Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbons

Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre and Associate Professor of Criminology at Monash University

Kate Fitz-Gibbon is Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre and an Associate Professor in Criminology in the Faculty of Arts, Monash University (Victoria, Australia). Kate conducts research in the field of family violence, femicide, criminal justice responses to family violence, and the impact of law reform in Australia and internationally. Kate has advised on homicide law reform and family violence reviews in several Australian and international jurisdictions. In 2021 Kate was appointed Chair of Respect Victoria.

Manjula Oconnor

Chair of FV Committee of RANZCP

Professor Manjula Datta O’Connor is a psychiatrist in private practice with clinical and research interest in migrant women’s mental health, family violence and complex trauma and trauma therapy.

She is Hon Clinical A/ Professor at the Department of Psychiatry University of Melbourne, and Adjunct Professor University of New South Wales Department of Social Sciences.

Manjula Chairs Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Family Violence Psychiatry Network, and a member of RANZCP CPD Committee and RANZCP Journals Committee.

She co-founded the Australasian Centre for human rights and health. Manjula successfully led the dowry abuse campaign in Australia culminating in law change in Victoria, and currently advocating to change Federal Laws.

Manjula is invited expert on committees and informs public debate around safety of migrant women in 2012. Manjula is active in translating academic research for communities via public education and prevention campaigns around family domestic abuse , mental health disorders and suicide prevention.

Manjula is a reviewer of academic journals, and published author of dozens of academic papers. Her latest publication is the book Daughters of Durga.

More information can be found on www.manjulaoconnor.com

Michael Salter

Scientia Associate Professor

Dr Michael Salter is a Scientia Fellow and Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of New South Wales. He is the President-Elect of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation where he has sat on the Board of Directors since 2018. He is the academic member of the Advisory Group for the development and implementation of the National Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children.

Tara Hunter

Director of Clinical and Client Services, Full Stop Australia

Tara Hunter works as the Director of Clinical and Client Services at Full Stop Australia and is responsible for Counselling, Professional and Training service delivery across the organisation. Tara is an accredited Mental Health Social Worker with additional qualifications in Workplace Training, Assessment and Family Dispute Resolution. Tara has over 20 years’ experience working in the NGO & health sectors, including managing a NSW Health hospital based sexual assault service that provides a 24/7 psychosocial and medical response for people who have experienced a recent sexual assault.

Tara has expertise in leading training, service & clinical responses to gender-based violence with a focus on client centred care & creating service systems that support clients and the workers that deliver their care.

Michelle Laurie

Targeted Early Intervention Worker for the Bugil Wernbe TEI Program-Tabulam District

Michele identifies as an Gumbaynggirr/Yaegl Nyami (Woman in Gumbaynggirr)-accepted on Bundjalung Country.

Her practice and relationships are centred around her cultural ways of knowing, being and doing.

Core Personal & Professional values that lead her community work are empowerment, social justice & healing, - respect, fairness, - kindness, humanity, integrity, inclusion, two way learning, family, accountability, spirituality & truth.

Michele brings a rich cultural paradigm & deep practice of respect, reciprocal relationships, dadirri, protocol, community obligations and responsibilities.

Michele champions social justice and seeks to work hard to increase equality & equity for First Peoples. She leads with an Indigenous Feministic practice, authentic Aboriginal Leadership & Aboriginal Governance which self-empowers to show up with and for community.

Commissioner June Oscar AO

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO is a proud Bunuba woman from the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. She is a strong advocate for Indigenous Australian languages, social justice, women’s issues, and has worked tirelessly to reduce Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). June has held a raft of influential positions including Deputy Director of the Kimberley Land Council, chair of the Kimberley Language Resource Centre and the Kimberley Interpreting Service and Chief Investigator with WA’s Lililwan Project addressing FASD. She led a successful community driven campaign for alcohol restrictions in Fitzroy Crossing and is an international advocate on the impacts of intergenerational trauma and the need to restore societal wellbeing through the revitalisation of cultural practices, languages and connection to land and water. In 2013 June was awarded an Officer of the order of Australia for distinguished service to the Indigenous community of Western Australia, particularly through health and social welfare programs. In 2015, June received the Menzies School of Health Research Medallion for her work with FASD. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Desmond Tutu Global Reconciliation Award, she was named NAIDOC person of the year in 2018, and in 2019 she was bestowed the honorary role of a Distinguished Fellow of ANZSOG. June began her five-year term as Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner in 2017, and in April 2022 she was reappointed for a further two years. She published the landmark Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Report in December 2020 and continues to pursue its full implementation to advance First Nations gender justice and equality in Australia.

Geraldine Bilston

Deputy Chair, Victim Survivor Advisory Council, Family Safety Victoria Deputy Chair, Victim Survivor Advisory Council, Family Safety Victoria Geraldine is a victim-survivor of intimate partner violence and has shared her experiences across several media outlets. In 2021 she completed her Graduate Certificate in Family Violence and is currently undertaking a Master of Policy and Politics.Geraldine was previously Deputy Chair of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council, is a current board member of Kara House Family Violence Services and a member of White Ribbon’s Advisory Council. In 2022 Geraldine worked with Family Safety Victoria on their Lived Experience Strategy and is currently working as a Project Officer in their Research and Evidence team.She is passionate about seeing the use of lived expertise in the family violence space progress. Across 2022 Geraldine’s “Wisdom in Practice” reverse mentoring program was launched in Victoria. 15 social work graduates and their supervisors have been mentored by victim-survivors. Geraldine will be joined by her mentee Amorette Bennett, social work graduate at Family Life.

Amorette Bennett

Social work graduate at 'Family Life' Amorette is a graduate practitioner working at Family Life, a specialist family services provider in Melbourne. In 2022, Amorette completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) at Deakin University, graduating with distinction. She is currently studying a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced) at the University of Adelaide. As part of Family Safety Victoria’s Family Violence and Sexual Assault Graduate Program, Amorette was provided the opportunity to participate in the Wisdom in Practice program, a reverse mentorship in which graduates are mentored by victim survivors. Amorette will be joining her mentor and program creator Geraldine Bilston.

Jacqui Watt

No to Violence Since 2015 Jacqui has led No to Violence (NTV) through transformational change, growing and further building NTV’s credibility as Australia’s leading best practice organisation in men’s family violence interventions. NTV has established benchmark standards and training for individuals and organisations working to end men’s use of family violence. It is over 25 years since NTV first opened its telephone call service and since then, telephone workers have held 200,000 conversations. In addition, NTV members provide men’s behaviour change program places every week in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. This is Jacqui’s third CEO role; she has worked in previous peak roles advocating for community housing. She has also worked at senior levels in the fields of alcohol and other drugs, mental health, disability, social housing and social enterprise, always with a view to asking “how do we improve services for clients?” Jacqui holds an honours degree in Social Policy from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters in Management and Social Responsibility from Bristol University

QLD The Hon Margaret McMurdo

Margaret McMurdo graduated in law from the University of Queensland in 1976 and was admitted as a barrister in 1976. In 1991 she became the first woman to be appointed a judge of the District Court of Queensland and in 1993, the Children’s Court of Queensland. In 1998 Justice McMurdo was appointed President of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Queensland, the first woman appointed as a presiding judge of an appellate court in Australia. In 2007 Justice McMurdo was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (2007) for service to the law and judicial administration in Queensland, particularly in the areas of legal education and women’s issues. The Hon Margaret McMurdo AC retired as President of the Court of Appeal in March 2017. Margaret has served as Chair of the Legal Aid Board of Queensland since May 2017. Between December 2018 and November 2020 she was Commissioner of the Victorian Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants (Lawyer X). The Women Lawyers Association of Queensland named her as the 2021 Woman in Excellence in law. From March 2021 till July 2022 she chaired the Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce, which delivered Hear her Voice Reports one and two.

Freya Higgins

Project Officer, Violence Prevention, People with Disability Australia Freya Higgins is a human rights activist, speaker, and facilitator. She is currently leading the Building Access project on behalf of People with Disability Australia. Freya has worked directly in numerous forms of disability advocacy over the past ten year and is a proud disabled woman.

Commissioner Micaela Cronin

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin commenced as Australia’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner on 1 November 2022. Micaela began her career as a social worker in family violence and sexual assault services, and has held leadership roles across the social service sector in Australia and internationally, including President of ACOSS. Micaela has been the CEO of an international nongovernment organisation based in Asia, working to build global service delivery and strategic partnerships to tackle human trafficking and human rights abuses. She returned to Australia in 2019 to take up the role as Director of RMIT Universities Workforce Innovation and Development Institute, tackling Australia’s social services biggest workforce challenges. In 2014, Micaela was awarded the Robin Clark Leadership award, Victoria’s most prestigious Children’s Protection award, recognising a leader who inspires others in achieving the best outcomes for children, young people and their families.

Hayley Foster

CEO, Full Stop Australia

Hayley has 20 years' experience in the community, health, justice and corporate sectors principally in the areas of sexual, domestic and family violence policy, practice and law reform.

Throughout this time, Hayley has worked with diverse population groups and organisations in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote settings, including in frontline specialist women and children’s services; violence prevention; accredited men’s behaviour change; family law practice; family disputes resolution; policy; law reform; advocacy; sector development; training and organisational management.

Hayley holds tertiary qualifications in business (economics and finance), law (first class honours and university medallist), dispute resolution, financial planning and political economics.

Hayley is deeply passionate about the work of specialist sexual, domestic and family violence services and the importance of having diverse voices represented in addressing the issues of gender inequality and gender-based violence.

Her particular area of expertise is in the development of integrated, multi-sectorial strategies to address sexual, domestic and family violence, child safety, and family, civil and criminal injustice, and she brings a focus on evidence-to-action and genuine participatory research to her work in policy, practice and law reform.

Hayley is a member of the National Plan Advisory Group for the next National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children.

Brad Chilcott

Founder of Welcoming Australia, Former Executive Director, White Ribbon Australia

In 2011, Brad founded the “Welcoming Australia” movement, now a national organisation with staff in four states, a range of initiatives across Australia and a national network of local government associations implementing the Welcoming Cities framework for building communities where everyone is welcome to belong, contribute and thrive. Brad is the Chair of the Welcoming Australia Advisory Panel and a Board director.

Brad founded and convened the Family and Domestic Violence Advocacy Network in South Australia, created the annual Adelaide White Ribbon March, is on the Board of Reconciliation SA and the Advisory Board Food for Education (Kenya) and was named in South Australia’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018.

He has also worked as the Interim CEO of Australians for Mental Health and as advisor to Tim Costello and the Campaign for Australian Aid, leading the “Elite Influencers” strategy.

Brad was the founder and Lead Pastor of a progressive and inclusive Christian community in Adelaide called Activate Church and was on the national steering committee of Christians for Marriage Equality.

In addition to these advocacy roles, Brad has worked as a Ministerial Adviser at both the State and Federal levels and coordinates Australian support for a school for stateless children and a kinship foster program for Khmer children in Cambodia. Brad writes regularly for The Guardian.

Brad is the Former Executive Director of White Ribbon Australia.

Andrew King

Practice Specialist, Groupwork and Community Education Manager, Relationships Australia (NSW)

Andrew King is currently the Practice Specialist, Groupwork and Community Education Manager at Relationships Australia, NSW.

Andrew is a leading group work specialist in community services, counselling and health. A respected author of multiple text books and training programs, he has devoted a large part of his career to group work and working with men, fathering and domestic violence.

As a research practitioner, Andrew is known for his focus on generativity and sharing his knowledge using a strengths-based approach. He has published a range of articles on group work leadership in the Australian context and facilitates national and international training workshops.

He is the author of several recent books, including Engaging Men’s Responses to Family Violence (2017), Continual Change Groupwork (2018) and Generative Fathering (2019).

Geraldine Bilston

Deputy Chair, Victim Survivor Advisory Council, Family Safety Victoria

Geraldine Bilston is a victim-survivor of family violence. In 2015 she escaped an abusive relationship. She had spent half a decade loving and living with a man who she should have felt safe, secure and happy with, but she left bruised and broken.

She would spend a further 2 years dealing with police, courts and ‘the system’.

Geraldine is determined to help make a difference to the way we approach family violence in Australia. She is currently studying for her Graduate Certificate in Family Violence, and was appointed as the Deputy Chair of the Victim Survivor’s Advisory Council in May 2020. She is committed to helping create better outcomes for victim survivors, including in areas like victim support, technology-based abuse, and sexual violence.

A familiar face to many after sharing her experience of family violence on ABC's ‘You Can’t Ask That’ in 2019, ‘Q&A’ in March 2020, and ‘The Drum’ in December 2020, and she has also published her own writing through the website ‘Mamamia’.

Geraldine has been both a client and an advocate at Safe Steps, Victoria’s 24/7 family violence support service and is an active advocate for the prevention of family violence through the media, at corporate, community and fundraising events.

Beck O’Connor

Chief Executive Officer, DVConnect

Beck is the CEO for DVConnect, QLD’s State-wide domestic violence 24/7 crisis response service, sexual assault helpline and specialist counselling partner for 1800RESPECT. Beck is deeply passionate about ensuring the safety, choices and diverse life experiences of people impacted by violence is acknowledged and respected.

As an inclusive queer feminist, Beck has dedicated her professional career to social justice; championing equality and self-determination through her work in adult, child and youth mental health (rural and remote), specialised domestic & family violence support and advocacy, women’s health, child protection, LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing, family counselling and mediation services.

Beck has particular expertise in the design and delivery of complex clinical services in a virtual
environment, with the implementation of the National Telephone Dispute Resolution Service and QLD’s Victims Counselling Support Service (Relationships Australia), the National Support Centre for Ageing and Disability Services (The Benevolent Society), Cancer Council Helpline (Qld), Parent Coaching (Reach Out.com) and now DVConnect, all part of her diverse senior management experience.

Beck is also the Vice President of the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation, on the National Sector Advisory Committee for 1800RESPECT, Stopping Gender Violence Advisory Board for QUT Centre for Justice and a member of the CALD Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Roundtable Advisory Group for the QLD State Government.

Matthew Parsons

Manager, Education and Strategic Development, Rainbow Health Victoria, The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society (ARCSHS), La Trobe University

Matthew is the Manager, Education and Strategic Development at Rainbow Health Victoria within The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society (ARCSHS), La Trobe University and is a leading voice in Australia on LGBTIQ domestic and family violence.

At the helm of the ‘LGBTIQ Family Violence Capacity Building Project’, Matthew leads a team delivering an interconnected suite of LGBTIQ intimate partner and family violence and inclusive practice initiatives for the mainstream domestic violence service sector in Victoria.

Since 2014 Matthew has also driven LGBTIQ domestic violence public educational projects and media campaigns through producing & directing the innovative educational theatre piece “My Other Closet the Cabaret”.

Matthew also gave one of the plenary presentations at STOP DV 2019 entitled “Shining a Light on the Dark Side of the Rainbow” that was talked about by many delegates for much of the conference afterwards.

Freya Higgins

Project Officer, Violence Prevention, People with Disability Australia

Freya Higgins is a human rights activist, speaker, and facilitator. She is currently leading the Building Access project on behalf of People with Disability Australia.

Freya has worked directly in numerous forms of disability advocacy over the past ten year and is a proud disabled woman.

David Cain

Executive Director, White Ribbon Australia

Professor Sandra Creamer

CEO, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Woman Alliance

Deborah Costello

Consultant, Deborah Costello Consulting

Deborah is a Business Consultant and former CEO with 30-years of experience across the health, aged care, elder abuse, violence prevention, road safety, suicide prevention and Aboriginal health sectors.

As a Domestic Violence survivor, and social justice advocate Deborah has a passion for influencing practice, policy and research.

Peta Dampney

Principal Trainer And Consultant, From Me To You Consulting

Peta is a Principal Master Instructor of Mental Health First Aid Australia courses and also works as a consultant with MHFA Australia. She has a national profile in mental health and suicide prevention and has contributed to the development of services and programs at national, state and local levels.

Peta is known for emphasising the importance of psychological social determinants in mental wellbeing and suicide prevention and considers domestic violence and safety to be a significant factor in an individual's ability to have healthy relationships, access health care and other life opportunities.

Sam Borka

Community Liaison Officer, Multicultural Policy and Engagement, Strategy and Programs, NSW Department of Communities and Justice

A former asylum seeker, worked tirelessly supporting and assisting refugees since 2008, first as an adult settlement teacher at University of Western Sydney then Navitas English, currently at NSW Department of Communities and Justice since 2013. Sam led many successful crime prevention projects to support Multicultural Communities through education and breaking barriers with authorities. Sam is the co-founder of the South West Sydney Domestic Violence Committee and the winner of 2020 NSW Humanitarian award, and a multicultural advisor for few local councils in NSW.

Dr Nora Amath, IWAA

Acting CEO, Refugee Settlement (SETS) National Manager

Dr Amath is an expert community developer whose research focuses on multiculturalism, social inclusion, diversity, leadership and community development. She is a published author and her other publications have appeared in several edited volumes and journals. She is an adjunct Research Fellow at Griffith University and also works at the Islamic Women’s Association of Australia as the National Manager of Refugee Settlement and the CAMS Statewide Coordinator, a role focused on the prevention of DFV in CALD communities. She is also a co-founder of Sakina Refuge, a short-term accommodation for CALD women and children experiencing DFV.

Dr Amath has strong connections to the community across a number of areas, including youth, women’s and multi-faith groups, and is a member of the Minister’s Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council and the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Prevention Roundtable. In 2006, she was the Australian Muslim Woman of the Year. In 2017, she was a finalist for Australian of the Year. Most recently she has been appointed to the QLD Gov Taskforce looking at Women's Safety and Justice.