Nikki’s training is in psychology and public health. Her research interests are varied but what links them is a commitment to health systems responsiveness, community participation and the primary health care approach.

She joined the School in 2004 as a Senior Researcher and served as the academic program coordinator for the School from 2020 to 2024. Nikki is the long-standing convener of the MPH core module, Population Health and Development: A Comprehensive Primary Health Care Approach.

Her research interests centre on strengthening community-based health programs to be more responsive to the voices and needs of clients. Most recently, she has been involved in a participatory learning partnership exploring how a gender-transformative approach can be integrated into a national adolescent HIV and SRHR program in South Africa.