Dr Emmalee Ford is a senior research and evaluation officer at the Family Planning Australia Research Centre.

She has a PhD in medical biochemistry for her mixed methods thesis on biological mechanisms of ovary development and fertility information in period tracking apps.

Dr Ford joined Family Planning Australia in 2023 following her research about adolescent sexual health and fertility knowledge at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Family Planning Australia provides sexual and reproductive health services in five clinics across NSW, including Newcastle. Family Planning Australia also provide education, training, advocacy, health promotion activities and research nationally and in the Pacific.

Dr Ford’s research practices include both quantitative and qualitative research, with a strong focus in statistics and consumer involvement. She is known nationally for her expertise in period tracking apps that the general public use.

Dr Ford has experience in researching things like education, evaluations, clinical data, and molecular biology. She is passionate about reproductive justice and ensuring that research projects are developed alongside the communities they are trying to support. Dr Ford’s research has been used in clinical evidence building, contributed to policy changes, and community groups advocating for change.