Fellow of the University of Wollongong
Citation delivered by Mr David Vance at the University of Wollongong on the occassion of the admission of Dr Christine Kay Gillies as a Fellow of the University on 6 October 2022.
A proud Ramindjeri and Potaruwutj woman, Dr Christine Gillies has made an outstanding contribution to UOW, to psychology, and to improving the health and wellbeing of our First Nations peoples and the broader community.
As a practising psychologist with more than 40 years of clinical experience, Christine has assessed and treated adults, adolescents and children and provided strategic advice across diverse clinical, forensic, legal and research settings – from area health services, community organisations and private practice to governments, District and Supreme Courts, Victims of Crime, war trauma and institutional sexual abuse, and the International Court in The Hague. She holds numerous professional memberships reflecting her standing in the international psychology community, among them Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
An unwavering advocate for her community, Christine was one of five foundational steering committee members, establishing the Aboriginal Psychologist Association and providing culturally appropriate clinical assessment advice for psychologists. Among her many contributions, she has been an advisor to the Federal government regarding health and welfare planning and a presenter to the NSW Judiciary in the drug court consultation process, advocated for Aboriginal context in tertiary psychology courses through the Australian Curriculum Review Process, helped develop culturally appropriate dyslexia assessment protocols for Aboriginal children and the Operational Guidelines for the National Aboriginal Medicare and Suicide Prevention Service. Christine also worked to establish an Aboriginal Scholarships Program and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation to develop Stolen Generations’ healing strategies, established as part of the National Apology process.
Christine is strongly connected with the University, being one of the first groups to engage in the adult admission program. She holds three UOW qualifications including a First Class Honours degree in Psychology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Christine is also amongst the first with Aboriginal heritage to gain a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the country. She is a valued contributor at Woolyungah Indigenous Centre, where she provides individual and group mental health support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, mentors First Nations students in our Social Work and Psychology programs and supports the alumni community.
Chancellor, Dr Christine Gillies has made a significant impact through her profession and in the provision of exceptional support, advocacy, mentorship and professional services to the University and community.
It is with pleasure that I present Dr Christine Gillies to be admitted as a Fellow of the University of Wollongong.