Mark Kopua

Co-founder and Co-director of Te Kurahuna Ltd, Mahi a Atua

Mark was raised by his old people in Mangatuna and is considered an East Coast historian. Recognised as a Master Carver of seven Meeting Houses, Mark is one of the first wave of Moko artists who reinstated modern Moko over 30 years ago. Mark has trained several current Moko artists and Carvers and is still involved in the arts. He has been active in the Moko Ihorei repatriation work both Internationally and Domestically and employed to provenance traditional Māori Carvings. Mark has over 32 years regional (Tamararo) Kapa Haka judging, and has judged National Kapa Haka (Te Matatini) for 15 years. He first began his journey in mental health services in 2012 and is a confident facilitator in Therapeutic Wānanga and is celebrated as a skilled Storyteller and Keeper of ancient Māori knowledge and whakapapa. Together with his wife Dr Diana Kopua, Mark has created ‘Te Kurahuna’ - a whare wānanga (training institute) where practitioners learn indigenous knowledge in a unique and authentic way.

Diana Kopua

Co-founder and Co-director of Te Kurahuna Ltd, Mahi a Atua

Diana is a proud Ngāti Porou woman raised in Porirua under the mantle of Ngati Toa on the Marae of Takapūwāhia. She is a creative spirit with a talent for music.

After 11 years of Mental Health Nursing Diana embarked on a long 13 year journey to become a Consultant Psychiatrist specialising in Indigenous health.

In the mid 90's Diana created an approach that she called Mahi a Atua. Which has now become recognised as an innovative and successful Mātauranga Māori kaupapa that prioritises oranga whakapapa and creativity, with its trademark of pūrākau, reflection and feedback.

In 2010 Diana was awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC Manakura Award. It is awarded to those who display characteristics of the 28 th Māori Battalion; strength of character, ambition, courage and original thought. Diana carried these characteristics to the Tairāwhiti in 2014 where she became the first Ngāti Porou psychiatrist.

In 2020, Diana was awarded the prestigious Dr Maarire Goodall award for her on going contribution to Māori Health. In the words of Professor David Tipene Leach, Chair of Te ORA. “Dr Di Kopua is a great example of the ‘doctor scientist and social justice champion’ that Maarire Goodall embodied”.

Dr Lynne Russell

Senior Research Fellow, Māori Health, Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Lynne Russell works as a Senior Research Fellow - Maori Health with the Health Services Research Centre (HSRC) at Victoria University of Wellington.

Much of Lynne's professional and academic work has centred around the Indigenous knowledge and healing practices used in recovery from trauma associated with mental distress, suicide loss and self-harm. She describes herself as a writer, activist and public speaker stirred by cultural resilience, social justice, Indigenous and LGBTI rights, and the amplification of voices more readily silenced in society.

Rosemary Wanganeen

Founder, Healing Centre for Griefology

Rosemary Kudnarto Wanganeen is a proud South Australian Aboriginal woman with ancestral links to Kaurna of the Adelaide Plains and Wirungu from the West Coast of SA. Combining her personal lived experiences with her professional experiences as an evidence-based loss and grief model, she established the Sacred Site Within Healing Centre in 1993 and in its strength, established the Australian Institute for Loss and Grief in 2005 and most recently the Healing Centre for Griefology 2021. With 35 years experience she’s designed a newfound disciple called Griefology and with her industry experience, a published and peer reviewed author she was accepted into the Master of Philosophy at Adelaide University. Today, Rosemary’s ultimate aspirations for Griefology is to develop a new-found sector.

Rod Jeffries

Rod Jeffries is Wakenyahten (Turtle Clan) of the Kanyen’keha:ka Niwakitaro:ten (Mohawk) residing at home on the Kenhte:ke Nitewake:non (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Ontario, Canada.) For the past 38 years, he has worked in the fields of substance abuse, healing, wellness and treatment as manager, workshop trainer/facilitator, program developer and evaluator. Rod is an international speaker/trainer having presented in Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Europe. In the past 27 years his efforts have focused on the development & delivery of programs and staff for working with survivors of trauma, cultural oppression, sexual abuse and residential/boarding schools. In recent years, Rod has become well known for his work on trauma, shame and lateral violence across Canada and in New Zealand.

He is the chairperson of the International Indigenous Council for Healing Our Spirit Worldwide. Rod’s involvement with HOSW began in 1991 prior to the First Gathering in Edmonton, Alberta in 1992. He remains involved today in the preparation for the next Gathering in Vancouver in 2023.

In recent years, Rod’s efforts have focused on addressing issues directly related to trauma, historic trauma, abandonment, shame & lateral violence through the utilization of our strengths, resilience, compassion and the cultural systems that sustained us for thousands of years. In the past ten years he has concentrated on developing trauma-based addictions programs to assist communities in their healing initiatives. He has recently developed facilitator training programs on lateral violence and healing trauma to share his messages and techniques for Indigenous people to rebuild those systems in today's context.

In addition, Rod continues with management development including healthy organizational environments, strategic planning, teamwork & teambuilding and operational plan development.

The foundation of all the training and development is our history and culture as Indigenous peoples, that in the past, has provided us with the values and beliefs to sustain our well-being.

Dean Bayliss

Healing Works Australia

Dean Bayliss is a proud Kamilaroi man and is the CEO of Healing Works Australia. Dean has extensive experience within suicide prevention and postvention, including roles within The Way Back Suicide After Care Program, co-design, development and service delivery of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide After Care Program and suicide prevention with community led emotional wellbeing and healing events. He also has significant experience in program co-design, strategic suicide intervention program development, implementation and delivery. Additionally, he has been a contributing member of multiple suicide prevention based networks and groups, including LifeSpan Newcastle. More recently, he has been sought out to provide cultural supervision for a NSW school based “Elevate and Empower leadership program” with the Aboriginal Education Officers through training, mentoring and supervision.

Dean’s personal and professional experiences have placed him in a unique position to provide culturally competent, sensitive and safe environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who are at risk of suicide, or who would like to learn how to support someone who is at risk of suicide. Dean’s solid understanding of himself and his own lived experiences enables him to understand and assist others through a nurturing and empathic approach. This is critical when empowering communities. His background in training, development and business management compliments his abilities to lead others as a confident role model and mentor, along with his ability to relate well to others regardless of their background or circumstances.

Dean holds a strong commitment to building the capacity and resilience of individuals and communities regarding mental health, suicide prevention and healing. He values and respects cultural protocols and does not allow consultation and community engagement to be compromised as he believes they are fundamental for a tailored and sustainable approach for each individual community.

Dean is a Master ASIST and I-ASIST trainer and is also a safeTALK and safeYARN trainer – all of which are industry leading suicide intervention training programs developed by Livingworks Australia, whom Dean is proudly affiliated with. Dean is also a co-developer and facilitator of the Hope to Healing Workshop. He is also available for speaking engagements and has extensive experience as a keynote speaker and panellist member at conferences and symposiums throughout Australia. Dean is currently a National Network Member for the Black Dog Institute Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre, a National Advisory Member for the Ibobbly app for the Black Dog Institute, and a national Consortium Member on behalf of Healing Works Australia for I-ASIST.

Dean collaborates and has forged strong partnerships with Government, Non-Government and community groups with guidance, strong vision and accountability.

His key focus is building strong sustainable kinship through targeted support.

Sarah Decrea

Practice Manager Family Led Decision Making

Sarah is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman living and working on Kaurna country. Being able to grow up strong in culture, Sarah is able to see the benefits of connecting back to culture for healing families from the adverse effects of colonisation and racism. As Practice Manager - Family Led Decision Making across the whole of Relationships Australia SA (RASA), she provides cultural information and guidance to the mainstream, culturally diverse and Aboriginal staff. Sarah’s work for the last 5 years as a therapeutic practitioner focused on attachment has led to Sarah creating an early intervention service working with families with infants aged under two years, who are involved with the child protection system. With the changes in SA laws on child protection, Sarah is influencing the way statutory services and community based, mainstream services including family led decision making practices into their work to reduce the number of Aboriginal infants and children entering out of home care.

Sarah has designed and developed a professional training program called ‘Working Better with Nunga Kids' and a Family Group conferencing restorative relationships training session that is delivered to community service organisations across the state, and she is the NAPCAN State Award winner for her work. Sarah’s heartfelt and powerful presentations at national and international conferences inspire pride in culture and describe how Aboriginal ‘old ways’ can be reclaimed, for the benefit of the whole of Australia.

Jack Buckskin

Founder and Managing Director, Kaaru Cultural Services Pty Ltd

Founder and Managing Director of Kuma Kaaru Cultural Services Pty Ltd has spent his life relearning and teaching his mother tongue language, the once said extinct Kaurna language.

Jack has been lucky enough to travel the world promoting the works of language empowerment and endangered languages globally and how others can start their journey with strategies to put in place.

Coming from a very low income childhood, he has showed that resilience and hard work can pay off and any child can be who they want to be or what they want to do.

Rev Dr Rex Rigby

District Superintendent, QLD Rex is a Bigambul Man from southeast, QLD.
He has been a Pastor for 36 years.
For 23 years, he served as a District Superintendent in QLD. In January 2012, he was elected National Superintendent, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to serve as the head of a major denomination. He has spoken around the country, including to indigenous communities and overseas. He has been married for 37 years to Lien, a Vietnamese refugee who escaped in 1979. His doctoral Thesis was Social Cohesion through the eyes of an Australian Indigenous Elder and it application in the intercultural church.

Professor Pat Dudgeon

Director of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention at UWA

Pat Dudgeon is from the Bardi people in Western Australia. She is a psychologist and professor at the Poche Centre for Aboriginal Health and the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA. Her area of research includes Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention.

She is the director of the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention at UWA. She is also the lead chief investigator of a national research project, Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing that aims to develop approaches to Indigenous mental health services that promote cultural values and strengths as well as empowering users. She has many publications in Indigenous mental health, in particular, the Working Together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principals and Practice 2014.

Lyndon Reilly

Senior Research Officer, University of Queensland and James Cook University, School of Australian Indigenous Studies

Lyndon Reilly is a Badtjala (But-chulla) Mununjali man. Badtjala country encompasses K’gari (Fraser Island) and Hervey Bay Region, Queensland, Mununjali country includes the Beaudesert Region Southeast Queensland. Lyndon has lived a majority of his life in the North Central Coast of Queensland Township Mackay. In June 2006, Lyndon moved to Cairns and was employed for 5 years as a Senior Research Officer with the University of Queensland’s, and James Cook University, School of Australian Indigenous Studies.

Since 2012, Lyndon had been working full time for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Queensland Section as a Mental Health Promotion Officers. Currently, Lyndon is employed fulltime at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Discipline of Psychiatry, working on a MRFF funded Research Project titled ‘Enabling Dad’s, Improving First Nations Adolescents Mental Health, across five Far North Queensland First Nations communities; Doomadgee, Kowanyama, Aurukun, Hopevale and Wujal Wujal.

Mr Nat Heath

Founder, TriMob & Director Moorditj Ways Consulting

Nat Heath is a proud Aboriginal man from the Martujarra and Noongar peoples. He completed a Bachelor of Social Science with a focus on Aboriginal Studies, Social Policy and Sociology in 2006 at the University of Newcastle.Nat has over 15 years experience working in Aboriginal education working in the early childhood education sector, primary and secondary education spaces and also in tertiary education in Aboriginal and non-for-profit organisations as well as government agencies. This experience has led Nat to understanding and seeing the impact trauma caused by colonisation and both past/current government policies has detrimentally impacted on First Nations mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.Nat currently is the Manager of the Aboriginal Engagement and Policy Team within the NSW Department of Education (Early Childhood and Education Directorate) and is a Board Director of The Indigenous Marathon Foundation (founded by Robert De Castella).

Mr Daryl Hobbs

Senior Psychologist, Winda-mara Aboriginal Corporation Daryl is a Senior Psychologist who has worked across 3 aboriginal communities of Gunditjmara Nation SW Victoria, for the past 7yrs. This followed a 17 year history of on-call work in both public psychiatry & the disability sector. He has qualified in Psychology, Human Biology, Family Therapy (Indigenous), Theology, and ….. Motorcycle Mechanic? Daryl has had extensive international training and membership in areas of complex trauma informed care, that is energised by lived experience. He currently has a lead clinical role in 2 multidisciplinary teams founded on Maslow’s hierarchy of need – derived from the Siksika (Blackfoot) way of life.

Dr Lynne Russell

Senior Research Fellow, Māori Health, Victoria University of Wellington

Dr Lynne Russell works as a Senior Research Fellow - Maori Health with the Health Services Research Centre (HSRC) at Victoria University of Wellington.

Much of Lynne's professional and academic work has centred around the Indigenous knowledge and healing practices used in recovery from trauma associated with mental distress, suicide loss and self-harm. She describes herself as an writer, activist and public speaker stirred by cultural resilience, social justice, Indigenous and LGBTI rights, and the amplification of voices more readily silenced in society.

Tanya McGregor

Director, Aboriginal Health Strategy, SA Health

Tanya is a proud Yaruwu woman who has lived and worked most of her life on the lands of the Larrakia people in the Northern Territory and now on Kaurna land in South Australia. She is currently the Director for Aboriginal Health in the Department for Health and Wellbeing, leading the reform of Aboriginal Health strategy including state funding and investment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanya is also the Executive Lead responsible for COVID-19 response and preparedness for Aboriginal Communities in SA. The improvement in Aboriginal Health requires the strengths of Cultural and social determinant inputs, education, housing and employment all have a role to play.  

 

Mrs Asha Bhat

Chief Executive Officer, Southern Aboriginal Corporation

Like the organisation she leads, Asha’s personal commitment to constantly develop better outcomes towards ‘Closing the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the areas of Economic Prosperity, Individual Prosperity, Community Prosperity and Environmental Prosperity, is second to none.

Asha spends every day ensuring that critical services are provided seamlessly to some of Australia’s most vulnerable communities.

Asha is now an Australian citizen; however, she was born in India. English is her third language.  She has risen to the top of the organisation because she tirelessly invests her time and energy into helping to improve the culture and environment for everyone.

Asha advocates for change every day. She goes above and beyond to make her community - and, by extension, the world – a better place. She confronts unfairness. She constantly rolls up her sleeves and she uses her skills, wisdom and knowledge to help change the status quo and create a more equitable society.

Libby Cook-Black

Founder, Female Co.

Libby is a Torres Strait Islander woman, from the Samsep clan on the eastern island of the Torres Straits, Erub Island (Darnley Island). Libby has previously worked as the Senior Cultural Advisor for Queensland Corrective services advocating for culturally safe practice, and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, perpetrators, victims, families and community that come into contact with the criminal justice system. Recently moving into the Aurukun Justice Reintegration Program role that aims to reduce the crime within the community of Aurukun specifically.

Libby holds a degree in Justice, and is currently completing a post graduate certificate in business, public sector management. Libby is an Australian Indigenous Education Foundation Alumni, Former Australia Rugby League Jillaroo, Queensland Reds Rugby Seven, and recent participate of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.

Mr Shane Mohor

CEO, Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Ltd.

Shane Mohor is currently the CEO of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Ltd (AHCSA) and has been with the AHCSA since 2010. AHCSA is the peak body for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Substance Misuse Services across South Australia. Shane has worked in Aboriginal health as a Registered Nurse and Senior Executive in Government, University and Non-Government Organisations for over 30 years in South Australia as well as interstate.
Shane has a passion for the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector and is strongly committed to improving the health and well-being status of Aboriginal people. He is very supportive of collaborative research projects that are Aboriginal led, owned and driven, and that will provide positive outcomes for the Aboriginal Community. He is also strongly committed to the advancement of employment for all Aboriginal people, in particular for Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners.
Shane is the Chairperson for Nunkuwarrin Yunti of SA Inc. and an inaugural Director for the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Board. Shane is also a Member of the Speech Pathology Australia, Aboriginal Committee, and AHCSA’s Member on the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network

Ms Maraea Johns

Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori | Chief Advisor Māori, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Maraea is Te Hiringa Mahara Director Māori, the role that partners with the Chief Executive and Leadership team to provide strategic and operational advice and direction that reflects the commitment of Te Hiringa Mahara to being grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti).

She leads the design and development of a Te Tiriti framework and implementation plan, building on Te Tiriti Position Statement to drive and inform all the functions of Te Hiringa Mahara. Authentic Te Tiriti partnerships with iwi, engaging effectively with Māori, increasing the capability of Te Hiringa Mahara and reviewing policies and procedures from a Te Tiriti lens are a key focus and driver of her work at Te Hiringa Mahara.

Maraea has a grounded understanding working with (and as a member of) whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori communities. Māori provider knowledge and experiences, past roles at programme, policy, and senior management levels in the Ministry of Health, DHBs, ACC and other sectors including education, justice, and defence, complement her role in Te Hiringa Mahara.

Holding strong interest both personal and professional in Māori mental health and wellbeing, te reo Māori, te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori and Te Tiriti, Maraea embraces all these ‘taonga tukuiho’ as lifelong pursuits of continuous learning for all.

Maraea holds a Diploma in Rehabilitation, BA double major in Psychology and Māori Studies, PGDip in Management Studies, Masters in Business Administration and is part-way through a Masters in Clinical Psychology.

Ms Donna Stanley

District Coordinator, Aboriginal Mental Health Drug & Alcohol, Western NSW Local Health District

Donna Stanley is a Gunggari Umby from Mitchell in South Western QLD, Donna has been working in Aboriginal Health and predominately Aboriginal Mental Health for the past 28 years.

Donna is the vastly experienced District Coordinator for Aboriginal Mental Health Drug & Alcohol based at Bloomfield Hospital Orange NSW. Her role is district wide and covers a large area of Western NSW. Roles Donna has worked in have been across the clinical mental health services, community development and partnering with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, strategic development of mental health services and policy development.

In 2019 Donna was contracted by the NSW Auditor General’s Office to assist in being a cultural and knowledge expert on a performance audit of NSW Health and the way services are planned and delivered to Aboriginal people with mental health and drug and alcohol problems. The Audit produced a report with a series of recommendations including the review and launch of the NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 -2025.

Donna was one of seven finalists for the Australian Mental Health Prize in 2019.

Parry Agius

Managing Director, Linking Futures

Visionary, energetic, ethical, committed, genuine and people-focused leader, facilitator and strategic advisor dedicated to achieving outstanding economic, cultural and social benefits for all Australians; value open dialogue and acts as a conduit between the community, government and other key stakeholders; thrives on challenges and enjoys working in diverse portfolios, multidisciplinary and cross-cultural settings.

Leshay Chong

Leshay Chong is an Arrernte & Alyawarre woman born and raised in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Central Australia. Fulfilling her passion to further the health and well-being of her people, Leshay has spent much of her working career in leadership roles within the Aboriginal community control sector in areas of health, social support, education and research. Here roles have included Manager of Congress Alukura (‘womens camp’, maternity and womens health care service), Manager of Early Childhood Youth and Family Services with the Tangentyere Council, Deputy CEO of Central Australian Aboriginal Congress. Board member with Centrecorp Aboriginal investment Corporation, and currently Regional Manager of Social Health with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health – all underpinned by a strong focus on community empowerment, family and community health and wellbeing, cultural integral engagement and self-determination for individuals and families.

Tahnee Sutton

Project Lead for SA Health’s Investment into Closing the Gap - Mental Health

Tahnee is a proud Narungga, Arrernt, Ngarrindjeri woman, born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia.

Tahnee has previously worked as a Minister Liaison Officer, Aboriginal Procurement/Policy Officer and currently is the Project Lead for SA Health’s Investment into Closing the Gap - Mental Health.

Her strong interest in mental health/wellbeing has come from wanting to empower her community to address the continuing effect of intergenerational trauma and to live a life free of chronic disease and mental ill-health.