John Mendoza

Chair, Australian Government's National Advisory Council on Mental Health and Director of ConNetica Consulting.

John recently established ConNetica Consulting after a career that has seen him hold several executive positions including Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Council of Australia and Chief Executive of the Australian Sports Drug Agency. John's expertise in mental health and public health is evident in his professional appointments, including:

 Chair, Australian Government's National Advisory Council on Mental Health
 Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Sunshine Coast
 Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney
 Deputy Chair of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia

As CEO of the MHCA, John played a lead role in the development and execution of the political strategy to engage all levels of Australian governments to commit to the reform of mental health services resulting in a $4 billion National Mental Health Action Plan. John has authored or co-authored a number of major reports and submissions to public inquiries.

Prior to this in his roles at the Australian Sports Drug Agency he played key roles in the Australian Government's anti-doping strategy for the Sydney Olympics and the establishment of the World Anti-Doping Code and World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal.

Bernard McNair

Bernard McNair RN is a Director of mh@work®, and a registered nurse with qualifications in both Mental Health and General Nursing. He also holds tertiary qualifications in nursing management from the University of Technology,Sydney. A Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, Bernard has had a varied career holding senior clinical and administrative positions in public and private health systems in NSW.

Bernard has been active in advocacy circles for the last quarter of a century, holding senior voluntary elected positions with the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW and Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia. Bernard was a Foundation Director of the Mental Health Council of Australia- the peak body for Mental Health in Australia and a board member of Lifeline Australia.For six years Bernard was active with beyondblue- the National Depression Initiative, being involved in "lived experience" research and the formation of blueVoices, the consumer and carer arm of beyondblue. Bernard has delivered many sessions of workplace training for both beyondblue and mental health @work, and has been published widely on both schizophrenia and depression and related disorders. Bernard is an in-demand speaker on mental health issues.  Bernard McNair is also the Executive Director of Healthcall Nursing Agency and Healthcall Consultancy Services in (Sydney).Bernard, through mentalhealth@work (mh@work®) is a proud official ambassador for Lifeline's " StressDown Day" national annual fundraising campaign.  www.mhatwork.com.au

Prof Pat McGorry

Patrick D.McGorry, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRANZCP
Australian of the Year 2010

Pat McGorry, Professor of Youth Mental Health University of Melbourne, Executive Director Orygen Youth Health (OYH), Australia's largest youth mental health organisation, based in Parkville, Victoria, Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and founding member of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation (headspace) board. OYH comprises a world - renown research centre and a clinical service targeting the needs of young people withe emerging serious mental illness.

Pat is a world - leading researcher in the area of early psychosis and youth mental health. His work has played an integral role in the development of safe, effective treatments and innovative research involving the needs of young people with emerging mental disorders, notably psychotic and severe mood disorders.

OYH's early psychosis service, known as EPPIC was founded by Pat McGorry in 1992 and has been hugely influential internationally. Its evidence - based model has been exported to many countries, and early intervention in psychosis as become one of the major growth points in international mental health reform.

OYH'S 240 clinical and research staff offer leading expertise in early psychosis, mood, substance us and personality disorders. OYH provides clinical services to more than 700 young people at any one time. Currently the centre is running 44 psychiatric research projects across a broad range of issues.

Professor Ian Hickie

Professor Ian Hickie AM, MD, FRANZCP, FASSA Executive Director, Brain & Mind Research Institute (BMRI), University of Sydney.

In October 2006, the Australian Financial Review included Professor Hickie in its list of the top 10 cultural influences. The specific comments noted his role as a “long-term campaigner”, “the person who orchestrated the campaign” that led to the COAG announcements ($4 billion dollars over five years).

In October 2000 he was appointed as the inaugural CEO of beyondblue: the national depression initiative and from 2003-06 served as its Clinical Advisor. In 2003, he was appointed as the inaugural executive director of the flagship Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney.  In 2006, Professor Hickie received the Australian Honours Award of Member (AM) in the General Division; for services to medicine in the development of key national mental health initiatives and general practice services in both the public and non-government sectors. 

In 2007, he was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Australian National Council on Drugs and has led the BMRI as a founding member of the new National Youth Mental Health Foundation (‘headspace’). In 2007, Professor Hickie was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.  From 2008-13, Professor Hickie is one of the first round of new NHMRC 2008 Australian Fellows; recognising excellence in Australian Medical Research. His research, clinical and health services development work focuses on expansion of population-based mental health research and development of international mental health strategies.  In July 2008 he was appointed to the Federal Health’s Minister’s new National Advisory Council on Mental Health.    

Dr Natasha Kiso

Dr Natasha Kiso- has more than 10 years experience in personal insurance and workers compensation, combining medical qualifications, a ph.d and extensive background in injury prevention and early intervention. Natasha works closely and collaboratively with employers, insurance companies, authorities and medical providers on developing and implementing efficient injury management solutions and establishing outcome- focused heath care programs.

Whilst with CGU and IAG, Natasha has been nominated for two Injury Management Excellence Awards both for the development and implementation of a Risk Profiling, Strategic Injury Management Program and an Employers Injury Management Education Program.

Natasha's experience also includes more than 7 years in of leadership and management roles, leading teams of health management and project management experts in developing and implementing new initiatives. In 2008, Natasha's Injury Management team was the winner of the CGU Workers Compensation 2008 Customer Service Excellence Award.

As a Health and Injury Management Consultant, Natasha provides consulting services in Workplace Health and Injury Management to assist organisations and insurers to enhance their injury management and return work strategies. With a focus on maximising human performance, Natasha works with clients to provide complete wholistic strategic approaches for ongoing human wellness.

Natasha offer's Consulting Services in the following areas:
• Injury prevention / safety
• Strategic medical and injury management support
• Review and inhancement of injury management and provider management systems
• Development of risk profiling and strategic injury management systems
• Development and provisions of injury management training
• Psychological injury prevention and management programs/training
• Development of health management programs.

Keith Mahar

Keith Mahar is a political activist, mental health advocate, professional social worker and member of the Australian Association of Social Workers.  He is the creator of Mentalympians.tv, a community development media initiative described by the Mental Health Council of Australia as a" world first website and a creative approach to promoting awareness of recovery." 

Keith’s former corporate broadcasting career in Canada ended in 1994 when he experienced psychosis and left industry to try to change the country’s broadcasting system.   Before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1996, his campaign had resulted in questions being raised in Canadian parliament to the Prime Minister, made national news and turned him into a precedent-setting public interest litigant (Mahar v Rogers Cablesystems Ltd., 1995).  Keith’s criticism of the Canadian broadcasting system in 2008 also resulted in parliamentary debate in the country.

Keith holds degrees in business and social work and lives in Canberra, Australia.

Jim Goodin

Jim Goodin is a former Vice Principal with 30 years experience in regular secondary and special needs schools. He now works as a community mental health educator for the Mental Health Foundation of Australia (Victoria). His particular interests are in adolescent mental health, strategies to prevent mental illness and community education about mental health issues. His knowledge of mental illness comes from professional, voluntary and family experience.

Some of Jim's experience in the mental health field includes being a:

• Vice-President Mental Health Foundation of Australia (Victoria) http://www.mentalhealthvic.org.au/
• Co Chair Victorian Mental Health Week Advisory Committee 2009
• Embrace the Future: Development of Mental Health & Wellbeing
for Young Australians Committee member
• Cunningham-Dax Museum Advisory & Ethics Committee(s) member
• Convenor Mood Disorders Support Group - MHFA(Vic)
• Former President of OCD Foundation of Victoria (now ARC Vic)
• Formerly Vice President Australian National Association for Mental Health (ANAMH)

Academically, Jim holds a Master's degree in education and a graduate diploma in special education.

Erica Edmands

Erica Edmands - Director, Potential Spaces.

With degrees in law and labour relations/economics from University of Melbourne, as well as coaching certifications, post graduate qualifications in finance and accreditation in Genos Emotional Intelligence, Erica has 20 years business experience spanning law, professional services, government, banking, financial services and manufacturing. Commencing her career as an EEO and Diversity Lawyer with Freehills, Erica later held Head of Human Resources roles with Comalco Smelting and Minter Ellison and was Associate Director of Australia's leading work life and diversity consultancies, working within Australia and Asia.

A sought after facilitator, commentator and speaker on diversity, self leadership and resilience, Erica has appeared on ABC radio and television and written many opinion pieces for major newspapers and journals and is contributing author to published texts on mental health in the workplace and resilience."

Ingrid Poulson

In 2003, Ingrid Poulson’s estranged husband killed their two young children and Ingrid’s father.  From the depths of this unimaginable tragedy, Ingrid has arisen and gone on to inspire thousands through her own compelling journey of resilience. Ingrid combines her academic background with her uniquely qualified life experience to build resilience in others. Ingrid runs her own company, Steadfast Training, which works with individuals and organisations, helping to equip them with the necessary tools for coping with stress, change and adversity. Ingrid is a qualified trainer, holds an MA in Cognitive Science, and has authored a self-help book on resilience, Rise. www.steadfasttraining.com.au 

Philip Heuzenroeder

Phil works as a community artist and community cultural development leader. He works extensively across Melbourne and Victoria with people with a disability, people living with mental illness and in community singing.

Phil leads the Bipolar Bears rock band for people living with mental illness. The band is well known in the mental health scene around Victoria and will be better known nationally when SBS TV airs a 3 part documentary on the band in August 2009.

Phil founded and runs the Music Network for Mental Health, providing creative workshops, performance opportunities, support for artists, advocacy and social opportunities for people living with a mental illness.

Phil is also Artistic and Executive Director of Club Wild one of Australia's leading community arts organization working with people with disabilities. He leads a creative team providing music, video, dance, event management workshops and discrimination free dance party events for people with disabilities.

Phil has also worked extensively as a musician, video artist, event manager and facilitator with people with disabilities over the past 12 years. In 2005 Phil made a documentary film with 7 residents of Kew Cottages on their experience of the institution closing and their move to community housing.

Phil also directs the 80 voice Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir with performances at The Famous Speigeltent, Vodafone Arena, Federation Square and many festivals. He leads gospel singing workshops and trains singing leaders across Victoria.

Heidi Everitt

"Knowledge is no good if all you do is collect it." (Heidi-ism #29)

My specialist knowledge and creativity skills in illustration and music is paramount in my successful strategies in living with schizophrenia. This means that my work is also being recognised and used in exhibitions and at community gatherings to exemplify the positives that can be found in mental illness and disability.

I have a diverse and comprehensive catalogue of visual artwork and I enjoy engaging with outside projects as an artist/illustrator (I am currently illustrating a book for Andrew Denton and providing work for this year's mental health week exhibitons). My style is that of reality based fantasy, I draw what I definitivly see/experience.

Most of my time however, is very happily devoted to music. I am a songwriter and performer, and am currently in the studio recording my second EP. Many humanitarian organisations around Victoria regularily request my presence at their events, where I perform my music and talk about living with a mental illness. But I really do enjoy the process of creating new music a lot.

Professor Graham Meadows

Graham Meadows MD, MRCP, FRANZCP Professor of Adult Psychiatry, Monash University, and Director, Southern Synergy – the Southern Health Adult Psychiatry Research, Training and Evaluation Centre.

Graham Meadows trained in the UK in Medicine, General Practice and Internal Medicine and now has spent over 20 years training and working in psychiatry, 15 of those following moving from the UK  to Australia. A major focus of his work has been on collaboration between specialist and primary care mental health services and he has played important leadership roles in these developments in Victoria and nationally. He has published extensively in epidemiology of mental health care and associated service delivery and also is lead editor on a major new textbook for multidisciplinary practice in mental health care titled ‘Mental Health in Australia’.

In parallel with developing this career he also had a longstanding involvement with meditation practice and has more recently combined this personal aspect of his life with the academic and professional side through getting involved in mindfulness based approaches to depression. Now as director of mental health research for Southern Health in Melbourne he heads up a research, training and clinical program involving use of meditation in mental health care. This includes a major NHMRC funded project called DARE which is looking into how best to prevent relapses of depression.

Dennis Hoiberg

Dennis is a highly experienced organisational consultant with a major consulting focus in change management, having developed practical tools for clients in business planning, team effectiveness, leader development, performance management and  human resource management. With over 30 years experience in helping individuals and teams develop their resilience to prosper through change events and challenges in their journey.

Dennis offers practical experience  that makes him a trusted advisor to his clients.  With a highly practical style, Dennis encourages clients to gain maximum benefit, personal and professional fulfillment  from his experience and knowledge as he mentors individuals and teams in working through their planks of resilience to assist in their journey.

Dennis is a regular speaker in Australia and overseas on the topic of change management and organisational effectiveness. He works with senior leadership teams helping them commit to their own vision and then develop processes to cascade this vision down throughout the organisation to importantly to translate the vision to reality. 

He recently project managed a national strategy to develop employment and support collaboration between two of Australian largest industry sectors. 

Dennis is employed by Lessons Learnt Consulting, an organisation that provides the learnings gained over the last 20 years to the benefit of the new generation of managers. These services are delivered through executive coaching and mentoring strategies. 

Dennis has graduate qualifications in human resource management, organisational psychology and change management.

Mike Hammond

A man who stands by his principles, Mike has over 30 years experience in workplace safety, road safety, WorkCover, criminal law and enforcement and general litigation. His practical, no-nonsense approach and lifetime of on-scene experience make him a real "Mr Fix It" when it comes to providing clients with OH&S advice, especially workplace incident management.

Whether advising on risk management strategies, or employers' obligations, including expanding duties of company officers and directors with regard to workplace safety, Mike's sense of fairness as well as his personal commitment to safety in the broadest sense is always evident. And, where employers have found themselves under investigation or charged with OH&S offences, he is pragmatic and steadfast in their representation.

A senior member of Deacons' Occupational Health & Safety team, Mike cites the complementary skill set of the group, along with the sound infrastructure of the Firm as the two core reasons for the success of the national practice. The confidence in every member of the group, from the "best theoretical lawyers" to those with "a street-smart approach", is what drives Mike's own personal success when acting for clients.

Before entering into legal practice, Mike had a distinguished career in law enforcement and safety policy and education, working at a senior level in the Victoria Police. This experience, coupled with his low-key, but powerful communication skills, made him the ideal man for the job when the Transport Accident Commission needed an Operations manager for their Victorian Road Safety Program. The campaigns developed at that time resulted in a massive decline in road accident fatalities and serious injuries.

Expertise; Occupational health and safety law, Workplace incident management, Proactive workplace risk management and compliance, Road / Transport Safety, Coronial inquests

Helen Keenan

Helen Keenan (RN) is the Claims and Fitness for Work Consultant for Thales Australia. Helen's current role at Thales Australia (Mulwala sites): includes claims, injury management, health promotion, first aid, health surveillance. 

She has created a L & G facilitators community education package and a L & G module for yr 10 secondary students and has spoken on ABC radio on L & G and Bereavement outcomes and the role of Palliative Care in the community.

In 2006 Helen’s local Palliative Care Group was recognised with an Australia Day award for Outstanding Community Services.

Peter Clancy

Peter Clancy has diverse experience in both the private and the public sector and has a passion for life - long learning. He appreciates how conferences such as this one can help to facilitate the development of better places of work for all current and future employees, including those who may be injured or ill during their working life.

Peter has held previous ABC roles as National Industrial Relations Advisor, HR Manager NSW,  and Transition Manager ABC SAP (HR Information Systems). Peter has had ABC trail Mental Health First Aid in 2008 with positive outcomes and hopes to iimprove the organisation's mental health literacy.

Peter believes that competent managers and supervisors, are those with raised awareness about safety, emotional intelligence and mental health, and who use appropriate organisational systems. Personnel of this calibre are critical to minimising employee injuries and illnesses and to improving and maintaining a higher level of personal and organisational mental health and overall productivity.

Keith Todd

Keith Todd is married with three children.  Originally from the UK he served as a senior Police officer for almost twenty years and has major experience in disaster/ anti-terrorist response including cross border policing between UK and France. He has managed a leadership and management development department for 13 UK and 3 overseas forces.

Keith holds Masters Degree in Civil Emergency Management, is a charter member of the Institute of Emergency management, he also has over twenty five years practical and training experience in this field.

Keith took a career break in 1999 and came to Australia with a voluntary agency working with families and young men, during this time he provided consultancy services both here and in the Asia pacific field. In 2002 Keith joined the Oz Help Foundation and was appointed Executive Director of the foundation in 2003. The OzHelp Foundation is now a National work based suicide prevention and social capacity building support service working in industry, government and the community.

His passion for life and seeing others reach their potential has seen him also involved in the forming of the Bethany Healing Foundation, working in suicide prevention and life skill development for families and young people.

Bill Batcheler

Bill Batcheler commenced his career in the arts, working with the Australian Ballet, Washington Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company. He has travelled extensively and experienced many different culture. Real Estate may not have seemed like a natural progression, however with a strong passion for design and architecture, it was a path he was keen to pursue.

Ingrid Ozols

Ingrid Ozols  B. Sc, Grad Dip Bus Mgmt, Grad Dip Comm Mental Health, is the founder and Managing Director of MentalHealth@Work (mh@work®). Using her personal experience of mental illness to wellness to role model recovery, the vast possibilities, hope and the power of passion, Ingrid brings a topic out from hiding and on to the board table. Combining a 15 year career in sales/marketing and human resources, through mh@work®, Ingrid is helping workplaces to embrace a topic that for too long has been stigmatised and feared.

Ingrid, a Victorian State Finalist in 2007 Telstra Business Women’s awards, is an active advocate of many years for mental health, having participated on many national boards, committees and advisory groups. Until recently Ingrid was a board member of the Mental Health Council of Australia during the COAG deliberations and the inaugural Chair of beyondblue’s blueVoices, their consumer and carer arm since beyondblue for 6 years. Other boards included: the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry, the General Practitioner’s Mental Health Standard’s Collaboration.

Ingrid travels the nationally and internationally speaking to many groups, facilitating forums and seminars,conferences and having appeared regularly in the media, including "Morning with Kerri-Anne", ABC's "7:30 Report" and on radio programs. Ingrid has also addressed members of federal parliament and is based in (Melbourne).

Ingrid, through mentalhealth@work (mh@work®) is a proud official ambassador for Lifeline's " StressDown Day" national annual fundraising campaign.