Who we are at the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing

Our ongoing leadership role in system transformation falls within the portfolio of the Minister for Mental Health, The Hon. Ingrid Stitt. 

Board members

The Collaborative Centre has 12 board members, with at least four people who identify as having a lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress. This includes two people who bring a consumer perspective and two with experience as a family member, carer or supporter.

The 12 board members are:

• Terry Laidler (Chair)
• Maria Katsonis (Deputy Chair)
• Lisa Brophy
• Gill Callister
• David Fenn
• Bridget Hamilton
• Sheree Lowe
• Steve Moylan
• Gerard Naughtin
• Phong Nguyen
• Fionn Skiotis
• Amelia Walters

Members bring a breadth of personal and professional experiences to the board – find out more about them below.

Board member biographies

Terry Laidler 
Chair

Terry Laidler has extensive experience as a psychologist working in private forensic practice, mainly in family law, child protection and criminal jurisdictions, and is former Chair of the Victorian Mental Health Reform Council. He has also held a position as an academic specialist in the Global & Cultural Mental Health program in School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne and has taught forensic behavioural studies at Monash University Swinburne University. Terry is keen to ensure that collaboration among consumers, carers and professionals is at the very heart of the board’s work.

Maria Katsonis 
Deputy Chair

Maria Katsonis is a Public Policy Fellow at the University of Melbourne where she teaches public policy and management at a postgraduate level. She was previously a senior executive in the Victorian public service for 20 years. Maria has been using her lived experience of mental illness as a consumer advocate for 13 years with Beyond Blue, Mental Health Australia and the National Mental Health Commission. She has a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and was named an Australian Financial Review Woman of Influence for her leadership in diversity and inclusion. Maria is a second-generation Greek-Australian and identifies as gay. She lives with a chronic mental illness and leads an active and purposeful life.

Professor Lisa Brophy 
Member

Lisa Brophy is a Professor and Discipline Lead in Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University, and also an honorary principal research fellow in the Centre for Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. She has over 35 years’ experience working in the mental health and university sectors in Victoria since qualifying as a Social Worker. Her research focus is on people experiencing mental illness and psychosocial disability and their recovery, social inclusion and human rights. She has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles as well as book chapters and multiple reports for government and non-government funders.

Gill Callister 
Member

Gill Callister is proud to lead Mind Australia as CEO. She is known for her person-centred reform in social policy, her advocacy for gender equality and women’s leadership, and her dedication to providing a voice to those often overlooked or excluded from mainstream services. Gill has a wealth of health, education and social services experience. She began her career as a social worker and dedicated two decades to shaping reform in public policy and services in mental health, child protection and education. Past roles include Secretary - Victorian Department of Human Services, Secretary - Victorian Department of Education and Training, and Associate Dean - Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) where she led programs in ethics, integrity and leadership. Gill received the Public Service Medal – Victoria in 2019 for outstanding public service, leadership and innovation in policy development and service delivery.

Dr David Fenn
Member

David Fenn is currently the Medical Director of Royal Melbourne Hospital Mental Health Services and was previously the Medical Director at North Western Mental Health. David is a trained psychiatrist who has worked in public inpatient and community roles and the private sector for 30 years. He is committed to working with lived experience representatives and other partners to transform the mental health and wellbeing system.

Associate Professor Bridget Hamilton
Member

Bridget Hamilton has over 30 years’ experience as a registered nurse working as a mental health specialist practitioner. Bridget has worked as a manager, educator and researcher in the public mental health sector. Director of the Centre for Mental Health Nursing at the University of Melbourne since 2016, Bridget was awarded the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) Ally of the Year Award in 2018 for her support for lived experience workforces and upholding human rights. 

Sheree Lowe 
Member

Sheree Lowe is a descendant of the Djab Wurrung and Gunditjmara people living on Waddawurrung country in regional Victoria. Growing up Aboriginal, her family and community has shaped her life and identity as a proud Aboriginal woman living in a world of diverse life experiences. Like many her identity and experiences have been, and continue to be, impacted by the legacy of colonisation. She has spent her personal and professional life living, supporting, and advocating for Aboriginal people to be seen and heard across a range of different injustices including justice, education, health and wellbeing. Sheree has experience in working in the community, government and private sector. Sheree is an Executive Director at the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and leads the Balit Durn Durn Centre (The Centre for Excellence in Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing).

Professor Steve Moylan 
Member

Steve Moylan is Clinical Director of the Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Services at Barwon Health and Professor and Research Fellow in the School of Medicine at Deakin University. He is qualified in both general adult and old age psychiatry. He holds a Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Health from Harvard University and a Doctor of Philosophy in mental health epidemiology. Steve is the Chair of Lifelife Direct and was formerly Chair and Director of On The Line Australia.

Steve has strong interests in health leadership and governance, mental health systems, clinical care including general and psychiatry of old age, and translational research psychiatry. Steve’s personal experience of personal trauma related to the Bali Bombings has driven a passion for helping others. He has deep admiration and respect for the contribution consumers, carers and clinicians play in delivering mental health care, and understands that bringing together these differing experiences, perspectives and expertise will lead to a mental health care system focused on what really matters. He resides in Geelong with his young family and loves living and working in regional Victoria.

Gerard Naughtin 
Member

Gerry Naughtin has worked in management and governance roles in human services for many years, in the mental health, disability and aged care sectors. He was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel to the Victorian Royal Commission on Mental Health and until recently, chaired the National Mental Health Sector Reference Group for the National Disability Insurance Agency. Gerry is a qualified social worker and has a Doctorate of Philosophy from Melbourne University. He previously held an Associate Professor position at LaTrobe University. 

Gerry has a strong commitment to the development of lived experience in mental health and disability services. He co-authored a chapter in the book Peer Work in Australia with his friend and colleague Janet Meagher. He holds a professional qualification in social work and completed his doctorate in social work in 2008.

Phong Nguyen 
Member

Phong Thaddeus Nguyen OAM is a passionate and dedicated advocate for peace, harmony, social justice, human rights, social reform and multiculturalism in Victoria and Australia. Phong arrived in Australia as a refugee from Viet-Nam in 1979. He joined and became the first Australian trained Vietnamese Jesuit in Australia. After graduating from Melbourne University where he obtained a B.A, a Post Graduate Diploma and an M.A in Applied Linguistics, Phong worked in social welfare, becoming the director of a multi-ethnic welfare agency for more than 16 years, and was appointed to many government board and advisory positions due to his strong stance and knowledge on multiculturalism and social justice issues. With 30 years’ experience working in welfare services and more than 35 years of volunteering in the community, Phong brings extensive knowledge of board governance, multicultural communities, health and social services.

Fionn Skiotis 
Member

Fionn Skiotis is currently the CEO of VALID – the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability. He has been involved all his life in movements and initiatives for justice, equality and change. He has worked over 35 years in the not for profit sector, both in Australia and overseas, including in advocacy, community development, human rights, housing and mental health. Fionn was the Executive Director of International Social Service in Australia, has been a director of Community Housing Ltd since 2001 and served as Chair from 2013-22. He was a Community Member of the Mental Health Tribunal (and predecessor) in Victoria for three terms. He holds a Master of Social Science degree and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Amelia Walters 
Member

Amelia Walters is a mental health advocate, peer worker, and lived experience researcher. Amelia advocates for lived experience leadership, promoting partnerships in service reform, and addressing structural issues within the mental health and wellbeing system. She is also passionate about lived experience-led research and research for innovative service delivery and creating accessible and equitable services. Amelia was a 2022 fellow with the Yale University Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy and is currently undertaking a Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne, hoping to assist law reform and promote the human rights of people engaging with the mental health and wellbeing system. 

Board charter

The Collaborative Centre’s Board Charter sets out the roles and responsibilities of the board.

Find out more about the charter. 

Carolyn Gillespie, Co-CEO (she/her)

Professor Sarah Wilson, Co-CEO (she/her)

The Lived Experiences Advisory Panel (LEAP) is instrumental in providing strategic advice to the board, executive leadership, and establishment team.

Members

The inaugural LEAP was formed in February 2023, and members will be in place for 12 months.

The 10 LEAP members with lived and living experience of mental illness, psychological distress and substance use or addiction, including consumers, family members, carers, and supporters are:

• Caroline Lambert, (she/her) (Co-Chair)
• Emily Unity (they/them) (Co-Chair)
• Robyn Callaghan (she/her)
• Sam Hayward (he/him)
• Jacqueline Kirkman (she/her)
• Rohini Krishnapillai (she/her)
• Lyanne Morel (she/her)
• Puneet Sansanwal (he/him)
• Brent Allan (they/them) 
• Jess McKenzie (she/they/him)

Members’ diverse backgrounds and range of lived and living experiences will be invaluable to the LEAP’s work.

Purpose and function

Genuine partnership with people with lived and living experience of mental illness, psychological distress and substance use, including consumers, family members, carers, and supporters (people with lived experience), is vital to the Collaborative Centre achieving its vision.

The LEAP is a significant channel through which lived experience expertise informs our work.

The LEAP is advising on the:

• development of a lived experience framework
• development and implementation of a communications strategy, including branding and digital presence, and a stakeholder engagement strategy
• development of a three-year strategic plan
• development and publication of a research strategy

The Board hopes the LEAP will also drive regular reflection on how the Centre can lead transformational change and challenge existing power imbalances throughout all its work.