Bio

Dr Samantha Battams is Course Director, UNIGE, formerly Visiting Fellow at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Flinders University, Australia, and consultant in global/public health. Samantha holds a PhD in Public Health Policy from Flinders University (2008), BA (Hons) (Sociology) from the University of Tasmania (1995), BA (Psychology, Sociology) (1993) and Graduate Certificate in Health Service Management (Flinders) (2002). Samantha entered the tertiary education sector in 2003, where she worked in the Department of Public Health and National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University in project management, teaching and research roles (2003-2010). This included curriculum development and teaching online and face-to-face courses in public health, and workforce development resources for the alcohol and other drugs sector. Recently, Samantha has worked on the Global Health Programme at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, as Research Fellow (2011-12) and Visiting Fellow (2012-13). She worked on global health governance research and events through the Global Health Europe platform, part of the Global Health Programme. She has previously researched and developed a resource on mental health and development whilst based at the WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Branch (2009). She continues to work on workforce development resources in public health as a private consultant. Prior to entering the university sector, Samantha worked in the health and community/local government sectors in Australia for 10 years, in strategic planning, programme management and community development roles (including 7 years in general practice organisations). She has served on a number of board and panels in South Australia, including the District Court of South Australia and the Occupational Therapy Board of SA. Samantha’s interests include: social determinants of health; human rights and health; analyses of public policy and governance; the role of the European Union in global health; user/carer and NGO involvement in policy and services; inter-sectoral policy processes and collaboration; mental health and housing policies; drug and alcohol and child wellbeing and protection.