Johanna Badcock, Ph.D.

Jo is a psychological scientist and Co-founder of GILC. She has over thirty years of expertise in research on mental health and wellbeing. Her work explores the negative effects of loneliness on mental and physical health and health service use, with the goal of developing better interventions. She acts as a scientific consultant and advisor to a wide range of local, national, and international organizations tackling loneliness and social isolation, including Pharmacy Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation (PALS), the French Federation for Social Connection, the Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health, and the World Health Organization.

Prior to forming GILC Jo served as Vice Chair, Deputy Scientific Chair, and Director of Evidence and Training for Ending Loneliness Together (ELT) – Australia’s peak body addressing loneliness and social isolation. She has a special interest in moving research findings into practical use,  and led the development of ELT’s Outcomes Measurement Framework which provides guidance on measurement, evaluation and reporting of community projects addressing loneliness. Jo also has a passion for knowledge sharing, training and education, to help ensure that the future workforce of policy makers and practitioners feel both confident and competent in improving social health.

Jo grew up in the UK and lived in the USA before migrating to Australia. She now calls Tasmania home (on the lands of the Mumirimina people) where she lives with her husband, David.