Dr. Fatima El-Assaad is an Australian-Lebanese academic, researcher, and advocate with a deep commitment to supporting culturally diverse families in perinatal and mental health care. As Chair of the Multicultural Families Group at Gidget Foundation Australia, she leads efforts to identify and address the unique challenges faced by expectant, new and potential parents from multicultural backgrounds.

With extensive experience in women's health, mental health, and the microbiome, Dr. El-Assaad brings a research-driven and consumer-led approach to her role. She is dedicated to ensuring that Gidget Foundation Australia’s services are accessible, culturally sensitive, and responsive to the diverse needs of families navigating perinatal depression and anxiety.

Dr. El-Assaad is also the founder of The Still Nest, an organisation supporting culturally-diverse families impacted by infertility, birth trauma, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. She has played a key role in national conversations on culturally inclusive bereavement care, advising NSW Health, Stillbirth CRE, Rural Health Connect, Early Pregnancy Loss Coalition, and Red Nose Australia, and contributing to training resources for mental health clinicians.

Her advocacy and research ensure that the voices of culturally and linguistically diverse families are heard, and their experiences shape meaningful improvements in perinatal mental health care.