Marta Woolford

MARTA WOOLFORD, 40, has had many years’ experience working in public health and health research. In her former employment, she worked for St John of God – Social Justice – helping to improve service delivery and access to the hospitals perinatal depression and anxiety clinics by the most disadvantaged people in the community. Presently, she is working part-time for Monash (Institute of Forensic Medicine) on various research projects that aim to improve public health practice and policy. 

Marta was born in Czech Republic and immigrated to Australia in 1982 when she was 8 years old with her parents and brother. Her parents were against the communist system and hoped coming to Australia would create a better life for all of them. So much has changed in Australia’s political sphere and after living in two countries her family members agree that neither extreme communism nor extreme capitalism is healthy for any country; and democracy for all should be a given.

After having three children, in 2011 she enrolled into an undergraduate Health Science degree at Monash so she could work in the fields she is most passionate about — social justice and equity in healthcare access and delivery. Marta believes that no private industry should be able to make enormous profits from citizens’ health, education, safety, and the environment. This year, she is completing an honours year at Monash, and working on public health research projects.

Marta loves spending time with her children, travelling, rock-climbing and having really interesting and passionate debates about anything and everything.

You can find her on Twitter at @MWolf05.