Dr Natasha Pearce

Dr Natasha Pearce is a health promotion and implementation scientist focused on the translation of evidence and implementation and scaling of interventions to improve the development, health and wellbeing and learning of children and young people. She is a Senior Research Fellow within the Health Promotion Research team at the Telethon Kids Institute in Western Australia, the ARC Centre of Excellence Life Course Centre (WA node) and an adjunct at the University of Western Australia. Her work involves applying translation and implementation science evidence in a range of health and education practice and policy settings with a focus on children and families facing deep and persistent disadvantage.
Her past research has involved developing and evaluating a range of school and community-based interventions aimed at improving child and adolescent wellbeing with a focus on mental health, socio-emotional wellbeing, bullying and cyber bullying prevention, drug, alcohol and road safety and healthy eating. Dr Pearce has played a key role in the research and development of Friendly Schools – an evidence-based whole-school social and emotional wellbeing and bullying prevention intervention disseminated widely to Australian schools and internationally. Her current research continues to work with government, industry, and other research partners to investigate more effective ways to support schools to implement evidence-based practice through staff capacity building and tools to improve implementation outcomes and the mental health and wellbeing of staff, students, and their families.
With an educational background in public health and health promotion, Dr Pearce holds a strong interest in the field of prevention and population health and how implementation science and practice can deliver interventions that work to those that need it most for greater real-world impact.