About ME & my work

I have worked in mental health service development, mental health training and leadership, for over 40 years. I originally trained as a mental health nurse and held a number of clinical roles in various public mental health services in NSW, Australia. I transitioned into team and service leadership roles, primarily in the acute care and crisis intervention space and I was fortunate to be involved in the development of assertive outreach and home treatment approaches during the 1990's.

Following this, I worked for several years as part of a consortium to manage the development of the National Standards for Mental Health Services and the subsequent accreditation approaches. 

In 1999 my work took me to the United Kingdom where I spent 14 years as the Chief Executive Officer of a mental health NGO and held other leadership roles related to service & system reform. A key part of my experience was leading organisational transformation from block funded contracts to individually purchased care (similar to the NDIS). This experience informs my ndis consultancy.

After returning to Australia in 2013 I undertook various consulting roles, primarily assisting organisations to adapt to, and prepare for, the introduction of the NDIS. Between 2015 and 2023 I was the NSW State Manager for Neami National and played a key role in the development, implementation and leadership of many service types including Head to Health , psychosocial recovery programs and homelessness services.

In addition to my consultancy work, I am currently the Executive Director of the TheMHS Learning Network.

My career has strongly shaped my core values of authenticity, courage, compassion and positivity. I am committed to helping create a mental health service system that is truly focused on removing stigma, enabling easier access, and an improved service experience resulting in more effective support. 

You can read my full CV below