Professor Helen Stokes is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, where she leads the Teacher Education Academic Group. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Diploma of Education, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. Her career trajectory includes serving as Associate Dean of Equity and Diversity in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Youth Research Centre, and Academic Director of the Master of Teaching program. Stokes has also coordinated the Leadership in Schools subject for the Master of Teaching and the capstone unit in the Master of Instructional Leadership, contributing significantly to teacher training and leadership development.

Helen Stokes' research centers on trauma-informed positive education, early school leaving, vocational pathways for vulnerable youth, educational access for marginalised young people, identity formation, teacher wellbeing, and instructional leadership. She co-authored the foundational practice model for the Berry Street School and conducted longitudinal research on the Berry Street Education Model's impact in mainstream schools. Among her key publications are "Trauma Informed Positive Education: Using positive psychology to strengthen vulnerable students" (with T. Brunzell and L. Waters, 2016), "Shifting teacher practice in trauma-affected classrooms: Practice pedagogy strategies within a trauma-informed positive education model" (with T. Brunzell and L. Waters, 2019), "Trauma-informed flexible learning: Classrooms that strengthen regulatory abilities" (with T. Brunzell and L. Waters, 2016), "Constructing identities and making careers: Young people’s perspectives on work and learning" (with J. Wyn, 2007), "Leading trauma-informed education practice as an instructional model for teaching and learning" (2022), and the edited volume "Critical conversations in teacher education: contemporary Australian perspectives". With over 3,500 citations on Google Scholar, her work has advanced trauma-informed practices globally. She has delivered seminars such as the RISE research seminar on trauma-informed practice for school change at Trinity College Dublin in 2023.

Professional Email: h.stokes@unimelb.edu.au