DrMichelle O'Toole

Michelle is a sociocultural anthropologist and applied qualitative researcher whose work focuses on trust between governments and communities, community engagement, co-design, cross-cultural relationships, community resilience, and sustainability.

Her research explores how people and institutions build understanding, develop trust, and collaborate across cultural, social, and institutional differences, particularly in complex settings and during times of disruption, environmental change, and disaster. She draws on qualitative, ethnographic, and participatory methods, including co-design and decolonial approaches to research and engagement, and has conducted research in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and online.

At Deakin University, Michelle examines trust in civil society and relationships between governments and communities, as well as the contribution of business and community volunteering to disaster preparedness, recovery, regional resilience, and sustainability.

A central focus of her work is research translation: transforming complex findings into practical resources for government, practitioners, and communities. These include research reports, policy briefs, practice guides, training resources, and workshops designed to support evidence-informed decision-making and practice.