Julie Loveny is a Lecturer in the School of Health and Clinical Sciences at the University of Western Australia, based at the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health. With more than 30 years of experience as an educator, facilitator, mediator, counsellor, and social worker specializing in mental health and supporting individuals and families, she draws on practical expertise gained across government, community organizations, the mining sector, and business. She holds a BA (Hons) in Social Policy and Administration along with CQSW from the University of Plymouth, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Studies from the same institution. Since 2017, she has served as Director of Field Education in the Division of Social Work and Social Policy in a part-time capacity, later transitioning to a full teaching role in 2019 where she redeveloped units and introduced a flipped classroom approach for the Master of Social Work program. Additionally, as Director of This Daring Life since 2009, she consults on leadership and psychological safety, delivering certified facilitation of Brené Brown’s Daring Way™ and Dare to Lead™ programs to workplaces, staff, and students across Western Australia, including at UWA.

Her research and academic interests encompass mental health, workplace leadership and psychological safety, the effects of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements on mental wellbeing, workplace mental health standards, suicide prevention, and wellbeing planning. Notable publications include 'Listening from a Personal Perspective: Does Co-Designed Mental Health Education Shift Stigma? A Mixed Method Evaluation Study' (The British Journal of Social Work, 2023, co-authored with Whitelaw et al.) and 'Impact of FIFO work arrangements on the mental health and wellbeing of FIFO workers' (Centre for Transformative Work Design, 2018, co-authored with Parker et al.). She has contributed to cross-disciplinary research on FIFO mental health impacts, developed a Mental Health Directory for workplaces, and participated in community consultations for the State Suicide Prevention Plan and the WA Mental Health Commission’s Wellbeing Plan. Among her recent projects is the government-funded 'Leading Thriving Workplaces' initiative, partnering with health and not-for-profit sectors using frameworks like Thrive at Work and Dare to Lead. Julie Loveny received a team Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021 and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Early Career Citation in 2020. She serves as Director of the School of Allied Health Community Engagement Committee and was a long-term member of the Australian Association of Social Work from 1991 to 2021.

Professional Email: julie.loveny@uwa.edu.au