Tanya Mackay, PHIRST EMPower Lived Experience Lead 

Tanya’s role within NIHR PHIRST EMPower involves providing support and advice to embed meaningful patient and public involvement and peer research methods.

Tanya is an experienced qualitative researcher who draws on her knowledge of social work practice alongside her own lived experience of mental health issues, physical disability and being a carer.

She works at the McPin Foundation as Head of Research and Involvement championing lived experience leadership throughout research and evaluation processes.

Tanya’s research interests are spread across three main areas:

• lived experience leadership, co-production and involvement in research.
• research exploring the intersection of physical and mental health.
• peer support and social interventions for mental health and other socio-environmental issues such as domestic violence, vicarious trauma and aged care.