Denise Heckmann

• Developed a strategic plan, fit-for-purpose organisational structure and change management plan for a Victorian public health institute, involved multi-stakeholder engagement
• Reviewed Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing state-wide services, facilitating consultations and workshop with diverse stakeholder groups
• Mapped statewide system and service capacity for admitted and community-based mental health services, including technical modelling of future demand, development of a typology for the new framework of mental health services and gap analysis to inform future service and capital expansion and redevelopment
• ​Developed an outcomes framework and evaluated the impact of a health service delivered by a major metropolitan health network
• Completed a PhD at a world-leading medical research institute, managing three projects and collaborating with researchers in Europe and Asia.

Prior to Nous, Denise taught biology and chemistry at Footscray High School as a Teach for Australia Associate. As Head of Science, Denise managed the design and implementation of curriculum, assessments and professional development programs. She also developed resources to provide mental health support for students and staff.

Denise completed her PhD in medical biology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research (now WEHI) in Melbourne, where she investigated the mechanisms of a novel cancer treatment with collaborators in Europe and Asia. As well as her PhD, Denise holds a Master of Teaching from the Australian Catholic University and a Master and Bachelor of Biotechnology from Mannheim University of Applied Sciences.

Denise loves CrossFit, Richmond Tigers, German soccer, hiking, coffee, travelling and reading anything Brené Brown writes or recommends.