Our Team Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
QAMH is committed to fostering a culture that values diversity and inclusiveness. We are a team that values the cultural backgrounds, different abilities, age, gender and identity of our staff and the people and organisations we serve. We embrace all perspectives, unique skills, experience, ideas, and qualities they contribute to QAMH.
Staff Members
Jennifer Black
Chief Excutive Officer
Jennifer Black
Chief Excutive Officer
I am relatively new to Queensland but not mental health. In fact, I have a career that spans nearly four decades, having worked in all parts of the mental health service system including public, private, NGO and government. I have previously held some key roles in Victoria, including Deputy Mental Health Complaints Commissioner and the Executive Director of Mental Health and Drugs and Alcohol Services for Barwon Health. I initially trained as an Occupational Therapist, which I think prepared me to work within the complexity of the mental health system. I am particularly interested in how organisational culture influences the care that is delivered and I am proud to have spent much of my career working on challenging the status quo to enable better outcomes for people to live their best lives within their communities. I’m a keen traveller so I am looking forward to some new international destinations now that our borders are open.
Emma Griffiths
Director – Advocacy and Communications
Emma Griffiths
Director – Advocacy and Communications
Working at QAMH is a fresh start for me, after more than two decades with the ABC as a journalist, correspondent and broadcaster. Like many of my contemporaries, I covered everything from car crashes to international conflict, and state and federal politics. In my work for QAMH, I draw on that experience to raise our visibility with decision-makers and position us as the foremost mental health peak body in Queensland. In my downtime, I love swimming, watching AFL, listening to podcasts, learning about native fauna and flora, and enjoying life with my two children, two cats and a turtle.
Marie Halloran
Business Manager
Marie Halloran
Business Manager
I have worked in the NFP sector for many years, most recently being the last five years in a Residential College in Brisbane, where my role was not only finance but also operations, overseeing the property, maintenance, and associated staff in those departments. Prior to that I held various financial roles in industries including, Disability Service Provider, Civil Engineering, Corporate Catering, Accounting. Taking on the role of Business Manager at QAMH in June 2022 felt like a natural fit for me. I have also owned a coffee shop, I thought it was a great idea at the time, still love my coffee though. Away from work I enjoy hiking, and spending time with family and my dogs.
Claire Stewart
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer & Administration Support
Claire Stewart
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer & Administration Support
I have worked in the not-for-profit sector for most of my career, being strongly motivated to contribute toward building strong and healthy communities. Having joined QAMH in May 2022 I am enjoying learning more about the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector and how we at QAMH best support our Members - so that they can best support their communities. I have deep appreciation for the natural world broadly, with a particular fondness for birds, clouds and food!
Belinda Aldridge
Mental Health Industry Connector
Belinda Aldridge
Mental Health Industry Connector
I've had a unique journey that's shaped my deep commitment to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector. My experiences have taken me from multicultural advocacy to education and communications, and ultimately into community mental health and overall wellbeing. In addition to my work in multicultural sectors, I also have a Graduate Diploma of Education and a Bachelor of Communications in PR and Marketing. My passion for diversity and inclusivity has led me to work in refugee and asylum seeker settlement and education programs in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Nauru. My journey in the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector is driven by my lived experience with mental health challenges and passion for building supportive communities. I firmly believe in incorporating lived experience at all levels of the sector, which is why I am currently working towards my Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work. Beyond my professional life, I'm an avid lover of the outdoors. I enjoy long walks with my faithful dog, Jack, and have developed a passion for reformer Pilates. Lately, I've become obsessed with tending to my ever-growing collection of indoor plants. The beach is my happy place, and my wanderlust has led me to explore over 30 countries and counting. I bring a wealth of experiences and an unshakable commitment to mental health and wellbeing to my role at QAMH. My journey is a testament to my passion for creating positive change in the lives of individuals and communities.
Leena Bates
Peer Scholarship Program Coordinator
Leena Bates
Peer Scholarship Program Coordinator
I started delivering community engagement programs in high school in collaboration with local youth services, and twenty-three years later, I still adore connecting community for social impact. It's great to be working with QAMH and developing the lived experience workforce! Proud to share my style and approach to work and life is positively influenced by lived experiences of mental health, trauma and suicide. I've got high-level experience working with people with lived experience of homelessness, mental health and family and domestic violence/abuse, to expand community engagement functions to include best practice program and product design. I’ve worked in community health and well-being organisations, technology for social justice, schools, TAFE & universities, and corporate social responsibility programs. I'm a qualified peer work coach with an obsession for group work. In my spare time you can catch me producing personal development workshops and creative performances. My latest creative venture is Her Songs Our Healing – lived experience storytelling and sharing big feelings through song.
Simon Clough
Psychosocial Peak Coordinator
Simon Clough
Psychosocial Peak Coordinator
I’ve worked for the past 16 years in Queensland across a range of services including, homelessness, disability employment, mental health and harm reduction. I’ve held positions from front line service to management. I’m passionate about lived experience practice, learning to live with my own mental health issues and using these experiences to assist others, advocating for innovation and change with individuals, communities, health services and systems. I’m dedicated to community empowerment, coaching and mentoring. In my spare time I coach Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), supporting athletes at the highest level both nationally and internationally. I also enjoy mountain biking and blacksmithing.
Kristyn Culpepper
Membership, Communications & Design Advisor
Kristyn Culpepper
Membership, Communications & Design Advisor
I discovered a passion for communications and design when studying Journalism at UQ, which has led to a career in Brisbane and Melbourne working within the oil & gas, education, government, and now NFP mental health sectors. I love the creative aspect of my role and being able to combine that with advocating for positive change for Queensland while working with such a great team. I ADORE cats and have two rescues who still have no love for each other after 13 years together. In my spare time I like to bake (I’m an amazing cake decorator in my head), dabble in the garden with my daughter, impulse shop, listen to true crime podcasts and ol’ skool rnb & hip hop, and I am a “Netflix and chill” devotee.
Alicia Ferguson
Communications and Marketing Officer
Alicia Ferguson
Communications and Marketing Officer
After graduating with a degree in Media, Communications, and Marketing from QUT in 2014, my journey has involved a vibrant mix of creativity, community engagement, and a personal commitment to ethical practices. After discovering a passion for organising arts and cultural events through my university years, I made the leap of moving to Victoria in 2014 to gain invaluable experience in Melbourne’s thriving arts scene. In 2017, I returned to my roots in Queensland, not only to be closer to my family but to begin a new project - a small-scale hospitality venture rooted in ethical agricultural practices and sustainable production. Alongside my business partner, we nurtured and grew this endeavour until 2019, when we successfully sold our first business. Driven by the desire for a fresh challenge, I decided to transition into the world of corporate communications and events organisation which has led me to the not-for-profit sector. Today as a proud member of the QAMH team, I'm fuelled by the opportunity to organise impactful events and contribute to positive change in the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector. In addition to this, I collaborate closely with the Peak Psychosocial Body as a communications officer. Outside of work hours, you'll often find me immersed in the world of organising LGBTQIA+ cultural events, with a crew of local creatives in the vibrant arts scene of Meanjin! We are always brainstorming and orchestrating events that celebrate diversity and inclusion. To relax, I love a beach day or a hike with my best mate, Tuna the Red Heeler.
Lisa Greenaway
Project Lead – Brand & Communications
Lisa Greenaway
Project Lead – Brand & Communications
For over 20 years I have worked in the marketing and communications space in the pharmaceutical industry, government and more recently in the not-for-profit sector. Since having children it has made me more aware about the importance of community. It feels good to give back to others and contribute towards positive change in the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Sector. My most recent projects include the QAMH brand refresh and new website. In my spare time I enjoy hiking and camping with family and friends. I also love dogs and have a young, crazy, energetic Border Collie, so our days start with a 5am walk/run.
Farina Murray
Project and Policy Officer
Farina Murray
Project and Policy Officer
Before joining QAMH in February 2023 as a Project and Policy Officer, I had a seemingly random career: I spent nearly a decade in research and social policy consulting for the Vocational Education and Training sector, then dove into the NDIS space, firstly as a Local Area Coordinator in Melbourne where I found my passion for working alongside people living with psychosocial disability, and later, leading a team of psychosocial recovery coaches here in Brisbane. I also hold a master’s degree in community development. Happily, this experience has all come together in my role here at QAMH, and I am grateful to be able to bring my passion, lived and learned experience to this role. In my spare time, I really do have far too many hobbies… Latin dancing, sailing, yoga and getting out and about in nature all feature heavily on weekends and – together with my 3 teenage sons - help me to keep my cup full.
test
Board Members
Cathy O’Toole
Chair of Board (Skill-Based Director)
Cathy O’Toole
Chair of Board (Skill-Based Director)
I have extensive experience in the mental health community sector at national, state, and local levels. As a former Member of the Federal Parliament, I was actively engaged in navigating social and economic policy, driving strategic direction, and serving on various committees. I have held the position of CEO in the Community Managed Mental Health Sector for 15 years and I have been a small business owner for 30 years. I am currently the lead consultant with Mentally Healthy City Townsville, which is auspiced by the Tropical Brain and Mind Foundation. I am also serving on a number community boards on a voluntary basis: Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA), Carers Australia (CA), Glasser Australia (GA), and Unify Intercultural Australia. I hold several tertiary qualifications.
Melanie Sennett
Deputy Chair (Elected Director)
Melanie Sennett
Deputy Chair (Elected Director)
I am currently the CEO of Stepping Stone Clubhouse. I have been with Stepping Stone since 1996 and am passionate about engagement of people with mental health issues in service delivery. I have an interest in system reform and ensuring change at a systemic level. I’m a registered psychologist and have a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours) in Psychology. Through involvement in Clubhouse International, I have conducted accreditation visits to Clubhouses predominately in the USA and Asia. In addition, as Stepping Stone is an International Training base, I have provided Clubhouse training to Clubhouses from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, USA, UK and Europe. Being connected to an international movement allows for a thorough understanding of global mental health trends.
Chris Skelton
Chair of Finance (Skills-Based Director)
Chris Skelton
Chair of Finance (Skills-Based Director)
I have over 37 years of experience in professional services encompassing the provision of advisory, accounting and audit services to a diverse range of industries covering private business and public companies. In my 25 years of experience as an Audit Partner at major accounting firm BDO, I have assisted in the improvement of a wide variety of financial reporting and governance systems. I work closely with directors and management to help in their understanding of financial reporting information and enjoys unlocking the myths associated with accounting and making the numbers understandable and useful. I have undergraduate qualifications in Business, in addition to an array of roles and memberships outside of my daily practice as Director of NFP Accountants Pty Ltd, including, but not limited to, Fellowships with Governance Institute of Australia, Queensland and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Michelle Cowan
Skills-Based Director
Michelle Cowan
Skills-Based Director
I have over 25 years of experience in private sector management, focussing on customer service, employee advancement and market development prior to moving into law in 2014, where I now practice in employment and workplace related matters. Throughout my working life, I have witnessed the effects of poor understanding of legal frameworks and understand how organisations can be held back from reaching their potential because they didn’t get professional assistance in developing good and legally compliant operational standards. I currently work closely with owners and management of NFP, charity and private sector employers to assist them to form, implement and maintain employment standards that help them to meet the needs and obligations of their business today and to grow into the future. I have a particular interest in workplace bullying and harassment, sexual harassment and the effects those issues have on organisation sustainability and growth. I also volunteer with a community legal service to assist people who cannot otherwise access legal support.
Anthony Doidge
Skills-Based Director
Anthony Doidge
Skills-Based Director
I am pleased to be a First Nations representative of the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health and to work within such a dynamic and diverse environment. I am a current and long term educator both in a private and government setting with previous experience in the Not for Profit sector, in particular the disability sector, child safety, law enforcement and justice. My current role is as the Indigenous Education Coordinator at John Paul College. In addition to teaching, I provide administrative and pastoral care for a number of local, rural and remote First Nations students. I have over thirty years of experience in community service in the Northern Territory, Victoria and Queensland and a vested interest in mental health issues. I am a qualified Instructor in delivering Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid courses and I look forward to contributing to the advancement and success of the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health.
Stephanie Naunton
Elected Director
Stephanie Naunton
Elected Director
I am currently the CEO at Unify Intercultural Australia (formerly Townsville Multicultural Support Group), a not-for-profit organisation that supports refugees and migrants settle in regional Queensland. Further to this, I am a Director at Mercy St Patrick’s College and an Advisory Board member at Deakin University. Prior to these positions, I was a Director on the Board of selectability - a regional Queensland community mental health organisation, selectability training, and Townsville Community Law. Prior to my role as CEO, I was the Coordinator of Community Engagement and Volunteers and held the First Nations Portfolio with Wellways Carer Gateway. I completed my Bachelor in Laws at James Cook University, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the Australian National University, a Certificate in Leadership & Organising at Harvard, and my Masters in Politics & Policy at Deakin University. Prior to my time in the community sector, I was the Senior Adviser to the Federal Member for Herbert,and Advisor to the then State Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland. I understand the importance of mental health services across regional Queensland and I’m passionate about advocacy to ensure all Queenslanders have fair and equitable access to mental health services.
Tanya O’Shea
Elected Director
Tanya O’Shea
Elected Director
Currently the Managing Director of IMPACT Community Services, I have more than 24 years’ experience working in the not-for-profit sector. During this time, I have led IMPACT’s growth and diversification strategy under our Live, Grow and Prosper pillars. These pillars create a continuum of services that deliver a diverse range of programs within regional communities and enable the implementation of social enterprise models that create jobs and revenue streams specifically for people with a disability and living with a mental illness. Successfully completing a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons), Master of Mental Health Practice and Master of Business Administration, I have had the opportunity to balance a strong academic and practical background in business management and leadership, with a keen interest in human behaviour and the interaction between mental and physical wellbeing. An advocate for taking personal responsibility for our wellbeing, I regularly share articles on LinkedIn in the hope of instilling action in others that will build inner strength, resilience, and clarity of purpose. Recognising an opportunity to also build this capability within our youth, I am participating in the Wellbeing First Innovation Hub, working with a design team that is creating an independent school model that seeks to deliver curriculum through a wellbeing lens.
Kris Sargeant (she/they)
Elected Director
Kris Sargeant (she/they)
Elected Director
I am currently Director Mental Health, Retirement and Community Services with Wesley Mission QLD (WMQ). I have been with WMQ since 2015. I have over 30 years’ experience working primarily in NFP Mental Health organisations in New South Wales and Queensland. I firmly believe in the power of collaboration and working in partnership with individuals, governments, organisations, and communities to ensure that services are designed and delivered in a way that is both meaningful and effective, meeting the unique needs of individuals and communities when and where they are required. I am a champion for authentic and diverse leadership and have dedicated my career to helping organisations to foster compassionate, safe, diverse, and inclusive cultures. Having extensive experience in working with funding systems and structures, I recognise the significance of peer-led design, diverse voices, and empowering individuals and communities to determine their mental health support needs. I advocate for inclusive approaches that prioritize the involvement and agency of those who are directly impacted by the decisions made. I continue to work to make a significant impact in the field of mental health and community services, driving positive change and empowering individuals and communities to thrive. I am currently a member of the Queensland LGBTIQ+ Roundtable administered by the Department of Communities.