Sonja C. de New CV- Click Here!

Sonja C. de New: I am an Associate Professor and Associate Director at the Centre for Health Economics at Monash University in Melbourne, where I also direct the Monash Health Economics PhD Program – the largest in Oceania. Originally from Europe, with a PhD from Germany, I have spent nearly two decades working within the Australian and international health economics communities. I am committed to strengthening the role of health economics in public policy. My research focuses on healthcare utilisation among marginalised populations, socioeconomic disadvantage and health, and the evaluation of policies using large administrative and survey datasets.

I have been an active member of IHEA since 2017, regularly presenting at the World Congress. Since joining the IHEA Board in 2022, I have contributed to strategic decisions shaping the association’s future, including matters related to conferences, equity and inclusion, awards, SIGs, and budget. I was a founding member of the IHEA SIG in Mental Health Economics, reflecting my long-standing commitment to building research capacity and strengthening community within IHEA.

In the Oceania region, I have held leadership roles that closely align with IHEA’s mission. I was elected Vice President of the Australian Health Economics Society (AHES) in 2018, where I chaired the annual scientific program, led the Rising Star and Best Paper Award Committees, and contributed to increasing member engagement, leading to record conference attendance. I worked with colleagues to establish SIGs, new awards, and a mentoring committee within AHES, thereby strengthening support structures for early-career researchers (ECRs).

Directing the Monash Health Economics PhD Program has also allowed me to foster the next generation of health economists. A particularly proud moment was seeing 12 of our students and recent graduates present at the 2025 World Congress in Bali. Watching them build new professional connections, secure international opportunities, and grow in confidence reaffirmed for me the essential role IHEA plays in opening doors for emerging scholars and practitioners.

If elected, I would prioritise:

• Enhancing support for ECRs in a challenging job market. I will work closely with the ECR Directors to organise job-market information sessions on diverse health economics career pathways, include input from recruiters, offer mock interviews, and connect junior researchers with senior mentors. My decade leading the region’s largest PhD program positions me well to deliver this.

• Driving a collaborative IHEA initiative to strengthen Pacific Island health economics capacity. Pacific Island Countries face profound health system challenges due to climate change, with scarce home-grown capacity in health economics. Working with regional partners, we will map existing capacity, partnerships, and needs to facilitate new connections and develop an IHEA strategy for sustainable, locally driven capacity building.

• Ensuring strong representation of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island countries across IHEA’s governance, committees, and activities, drawing on my connections to regional societies.

• Fostering deeper collaboration between Oceania and other regions, especially Asia, by facilitating joint pre-congress sessions on shared policy challenges, such as health financing and climate-related system resilience.

• Strengthening SIGs by increasing their visibility, supporting convenors, and organising activities that foster engagement and recognise member contributions.