.

Selected works