Dr Adam Tomison was appointed Director of the AIC in July 2009. He is internationally recognised as an expert in the field of child abuse, the prevention of child abuse and other family violence, and the development and operation of child protection and family support systems. An experienced public service executive, he has worked over the past two decades with a range of government, non-government organisations and advocacy groups focused on child protection and child abuse prevention in Australia and overseas. Prior to his appointment with the AIC he was Head of the Child Protection Program at the Menzies School of Health Research. From 2004 to 2008 he held various senior executive positions within the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families, including as Director of the Northern Territory's Family and Children's Services, and as the Department's inaugural Principal Child Protection Adviser in 2004. In 2006-07 Dr Tomison acted as the expert advisor (and Director of Policy and Research) for the 'Little Children are Sacred' NT Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse. He is perhaps best known for his work as a senior researcher with the Australian Institute of Family Studies, managing the National Child Protection Clearinghouse. Under his leadership, the Clearinghouse became a centre for excellence with a national and international reputation in the field of child abuse prevention and child protection. He subsequently developed a number of other national research and information units for the Institute, notably the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault. Dr Tomison has made significant academic contributions to scholarly and applied research in the areas of child protection and violence prevention, and was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at the Australian Catholic University in 2010. He is a frequent presenter at conferences and has regularly run educational and training seminars for professionals and the wider community.