NADA Data and Research Advisory Group

All members are affiliated with NADA member services who specialise in data, research, or a related field, as evidenced by their professional backgrounds, qualifications and experience working in the non-government AOD sector.

Alex Lee, Co-chair

CEO, The Glen
Alex has worked at The Glen for over 10 years and is currently the CEO of The Glen Group, which operates two residential AOD rehabilitation centres on the Central Coast. Alex is a chartered accountant and has always been motivated to use his skillset to help. Alex has volunteered and worked with organisations across Australia, Asia and Europe in mental health, homelessness, refugees and asylum seekers, youth and AOD dependence. Alex joined NDRAG as he’s very passionate about using data to make positive change in the community.

John Kerr

Systems Coordinator, The Buttery
John has over 17 years’ experience in the sector and is currently responsible for the implementation and management of IT / data applications at The Buttery. This includes ensuring data integrity, user support and training, facilitating enhancements and upgrades, liaising with software vendors, and project management. John also has 13 years’ experience as an addiction support worker, counsellor and team leader prior to his current role. John holds BSc. in Chemistry and a Diploma of Problem Gambling Counselling

Emma Scott

Senior Research Analyst, The Salvation Army
Emma is passionate about finding respectful and inclusive ways to collect and present data, which she sees as a form of storytelling and a powerful tool for education and advocacy. She has a background in psychology and anthropology, where she developed skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods. In 2011, Emma was able to combine a love of travel and learning languages with her PhD research when she conducted fieldwork in Venezuela. Since 2019, Emma has worked as a research analyst at The Salvation Army, where she is currently collaborating with AOD services to implement a national outcomes measurement framework.

Leo Clayton

Manager—Executive Support Unit, Odyssey House
At Odyssey House, Leo oversees major projects, strategic planning, business intelligence and data analytics. He has worked in the AOD sector for the past three years, with previously experience in governance, strategy, and service planning at NSW Ambulance. Leo is dedicated to building efficient systems which reduce staff admin burden, increase time spent with clients, and build the evidence base for the sector.

Dez Hoy

Project Officer, Namatijira Haven
Dez has over 20 years’ experience in the AOD sector, with over 10 years at Namatjira Haven. His role oversees the quality management system; managing the client, programs and corporate records databases; writing funding submissions; coordinating IT support; and providing a secretariat service to the board. He is passionate about Aboriginal self-determination and dreams of a future where Australia has honestly reckoned with its past and all its people are reconciled.

Vendula Belackova, PhD

Senior Research Officer, Community Restorative Centre
At the Community Restorative Centre, Vendula supports quantitative research projects and academic engagements. In addition to this role, she is a Senior Adjunct Lecturer at the Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW. Previously at the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, she worked on research pertaining to safe injecting spaces and on developing a trial of injectable opioids. Vendula was an academic focused on drug policy at the Charles University, Prague; a Fulbright scholar at the College of Social Sciences, Florida State University; and an Endeavour Fellowship at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW.

Josh Snowden

The Buttery

Robert Stirling DrPH

Chief Executive Officer
Robert (he/him) plays a key role in supporting member services in AOD and public health policy, advocacy, planning and funding, research and evaluation, performance and compliance, accreditation and quality improvement, governance, and sector and workforce development. Robert has worked in the AOD sector for almost 20 years and holds qualifications in public health and community management. His doctorate explored performance measurement of NSW non-government AOD treatment services.

Mei Lin Lee PhD

Senior Research Officer
Mei Lin provides NADA and its members with research and ethics support. She also supports best practice governance of NADAbase data, in coordination with the NADA Data and Research Advisory Group. Mei Lin comes from a clinical pharmacist and public health background. She holds a Ph.D. from the Center for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW Sydney.

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