Giselle Di Paolo | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Giselle Di Paolo is a Clinical Educator in Social Work with extensive professional experience across statutory, humanitarian, emergency management, and community‑based practice settings in Australia and the United Kingdom. Her work brings together applied social work practice, social justice principles, and professional education, with a particular focus on student capability development, ethical decision‑making, and wellbeing in complex and high‑risk practice environments.

Giselle has significant expertise in disaster preparedness, emergency response, and community recovery, informed by senior roles within humanitarian and emergency services organisations. Her practice interests are grounded in climate justice, recognising the disproportionate impacts of climate‑related disasters on children, marginalised communities, and those already experiencing structural disadvantage. She has contributed to disaster recovery, psychosocial support, and protection‑focused responses that strengthen community resilience and promote social equity following natural hazards and emergencies.

Her broader areas of expertise include trauma‑informed and grief‑aware practice, child safeguarding and mandatory reporting, risk assessment, and interagency collaboration. Giselle has held senior practice and leadership roles with organisations including Australian Red Cross, Queensland Government, and community service providers, working across child protection, disaster recovery, humanitarian protection, and foster and kinship care systems.

In her role as Clinical Educator, Giselle contributes to field education and practice‑based learning, supporting students to translate theory into safe, ethical, and reflective professional practice. Her interests align with applied and practice‑informed scholarship, particularly in relation to field education, disaster‑responsive practice, community recovery, and workforce support.