Ngaree Blow
Director of First Nations Health and Senior Lecturer
University of Melbourne
Dr. Ngaree Blow (she/her) is a Quandamooka (Noonuccal Nation), Goreng-Goreng, Kombumerri and Yorta-Yorta woman. She is a medical doctor with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians currently completing her advanced training as a Public Health Physician and has previously worked in pediatrics at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Her passion and specialty are in preventative medicine working as the Director of the Wurru Wurru Health Unit (First Nations Health) for medical education at the University of Melbourne as well as consulting on various public health projects for health services, government and grass roots First Nations led organizations.
Dr. Blow has worked in numerous medical and public health roles, including as lead medical officer for the COVID-19 outbreak response in 2020-21 and in the COVID-19 vaccination program in 2022 with the Department of Health, Victoria. In 2022 she also established a unique approach to health promotion and preventative healthcare through an all First Nations led and run music health festival – ‘It’s a Mob Thing’ across Victoria.
In 2022, Dr. Blow was awarded the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Services Award for Excellence in Indigenous Health Engagement. She also was awarded the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine Victorian Gerry Murphy Prize in 2020 and named one of 2019’s Australian Financial Review’s “100 Women of Influence.” Dr. Blow is a current member and previous board member of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and has been involved in many First Nations health, research and education roles and committees.