Dr Elizabeth Pressick is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Rural Health Services at the Rural Health Research Institute at Charles Sturt University in Orange, NSW, Australia. Her key research interest area is physical activity and health, specifically preventative health initiatives that promote healthy ageing, social and emotional wellbeing and quality of life. With her long history of competing in sports and working in sports environments, Elizabeth, is passionate about health promoting modified sports interventions that foster healthy ageing.

Dr Pressick has undertaken collaborative research that is sensitive and responsive to community needs in metropolitan, regional and rural communities. Her current key work in rural health includes ‘Evidence-informed practice development in rural Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations: An action research approach’. Previous work includes the ‘Health Practitioner Research Development Program 2023’ where she contributed to research that explored new graduate supports for rural allied health students.

Along with her research interests, Elizabeth has a keen interest in human rights and social justice which extends to ‘Close the Gap’ initiatives that foster the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Australia’s First People. She has worked on Aboriginal Lands, alongside Queensland Gubbi Gubbi and Victoria Wurundjeri peoples, and New South Wales Wiradjuri people of the three rivers, on local ‘Close the Gap’ projects. Her work, in collaboration with Australia’s First People, includes gaining extensive funding to lead research that used sport as a vehicle to close the health gap, and her current contribution to research that fosters the continuous quality improvement of health services.

To support her research activities and growing research profile, Elizabeth presented at a conference and symposium, interviewed for a podcast and print media, collaborated on writing a book chapter, led authorship on scientific publications, and supervised post-graduate research students.

Elizabeth’s extensive thirty-year career has been built on her commitment to the promotion of holistically healthy lifestyles. She has been privileged to have an academic career enhanced through professional practice with a strong record of leadership in teaching and learning, industry and community engagement, and service activities. As a result, she has a real-world appreciation for the application of the health, exercise and sport sciences and the opportunities and challenges that lie therein for our professions and for our research. Her career has been diverse by design spanning across high performance sport, academia, community health and clinical practice. This has enabled her to achieve professional and academic goals and prioritise her family at stages across the lifespan.

Leadership and Affiliations

Current

• Contributor: Mental Health and Substance Use Research Group, Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University
• Friend: Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast
• Full Member: Accredited as Exercise Physiologist, Exercise Scientist and Sport Scientist Level 2, Exercise and Sport Science Australia

Former

• School of Health Sciences Representative: College Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, University of Tasmania
• Discipline Representative: Council Heads of Exercise, Sport and Movement Sciences Australia
• Industry Fellow: Exercise Sciences Industry Advisory Committee, RMIT University
• Researcher: Allied Health Cluster 'Healthy Ageing' RMIT University
• Member: Exercise Sciences Program Accreditation Committee RMIT University
• Discipline Coordinator: Exercise Sciences Work Integrated Learning, RMIT University
• Discipline Coordinator: Exercise Sciences University Open Day, RMIT University
• Consultant: University of the Third Age and Walking Football Victoria COVID-Safe Return to Play Strategy
• Chair: Play Sport, Live Better! Research Advisory and Program Steering Committees
• Member: Sunshine Coast Reconciliation Action Committee
• Member: Sunshine Coast Private Hospital Reconciliation Action Committee
• Researcher: Cluster for Health Improvement, University of the Sunshine Coast
• Researcher: Centre for Healthy Activities, Sport and Exercise, University of the Sunshine Coast