The PICNIC Team
Richard Ball: Program manager
Richard Ball is the founder and manager of the PICNIC project. Richard has worked as a dietitian for 20 years’ holding positions in remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York Australia, in forensic mental health in the United Kingdom and for the last 12 years in infant/child feeding on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. Richard is in the last year of his PhD with the University of Newcastle investigating outcomes from the PICNIC Project. Before retraining as a Dietitian Richard worked with youth at risk in child, youth and family services, and in alcohol and other drug services.
Dr Kerith Duncanson: Associate Investigator
Kerith Duncanson is a Rural Research Program Manager for the Health Education and Training Institute (NSW Health), an Accredited Practising Dietitian, and digestive health research dietitian at the University of Newcastle. Kerith’s PhD studies investigated what and how parents feed their children and resulted in her ongoing involvement in PICNIC. Kerith’s current research interests are diverse and include gastrointestinal nutrition, Aboriginal health and nutrition, child feeding and health education.
Rachel Gerathy: PICNIC in Supported Playgroups
Rachel is a Dietitian in Health Promotion and the PICNIC operations manager. She has extensive experience and training in paediatric feeding. Rachel is developing the PICNIC in Supported Playgroups program to support priority population families.
Alison Walton: PICNIC Early Education Lead
Alison is a dietitian and Health Promotion Officer working in the Mid North Coast LHD. Alison is the PICNIC in Early Education lead and is currently evaluating the program’s effectiveness through HETI Rural Research Capacity Building Program.
Katie Booth: PICNIC Central Coast
Katie has been a dietitian for almost 25 years working in a variety of areas, including paediatrics but most recently as a Public Health Dietitian. She currently works as the Early Childhood Nutrition Project Officer for Central Coast Local Health District and is implementing PICNIC Project in her local area with the help of a wonderful team of supportive health professionals.
Dr Maria Henström: PICNIC Sweden lead
Dr Henström is an assistant professor (researcher) and nutritionist working at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. With a strong interest in child feeding and parent’s support interventions, Maria has been with the PICNIC team since 2019 involved in program development and evaluation. With the aim to bring PICNIC to Sweden, she recently led a pilot study (“PICNIC Sweden”) together with registered dietitian Anna Jörnvi, research assistant, and dietitian Sara Ask who ran the Swedish PICNIC workshops. Parents were very positive to the program and data is currently being analysed.
Professor Clare Collins: Associate Investigator
Clare Collins is a Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Professor Collins holds a prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellowship. She currently holds the position of Co-Director of the Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition. Clare has published over 300 manuscripts and supervised 25 Research Higher Degree candidates to completion.
Dr Tracy Burrows: Associate Investigator
Tracy is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian who is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Her major research areas include dietary assessment, validation methodologies, childhood obesity, food addiction and has published over 80 scientific manuscripts.
Dr Lee Ashton:
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