Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines 
• Bachelor of Science in Community Development, University of the Philippines 
• Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science, Charles Sturt University

Areas of interest

• Food and nutrition security 
• Food systems 
• Community and regional development 
• Public health 

Areas of expertise

Luis has expertise in agribusiness systems, food and nutrition security, and agriculture development research and policy.

Grants

• Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L., Simic, M., Miller, L., My, S., Coombs, N. Walhalla Goldfields Railway Evaluation and development of project plan. Enabling Tourism Fund 2024, Department Jobs, Skills Industry and Regions, Stream 2. 2024–2026. ($250,000)
• Porter, JE., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation of the Connect in Gippsland program. Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault. 2026–2027. ($100,000) 
• Porter, JE., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation and development of a research governance framework. Latrobe Community Health Service. 2025. ($45,400)
• Porter, J.E. Sandhu, H., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Evaluation of Federation University Co-op model. Federation University Australia. 2025–2027.($540,000)
• Porter, J.E., Peck, B., Siesmaa, E., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L. Creating inclusive work environments through leadership and management innovations. Local Skills Partnerships program. 2024-2026. ($200,000)
• Porter, J.E., Sreeram, A., Kemel, P., Lavender, A., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, LTA. Evaluation of the Melbourne City Football Club City Futures Program, 2025. ($12,000)
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Bailey, C., Hualda, L.A.T., Simic, M., Ghasemi, M., Borgelt, K., Soldatenko, D. Our Equal Local Government: A Project Preventing Gendered Violence and Sexual Harassment in Local Government, 2025. ($55,723) 
• Porter, JE., Fenton, S., Soldatenko, D., Simic, M., Hualda, L. Physical Literacy Enriched Environmental Design in the Latrobe Valley. 2024–2025. ($60,000)
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Hualda, L.A.T., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D. Offshore Wind Energy Skills and Training International study. 2024–2025. ($30,000)
• Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Webb, C., My, S., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Gippsland FM – Now and into the Future Project. 2024. ($5,000)
• Porter, JE., Hualda, L., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Borgelt, K. Lived experiences of 1000 rural women in Australia, CERC, 2024–2025. ($10,000)
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, E.M., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, L.A.T. Development of a network to Gippsland’s migration strategy, CERC, 2023-2024. ($50,000) 
• Hualda, L., Kobayashi, V., Montiflor, M., Tagubase, J. Developing a multi-criteria adoptability index for identifying and prioritizing micronutrient rich neglected and underutilized crops. Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. 2023–2024 ($107,000)
• Montiflor, M., Hualda, L., Manila, J. Enabling inclusive policies that enhance women’s roles in developing resilient food and agriculture systems in the Philippines. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). 2020–2021. ($18,000)

Reports

• Porter, J.E., Sreeram, A., Kemel, P., Lavender, A., Simic, M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T. (2026). Evaluation of the Melbourne City Football Club City Futures Program, November 2025. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/EMCFCFP25 
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Bailey, C., Hualda, L.A.T., Simic, M., Ghasemi, M., Borgelt, K., Soldatenko, D. (2025). Our Equal Local Government: A Project Preventing Gendered Violence and Sexual Harassment in Local Government, Report, June 2024 – May 2025. 
• Porter, J.E., Soldatenko, D., Webb, C., My, S., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Gippsland FM – Now and into the Future Project. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/GFNIFP24 
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Evaluation of the New Wave Gippsland Capacity Building Project 2023/2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/ENWGCBPE24 
• Porter, J.E., Simic, M.R., Miller, E.M., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Evaluation of the nature based community recovery project – Extended 2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/ENBCRPX23 
• Porter, J.E., Simic, M.R., Miller, E.M., Bransgrove, N., Barbagallo, M.S., Peck, B., Unsworth, C., Hewitt, A., Soldatenko, D., Hualda, L.A.T., My, S., Prokopiv., V. (2024). Food Security and Wellbeing Project Evaluation 2022–2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/FSWBPEV23 
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Development of a Network to Support Gippsland’s Migration Strategy, September 2024. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/DNSGMS24 
• Porter, J.E., My, S., Simic, M., Coombs, N., Miller, L., Soldatenko, D., Abdelkader, A., Hualda, L.A.T. (2024). Gippsland Migration Recruitment & Retention Charter. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/GMRRCCERC24