Advisory Groups

Dan became an MHFA Instructor in 2021, having spent a 12-year career in the technology industry which ended in burnout. He founded ByMindSide and now dedicates his time advocating the benefits of peer support and MHFA training programs for mentally healthy workplaces and communities.

With a continued passion for technology, Dan delivers MHFA training and leverages his knowledge by using data to ensure that workplaces can run safe, effective peer support programs and that roles like MHFA Officers can feel that they are supported.

Dan is currently studying a GDP of Psychology at Monash University and working with a charity, The Men’s Table, which helps men form meaningful connections and express vulnerability by sharing in a safe, confidential, and no-judgemental peer support environment.

Dan is licensed to deliver Standard MHFA.

Chris is a highly experienced mental health professional with over 20 years of experience, including national-level policy, strategic thinking and planning, as well as leadership of high-performing teams across primary health, social services and mental health sectors.

Chris’s passion is driven by being part of many of Australia’s major mental health reforms over the past 15 years, including Partners in Recovery, PHN stepped care mental health approaches and, more recently, Head to Health. Chris has considerable policy knowledge and expertise having worked with the National Mental Health Commission on system reform approaches, including some of the early scoping of the National Suicide Prevention office.

Chris is a Master MHFA Instructor with 13 years’ experience in delivering this course. He has worked extensively with people with disabilities, carers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and organisations, and CALD individuals and organisations.

Chris is licensed to deliver Standard MHFA and Youth MHFA.

Having ‘grown up’ in the corporate world, and leading recruitment teams for many years, Rebecca decided to retrain and impact workplace culture in a different way.

As a Master MHFA Instructor, Rebecca runs her wellbeing training business Infinite Presence, partnering with workplaces who are looking to make a difference to their people and their culture. She does this by offering a range of training including MHFA, meditation and mindfulness, mindful leadership, stress management, and bespoke wellbeing sessions.

Rebecca has a bachelor’s degree in HR and is currently studying a Graduate Certificate of Mental Health and Wellbeing (for workplace and community).

Rebecca is licensed to deliver Standard MHFA.

Nick has a long and varied career in education and training, as well as mental health. He has worked across commercial and not-for-profit and community organisations, and leads his own business.

He brings his unique mix of skills and qualifications in teaching, training, coaching, mental health, counselling, psychosocial safety and more to everything he does. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Nick also advocates for the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ folks everywhere, having designed and supported many specific programs in this space. 

Nick is an empathetic and creative practitioner, who strives to create impactful learning experiences for his clients, whilst having a laugh or two along the way.

Nick is licensed to deliver Standard MHFA, Youth MHFA, Teen MHFA.

Pauline has spent the past 35 years working alongside young people, communities, and workplaces. An active Instructor since 2012, Pauline is a Principal Master Instructor who runs her own business delivering MHFA and other courses to workplaces and the community.

Pauline had the pleasure of rolling out the Senior Teen Mental Health First Aid pilot with four other instructors to more than 1,000 students in metro and rural Victoria in 2013. She has also been heavily involved in the suicide prevention space since 2009.

Pauline is licensed to deliver Standard MHFA, Youth MHFA, and Teen MHFA.

Margaret identifies as a proud and respected descendant of the Wongaibon people of the Bogan River from the Wiradjuri Nation. Through her vast lived experience, she is able to effectively relate with her participants in ways that show cultural integrity, respect and understanding.

Being a Principal Master instructor and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA (AMHFA) Instructor since 2017 has enabled her to deliver the AMHFA, Youth AMHFA, Talking about Suicide and Talking about Non-Suicidal Self-Injury courses, and pilot the Youth Yarns course, across Australia and in particular, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Margaret is a Trainer and Assessor and facilitates the Certificate IV in Mental Health.

Margaret is licensed to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA (AMHFA), Youth AMHFA, Talking about Suicide, Talking about Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, and Youth Yarns AMHFA (pilot program).

Simon is an Emmy Award-winning screen editor, father of two teenagers, and partner to screen producer Bridget Callow-Wright.

With a passion for storytelling that focuses on representation and making a difference, Simon has worked on acclaimed projects such as Love on the Spectrum, a docuseries that follows young adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate the world of dating; Employable Me, which highlights neurodiverse individuals as they search for meaningful work; and The Role of a Lifetime, a new series exploring the challenges of parenting teenagers in today’s world.

Simon also serves on the executive committee of the Australian Screen Editors Guild (ASE) and recently joined the MHFAider Advisory Group. Through the Advisory Group, Simon is able to highlight the mental health challenges faced by creative professionals, particularly freelancers and contractors. As someone who is neurodivergent and lives with bipolar, Simon also brings valuable perspectives to ensure discussions are informed by lived experience and promote representation and inclusion of the neurodiverse community.

Simon represents the community setting and is trained in Standard MHFA.

Becoming a MHFAider has impacted numerous aspects of Kerrie’s work and community life. It has reinforced the need to be involved, vigilant and prepared to help her community and others she comes in contact with.

She hopes to shine a light on the benefits of being an MHFAider to encourage the community around her to be involved and be there when the need arises.

Working for the Australian Red Cross, Kerrie manages 14 volunteer emergency services teams across the Greater Western Region of NSW. Alongside her volunteers, she organises and undertakes community engagement, preparedness programs, EmergencyRedi workshops, and pillowcase programs for schools.

In emergencies, Kerrie and her teams are the first people you see in evacuation and recovery centres giving help, psychological first aid and support at a time of most people’s darkest moment’s.

Kerrie is heavily involved in her community as a:

• Little Athletics Western Zone Controller
• Peak Hill Sporting Group Secretary
• Peak Hill Community Consultative Committee Member (Town Improvement)
• Community (Peak Hill) Representative – Western Health Department 
• President – Community Hall – Peak Hill Southern Cross Hall 

Lyndel is a proud pakana woman from Lutruwita (Tasmania). Deeply connected to her culture and community, Lyndel’s strong ties stem from her mother’s upbringing on the Aboriginal Reserve on Cape Barren Island.

Lyndel is married and the proud mother of 2 adult children, and a new nan to a granddaughter and grandson from each of her respective children.

For over 32 years, Lyndel has passionately served as the Aboriginal and International Student Support Manager at TasTAFE, a role she continues to love. Her commitment to building knowledge and fostering connections drives her work, and she looks forward to sharing insights and experiences with the MHFAider Advisory Group.

Lyndel represents the tertiary setting and is Trained in Standard MHFA.

Kelley is deeply committed to supporting people in times of crisis, driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference for those experiencing overwhelming emotions or traumatic loss. Kelley aims to offer compassionate, practical support to individuals during challenging times, helping them to feel heard and supported.

Through her frontline experiences, Kelley hopes to contribute valuable insights to the MHFAider Advisory Group, contributing to discussions that shape and enhance their collective impact. She is passionate about learning, connecting with like-minded individuals, and helping to create a more resilient, supportive community. 

Kelley represents the setting and is trained in Standard MHFA and Youth MHFA.

Maddy’s understanding of the importance of mental health support began early in life, growing up in a single-mum household where her mother struggled with mental illness. With the strength of her mum and the support network around them, they created a good life together.

Now, as part of the People Team at an IT company, Maddy has come to see how difficult mental health conversations can be, especially in a field where many work in a remote environment. Joining the MHFAider Advisory Group allows her to foster meaningful connections, encourage essential conversations, and help bridge the gap in mental health support. 

Maddy represents the workplace setting and is trained in Standard MHFA.

Carmen grew up in Spain, where she developed a love for life and family. Although she studied science at university, Carmen discovered her true passion for working with young people while volunteering at a youth centre.

Carmen’s role as a youth mentor and coach has taken her all over the world, allowing her to grow alongside the young people she supports. Carmen’s passion for mental health has developed through her work, as she witnesses the impact mental health has on individuals’ lives every day.

In her free time, Carmen recharges her mind and soul through meditation, gardening in her veggie patch, and playing tennis. She also loves swimming at an open surf beach with plenty of waves.

Carmen represents the community setting and is trained in Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA.

Sean currently serves as a Governance Officer for a city council in Melbourne. His journey into mental health advocacy began with a desire to better understand mental health, leading him to become an MHFAider.

As part of the MHFAider Advisory Group, Sean is dedicated to simplifying mental health resources and making them accessible to international students and migrant communities. He hopes to empower these groups with the tools and support they need to navigate mental health challenges, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment within his community.

Sean represents the community setting and is trained in MHFA for Tertiary Students.