Ellie Johnson: Breaking the Wall of Housing-Related Illness
Participant in 2025 Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ellie Johnson, He Kāinga Oranga, University of Otago, Wellington
Every year in New Zealand, an estimated 229 people die because of poor-quality housing. Cold, mouldy, and damp homes—widespread across the country—contribute to a significant burden of disease. Disease that is preventable. In response, the Healthy Homes Initiative was developed: a housing intervention programme aimed at improving housing conditions to improve the health of children at risk.
Ellie is a PhD student at He Kāinga Oranga, the housing and health research group at the University of Otago, Wellington. She holds a Masters of Applied Statistics and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Statistics. In 2019, Ellie took a position at the University of Otago and quickly found her passion for Public Health. This inspired her to start a PhD, where she could use her data skills to inform public policy and drive change.