Hayden brings 13 years’ experience as an applied researcher, evaluator and policy practitioner with a deep understanding of the public health and education sectors. Across his roles, he has established credibility by drawing on strong conceptual, technical and communication skills to help address complex system problems and influence policy decision-making.
In his recent role at the Victorian Department of Education as a principal evaluator, he provided management oversight of large, multi-year evaluations spanning student equity, teacher workforce and teaching practice.
Hayden began his career in Timor Leste where he delivered complex research projects among communities impacted by HIV. In other previous roles, he has led development of a staff leadership and wellbeing strategy for a large public hospital network, developed a general practitioner-led model of palliative care for a regional primary health network and overhauled evaluation processes for a national peak health organisation.
Hayden’s interests lie in translating robust evidence into practical, context-relevant work that helps shape public policy.