Annabelle Johnstone

Annabelle Johnstone is a human and social recovery practitioner with 20 years’ experience. In her role Annabelle works with people who have been impacted by natural disasters and guides them through their recovery journey. 

Annabelle has supported individuals, families, and communities at ground zero through the days and weeks of immediate relief to months and years of long-term recovery, reconstruction, and resilience. 

Annabelle has played a critical role in coordinating human and social support services following some of Queensland’s biggest disasters. 

Annabelle has seen firsthand how disasters impact vulnerable older members of the community especially those living in residential aged care facilities. Annabelle is passionate about ensuring that residents of aged care facilities are safe and secure during and well supported following disasters.

Annabelle has an Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) from the Regional College of Disaster Management. She was recognised for her work in the 2011 Brisbane Floods with the Emergency Medal in the Australian Honours.

Annabelle recently presented her findings from her US research trip at the Utah Health Care Association / Utah Center for Assisted Living Emergency Preparedness Conference. Annabelle also presented on “Best practice human and social recovery for ageing populations during a disaster – learnings from Southwest Queensland” at the International Federation on Ageing 13th Annual Global Conference. This paper was published in the Australia Journal of Emergency Management. 

Annabelle’s area of study looked at the human and social impacts of disasters on aged care facilities and their residents and identified best practice models and plans that could be adapted for use in Australia.