Mark Kopua

Mark was raised by his old people in Mangatunaand is considered an East Coast historian. Recognised as a Master Carver of seven Meeting Houses, Mark is one of the first wave of Mokoartists who reinstated modern Mokoover 30 years ago.

Mark has trained several current Mokoartists and Carvers and is still involved in the arts. He has been active in the MokoIho reirepatriation 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 (TeMatatini)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 ‘TeKurahuna’ -a whare wānanga (training institute) where practitioners learnindigenous knowledge in a unique and authentic way.

Diana Kopua

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

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.

Rosemary Wanganeen

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, establish the Australian Institute for Loss and Grief in 2005 and most recently the Healing Centre for Griefology 2021. With 35years 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 Jefferies

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.

Mr Nat Heath

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

Dr Lynne Russell

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

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

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

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

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

Maraea Johns nee Turuwhenua is the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori | Chief Advisor Māori, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her partnering role with the Commission’s Chief Executive and Leadership team enables application of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti) lens across all the Commission’s work.
Maraea is a descendant of the Tuhoe iwi (tribe), raised by her whānau (extended family), within her hapū (subtribe) of Ngāti Rere nestled next to te awa o Tauranga (Tauranga river). Nurtured under the watchful eye of Maungapōhatu, the tribe’s sacred mountain within her tribal homelands of Te Urewera.
Maraea provides strategic and operational advice and direction, leads the design, development and implementation of a Te Tiriti framework, engages to establish enduring and authentic partnerships with iwi and Māori, builds internal capability, and co-designs Te Tiriti-informed policies and procedures.
Driven by Te Tiriti and equity by design, the Commission prioritises the voices of Māori and people with lived experience of distress and addiction, substance and/or gambling harm. The Commission is Kaitiaki (guardian) of mental health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ms Donna Stanley

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.

Ms Tahnee Sutton

Mr Tom Brideson

Tom is a Kamilaroi/Gomeroi man born in Gunnedah north-west NSW and a member of the Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council.

In April 2020, Tom was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia – the culmination of more than 25-years’ work in Indigenous mental health and health policy; social and emotional wellbeing; clinical mental health care; suicide prevention; education and mental health leadership.

Between 2007 and 2020, Tom was the State-wide Coordinator for the NSW Aboriginal Mental Health Workforce Program, a ground-breaking program that has embedded a new discipline into the mental health space in NSW.

Tom sits on multiple committees under the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan to improve the health and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Ms Kelli Gunter