Carol is an Honorary Professor of Psychiatry (University of Melbourne), treasurer of the Australian Board of the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and member of the RANZCP Section of Social, Cultural and Rehabilitation Psychiatry. Carol leads research in epidemiology, social and rehabilitation psychiatry and contributes to service and policy developments.

Kerry is Vice Chair of Mental Health Carers Australia. She is also President of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health and a board member of Psychosis Australia Trust, Helping Minds, Emerging Minds, TheMHS Learning Network, she is an alumni of HKS at Harvard University and a graduate of Boston University’s Global Leadership Institute. She undertook a Churchill Fellowship earlier this year examining the roles and needs of families in international contemporary rights-based mental health systems.

Dr. Laura Hayes is the Research and Evaluation Manager at Mind Australia. She has driven the design and implementation of digital outcome measures across Mind based on co-design and program logic principles. She has extensive research experience in psychosocial supports for mental wellbeing, family-inclusive practice, child and youth mental health.

Sean oversees operations, new projects, and partnerships across Lismore and Coffs Harbour Medicare Mental Health Centre's. He has 8+ years work experience across Professional Services and IT in various roles including Corporate Advisory, Business Development, and Project Management.

Alice is a Youth Consumer Peer Support Worker who is passionate about supporting young people in both her job and volunteer position. Alice utilises her own lived experience to help navigate providing support to the youth she works with.

Ling He is a Psychosocial Recovery Worker at Wellways in Victoria, Australia, with community mental health expertise. Her research engagement with Monash University over the last 3 years has included invited presentations at national forums. Her research interests include how migrants’ cultures and spiritualities are relevant in their personal recovery.

A proud Aboriginal man from the Awabakal Nation who represents the community in a range of areas including Deputy Chairman of Babana Aboriginal Mens Group. 2020 Churchill Fellow focusing on First Nations mental health, 2013 Pauline McLeod Award winner and 2011 NSW (Northern Sydney) Volunteer of the year. Jeremy currently works as the First Nations Engagement Lead for the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney

A passionate and adaptive leader within the NFP sector, Mark is currently the Executive Director Housing Strategy across the Mind Australia group. Motivated to continuously drive improvement in service design and delivery. Significant experience in community housing and NDIS particularly in the area of housing and psychosocial support.

Dan is a part of the leadership team at Stepping Stone Clubhouse Inc., which provides psychosocial support to adults with a lived experience of mental ill-health within the greater Brisbane region. Stepping Stone has been delivering supports in line with the Clubhouse International model for close to 30 years. A social worker with personal lived experience, Dan has been working with Stepping Stone since 2018 and has previously worked within intellectual disability and inclusive education spaces. Dan’s passionate about empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their mental health care, fostering supportive communities, and advocating for comprehensive and accessible mental health services which promote holistic well-being.

Rebecca Helvig is a Senior Project Officer. Improvement Advisor and Mental Health Nurse. She has a Masters of Public Health (focus on Mental Health Policy) and Postgraduate and industry qualifications in Project Management. She has worked across the Victorian Public Mental Health Sector and Government for the past 30 years. She has a particular interest in human rights based mental health services and system reform.

Philippa has worked in the consumer lived experince workforce in Victoria for 5 years. She is passionate about supporting system change to co-create services that have consumer perspectives and needs embedded within them. When not at work Philippa enjoys playing a boardgame, a current personal favourite being Wingspans and singing all around the house

Lauren is the Director of the Adult Mental Health Section at the Department of Health and Aged Care. Lauren has worked in mental health policy since 2020, leading the design and implementation of adult mental health centres and the National Head to Health Phone Service. Lauren has been with the Department for over 11 years, and has a background in pharmacy and health economics.

Lauren Hendry is a Senior Social Worker and recently stepped into a new role as the Senior Manager of Alcohol and Drugs Services within Canberra Health Services. Prior to the last fortnight, Lauren was the A/Senior Manager for the multidisciplinary Custodial and Community facets of Forensic Mental Health Services within Canberra Health Services. Lauren completed a Master of Social Work (Qualifying) degree through Monash University, following a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) at the Australian National University, and has additional post-graduate qualifications in Youth Mental Health from the University of Melbourne. Lauren has an extensive clinical background, and transitioned into Alcohol and Drug Services after practicing within the Forensic Mental Health space for the past six years. Lauren has a passion for supporting young people with emerging psychosis, and identifying and addressing systemic barriers to healthcare access.

Daya Henkel is the A/Manager (Lived Experience) of the Advocacy and Reform team at the Mental Health Commission of NSW. Daya has worked in the mental health sector for over 15 years in a range of consumer advocacy, peer work and policy roles. Prior to joining the Commission, Daya worked as the State-wide Mental Health Peer Workforce Coordinator with the NSW Ministry of Health. Daya is a strong advocate for the development of the peer workforce and for recovery-oriented and trauma-informed services.

Lynda worked at South Eastern Sydney LHD for many years. Is the Chairperson of SUPERCRO. Now is retired and a Nanna.

Gabby is a lived experience worker at Monash Health, working as a Consumer Consultant with the Sexual Safety team and senior peer worker at HOPE. She has six-years' experience in the mental health field and implements systemic changes to teams and inpatient units for improved consumer care, safety and experience while they are receiving mental health support.

Dr Emily Hielscher, PhD has been working in mental health and suicide prevention research for over 10 years. She has worked as a research scientist and project manager across various academic and NGO settings. She currently works as the Senior Research and Evaluation Coordinator at Flourish Australia, a national mental health NGO with one of the largest peer worker workforces. She also holds an Honorary Lecturer position with The University of Queensland, and an Affiliate Scientist position with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Emily embraces a multidisciplinary approach in her work, and is passionate about embedding the voice of lived experience as a key pillar of mental health research.

A/Prof Harry Hill is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and holds an advanced certificate in addiction psychiatry. He is the clinical director of the Benalla, Wangaratta, and Mansfield Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Service and an Affiliate Associate Professor with Deakin University. Harry serves on the Barwon Health and Deakin University CHIME expert advisory group and was the recent Victorian representative of the RANZCP section of social, cultural, and rehabilitation psychiatry. He is passionate about rural health, having grown up in North East Victoria. Harry has a strong belief that creating a united peer and clinical workforce, that works as a team, is vital to reforming mental healthcare. He is proud to return home and be involved in the creation of a new and innovative service for his local community.

Jacqui is a Family/Carer Lived Experience Workforce Development Coordinator with the Centre for Mental Health Learning in Victoria. She has been a part of the Family/Carer Lived experience workforce since 2017 - working in systemic advocacy positions and is passionate about supporting and advocating for lived experienced workforces across Victoria.

Dr Joanna Ho is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with over 15 years’ experience working in mental health. Her clinical area of experience is within adult and older persons’ mental health. Her current research work includes collaborative research with designing and implementing memory rehabilitation programs, and developing and evaluating educational resources about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). She is dedicated to working with consumers to reduce the stigma associated with ECT and to provide more rehabilitation options.