Julie Blake is an epidemiological researcher with expertise in domestic and family violence, mental health, and maternal and child health. Currently, Julie is a PhD Candidate with the University of Queensland and Research Manager with the Children’s Health Queensland Child and Youth Mental Health Service, where she oversees a diverse research program aimed at improving mental health outcomes for children and young people. In 2024 Julie led two consultation papers for the Queensland Mental Health Commission, contributing to The Queensland Trauma Strategy 2024–2029.

Julie’s doctoral thesis which is currently under examination and due to be conferred in 2025, examined the role of early-adult attachment across the life course. Her postdoctoral research focuses on domestic and family violence, particularly coercive control and children’s experiences of domestic violence. She is committed to advancing recognition of children as victim-survivors in their own right and strengthening protections for them in the post-separation context. Her broader research interests include survey and population data, interpersonal relationships, and the long-term impact of childhood experiences on health and wellbeing.

Julie holds a Master’s in Epidemiology, where her dissertation explored the impact of caesarean birth on offspring cognitive performance, and a Diploma in Counselling with a focus on parenting and child development. She previously volunteered with the Miracle Babies Foundation, supporting mothers and their premature children, and worked in the primary mental health care sector where she contributed to the planning and delivery of a national mental health program. During this time, she also facilitated Mental Health First Aid training for sector workers.