Meet the ORIGINS' Directors
Professor Desiree Silva
Professor Desiree Silva is Co-Director of ORIGINS and Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Western Australia. She is the inaugural Director of Research at Joondalup Health Campus and also provides a rural paediatric service.
She has a strong interest in neurodevelopmental disorders with over 25 years experience in managing children diagnosed with ADHD, autism, anxiety and developmental disorders.
Professor Silva has been involved in a number of strategic reviews including the impact of swimming pools in Aboriginal communities and paediatric planning for Western Australia. She worked with the WA Health Department on a Needs Analysis which has enabled her to be part of translational research with the Paediatric Implementation Plan which provides state-wide service level recommendations, strategies and actions for Western Australia.
She recently completed her PhD and published a number of articles on the early environmental risk factors and education and justice outcomes for children diagnosed with ADHD in Western Australia. Her PhD on risk factors and outcomes for ADHD enabled her to recognise the limited up to date information available for parents and teachers and published the ADHD Go-To Guide for teachers and parents through UWA Publishing that is currently one of their top selling books. She has been a strong advocate in understanding early brain development, nature-relatedness and improving the lives of children and parents who have mental health conditions.
Professor Silva is on the board of Nature Play WA and St Marys Anglican Girls' School. She is a strong advocate of having a healthy lifestyle, good work life balance and a sense of adventure.
Jackie Davis
Jackie Davis is the co-Director for ORIGINS, a longitudinal interventional birth cohort. Jackie manages the strategic and operational functions of ORIGINS, across multiple sites. She is currently undertaking her PhD at the University of Western Australia’s School of Medicine, investigating engagement in online mental health wellbeing programs in pregnancy.
As a Curtin University Research Fellow, Jackie has undertaken evaluations of federal government funded services including suicide prevention, homelessness and Aboriginal health services. These evaluations have guided policy and practice changes in Australia.
Jackie is currently accepting PhD students and welcomes inquiries.
