David McAleavey

David is a public health spatial planning practitioner with a background in participatory design and co-production. Over two decades of experience, he has worked with grassroots communities, the public sector, and third-sector organisations to address socioeconomic inequality.

His ongoing research focuses on understanding the social and biological pathways through which inequalities are amplified and embedded in the built environment. David is passionate about applying his research and practice to drive positive change in the places where people live, commute, work, and engage in recreational activities. He seeks to collaborate with individuals, families, communities, and organisations to create meaningful transformations in the built environment.

Middlesbrough Council

As part of our Autumn Cohort 2023, David worked as the Creating Active and Healthy Places Lead across South Tees, covering both Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, to promote the development of healthy and sustainable environments. His work was guided by the principles outlined in Public Health Spatial Planning in Practice by Michael Chang and colleagues. David's role also extended to regional, national, and international contributions, engaging with programmes like the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the Health & Wellbeing in Planning Network and collaborative efforts with the University of Melbourne and Randolph College.