Armon (Rongowhakāta; Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki) is a clinical psychologist who served as a clinician and senior research advisor for Ara Poutama Aotearoa/Dept of Corrections (New Zealand) before being appointed senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Waikato. He has worked extensively in the assessment and treatment of violent and sexual offenders, and contributed to the design and implementation of an experimental prison-based violence prevention programme for high-risk offenders diagnosed with psychopathy. He was also president of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse (ANZATSA) from 2018-2021. Armon currently divides his professional time between research, teaching, supervision, and clinical practice in the criminal justice arena.

Shane Clifton is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences (Occupational Therapy) within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He is the Director of the Centre for Disability Research and Policy, an impact centre focused on disability research and its application to policy.

As a C4/5 incomplete quadriplegic, Shane brings lived experience to his academic work. He teaches health ethics and disability studies, with a focus on the intersection of disability, bioethics, and virtue ethics.

Beyond his university role, Shane contributes to the sector as a Board Member of The Disability Trust, and previously served as a Policy Director and Research Officer for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disabilities, and as President of the Board of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia.

Cassandra Turnbull is a mental health specialist and ermha365's Acting Senior Manager - Mental Health, Forensic & Community Services.

Cheryl Jameson is a mental health support worker and the mother of four adult children.

Cheryl found herself on the other side of systems when her eldest child was 16 and developed psychosis. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia, which was drug-resistant for many years.

Cheryl shares her insights and experiences of working with service providers to meet the complex needs of her son so that he is living the best life that he wants.

Clare Hutton is an Experienced Work Health and Safety professional currently working in a WHS Managment role, with a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry. 
Experience and success in positively effecting safety culture including proactively managing occupational violence and aggression in the Mental Health and Disability sector; working with Regulators, emergency planning, contractor management and development of a strong and engaged Safety Committee and OVA Committee.

Dr Birgden is a forensic/clinical psychologist who has worked with both mainstream sexual, violent and drug-related offenders, and offenders with cognitive impairment. She established one of the first of four Behaviour Intervention Support Teams in Melbourne in 1990. She co-wrote the Victorian Positive Practice Framework, led the first draft of the NDIS PBS Capability Framework, and wrote the NDIS Compendium of PBS Resources. She established and managed a drug treatment prison in Sydney, and in 2022 she was the Warden of a 1200-bed jail in New Orleans (US) for 18 months. She is published in offender rehabilitation and human rights.

Dr Debra Wood is a psychiatrist and Gestalt therapist based in Victoria.

People want to feel seen and heard, and there are so few sacred spaces for this in our society. My hope is to deeply meet a client and to understand their suffering. I believe that with the support of another we can accept painful aspects of ourselves and our lives, and so find some ease and growth.

I welcome anyone seeking individual gestalt therapy (supporting parts of ourselves we feel are unwelcome in the world) and / or an opportunity to discuss mental health concerns or medications. My particular interests are informed by my professional and personal history, including trauma resurfacing during major life events or transitions; hearing voices or having experience of psychosis; mental health concerns associated with medical conditions or interactions with the health care system; and burnout.

Evelyn’s experience supporting people with a disability exceeds 20 years and includes a variety of roles in both government and non-government agencies. 

Working within positive behaviour support and trauma informed frameworks, Evelyn has extensive experience conducting behaviour assessments, developing and implementing behaviour support plans. Evelyn embraces a person centred and strengths-based approach in her work, with a strong focus on understanding the person she is working with and the system supporting them. Evelyn is especially interested working with families, people in supported accommodation, and people who have experienced trauma.

As the clinical lead of the behaviour support team, Evelyn provides supervision and support to the behaviour support practitioners at TCS, and other providers. She also provides behaviour support and restrictive practice leadership within the broader organisation. Evelyn is a registered psychologist.

NTMHC CEO Geoff Radford has lived in the Northern Territory for more than 10 years, leading multidisciplinary teams across youth, disability, children and families, and early intervention. He has delivered programs in regional centres, as well as remote Aboriginal communities, working closely with community leaders to deliver culturally safe care.

Many of the programs Geoff has overseen are in response to mental health needs and complex trauma. He has created and implemented service delivery models based on contractual and organisational requirements, including policies and procedures, risk management, support service manuals and external evaluation. 

Geoff holds qualifications in Health Services and Strategic Management and experience in both government and non-government sectors. He works relationally and draws on situational leadership principles to motivate individuals in multidisciplinary teams to achieve common goals. 

Maggie Toko brings a powerful blend of lived experience and professional expertise to her role. With a background ranging from consumer consulting to not-for-profit leadership, Maggie has served as the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission's Lived Experience Commissioner, Consumer, the CEO of the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council and the Assistant Commissioner of the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner.

As an Indigenous person of Ngāpuhi – Ngāti Whātua descent and someone with lived experience of mental illness, Maggie is a passionate human rights advocate dedicated to amplifying the voices of those often unheard.

Michael Perusco is the CEO of National Disability Services.  Michael brings to the role over two decades of leadership experience across the community and government sectors, in service provider organisations and on the boards of peak bodies. He has a strong track record in advocacy and engaging with government reform processes, both from a community sector perspective and from within government. 

Previously, Michael was CEO of Berry Street, one of Australia’s largest independent child and family service organisations. He has also led organisations providing a range of disability services including the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW. 

Phillipa Thomas joined MHV as CEO to lead the organisation in collective actions pursuing a better mental health and wellbeing system for Victoria. Phillipa’s past work with the Victorian Government and as a Clinician has given her a holistic experience in both client facing care and system reform which she brings to us now in her role. 

As CEO, she leads collaborative efforts to advocate for and support a modern, accessible mental health system, support a thriving workforce, and promote impactful sector reforms. Her work connects people, influences policy, and sustains momentum for positive change in mental health across Victoria.