Samantha is a senior practice leader working in one of the small number of specialist organisations that are solely focused on primary prevention. These include Our Watch and Respect Victoria.   

These organisations have an important role providing practice leadership and capability building to grow the skills, coordination and size of the workforce. Professional development activities undertaken include training, webinars and communities of practice.  

They prioritise knowledge translation for the broader prevention workforce, as well as contribute to structural and policy changes. They also design and deliver primary prevention campaigns and support monitoring and evaluation.    

Respect Victoria was established in 2018 as the statutory body for primary prevention in Victoria. Its focus is on strengthening system coordination and working with communities, organisations, institutions and government to make primary prevention a priority. Their other priorities include research and knowledge building, providing policy advice to government, supporting best practice and influencing community and social change.  

Our Watch is a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Their stated goal is to embed gender equality and prevent violence where Australians live, learn, work and socialise. They are the authors of the foundational framework for primary prevention, Change the story, as well as a broad range of free evidence-based tools and resources that help embed gender equality and prevent violence across a range of sectors and settings.   

Samantha’s journey into the primary prevention of violence against women began while she was working in international development and public health in the Pacific. This included delivering programs addressing violence against women, inspiring a lifelong passion for this work. Moving to Victoria, Samantha became involved in the early stages of the state’s primary prevention efforts, which deepened her commitment to the work and helped establish her as a leader in the field.  

Samantha observes that her colleagues come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some have undertaken degrees or courses that include a strong focus on gender or have moved across from parallel fields such as community development, social work, health promotion or international development. Others have had their passion for primary prevention sparked through participating and contributing to prevention programs in specific settings such as education, sport, local government or maternal and child health, or who have come from work in responding to family and sexual violence response services.  Samantha’s background has equipped her with a versatile skill set, including community consultation and mobilisation, facilitation, training, project and budget management, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments. It has also provided a comprehensive grounding in the evidence underpinning primary prevention of violence against women, as well as the frameworks that shape policy and practice.   

Over the years, Samanta has cultivated an ability to engage meaningfully with a wide range of stakeholders, from executive leaders to frontline workers to community members. This means tailoring activities to meet the needs of diverse audiences and communities. It also means translating complex theoretical frameworks into practical, actionable strategies that resonate across various settings.   

In practice, Samantha combines her technical knowledge with a strong emphasis on audience engagement, designing resources and training that are both evidence-based and highly contextualised. Her ability to translate research into accessible, actionable insights makes her a versatile leader skilled at addressing the needs of policymakers, educators and community practitioners alike. Over time she has become adept at supporting teams of technical specialists, such as training design and communications experts, to align their work with primary prevention practice principles.  

In her leadership role, Samantha has deepened her expertise in workforce development, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement across both state and national contexts. Her approach to leadership includes a willingness to both support and coach staff, and to have challenging conversations where necessary. Samantha knows that cultural safety and cultural humility are important to leading a diverse team, combined with her technical expertise. Samantha describes intersectionality as a cornerstone of her approach.  

She believes that work with men is a core part of prevention work but notes that further work is required to build practitioner confidence. She places particular emphasis on preparing the workforce to navigate challenges such as resistance, backlash, and disclosures, ensuring that prevention professionals are equipped with the skills and support necessary to address these realities effectively.  

Samantha believes that continuous learning, peer connections, and mentoring opportunities are essential to building sector capacity.