Dr Natasha Harding has a Bachelor of Behavioural Studies (Psychology), a Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion, and a PhD from the University of Newcastle in Public Health and Behavioural Sciences.
Her PhD research used mixed methods to explore the mental health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced young people. Specifically, the thesis explored the mental health impacts of resettlement contexts in Australia, including societal attitudes towards refugees and community connectedness. Throughout her candidature, she published several peer-reviewed articles in reputable journals and has presented at local and national conferences.

In her professional experience, she has a strong background working in the community mental health sector, more recently in public sector mental health services and as an independent consultant. She is a staff consultant at Human Capital Alliance, conducting evaluations for organisations such as Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network, the Housing Industry Association, Cancer Council NSW and Sydney University. She is the Knowledge Translation Lead at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and also holds casual research positions with Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and at Western Sydney University.