Dr Alexia Derbas is NIDA’s Head of Equity and Inclusion.
Alexia guides access and inclusion initiatives, and advises staff and students on best practice to break down barriers to participation for historically excluded communities.
Alexia is a sociologist, with expertise in the experience of social disadvantage in the settler-colonial context of Australia. She was the Research and Policy Manager at Diversity Arts Australia, the national peak body advocating for racial equity in the arts, screen and creative sectors. Her work aims to embed justice and equity into creative industry practice.
Alexia has worked with the Australian Human Rights Commission on their Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces and continues to work with the FARE Network in their efforts against discrimination in the FIFA World Cup and other football tournaments.
Alexia has lectured and taught students at Western Sydney University and the University of Technology, Sydney in media and communications, the social sciences and humanities. She has a PhD in Sociology from Western Sydney University, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) from the University of Technology, Sydney.