Grace Tame

After being groomed and raped by her maths teacher when she was just 15 years old, Grace Tame has turned her traumatic experience into advocacy for survivors of child sexual abuse and has been a leader of positive change for over a decade.

Recognising the injustice of Tasmania’s gag order that prevented survivors from self-identifying publicly, Grace offered her story to the #LetHerSpeak campaign created by Nina Funnell, along with the stories of 16 other brave survivors. In 2019, she finally won a court order to speak our under her own name, making her the state’s first female child sexual abuse survivor to do so.

Current work:
Now, 26 and based in Hobart, Grace is dedicated to eradicating child sexual abuse in Australia, and supporting the survivors of child sexual abuse.

Her focus is around enabling survivors to tell their stories without shame, educating the public around the process and lasting effects of grooming and working with policy and decision-makers to ensure we have a federal legal system that supports the survivors, not just the perpetrators.

She is also a passionate yoga teacher, visual artist, and champion long-distance runner, having won the 2020 Ross Marathon in a female course record time of 2:59:31.

An open book about her experience, but even more passionate about preventing this from happening to other children, Grace speaks from the heart and will have her audience simultaneously inspired and in tears.

She is a regular keynote speaker, media guest and advocacy commentator.

Grace is the 2021 Australian of the Year.

Senator Kerrynne Liddle

Senator Kerrynne Liddle was elected to the Commonwealth Parliament in May 2022.

Kerrynne currently sits on the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

Prior to her election, Kerrynne worked in the private and not-for-profit sector in multiple roles as a senior business leader in the tourism, energy, media, tertiary education, arts industries and indigenous affairs.

Kerrynne served on several boards, including Indigenous Business Australia, the Adelaide University Council, Aboriginal Hostels Limited, the Council of the University of South Australia and the SA Housing Trust.

Kerrynne holds a Bachelor of Arts in management at the University of South Australia, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Adelaide.

She has completed a Vincent Fairfax Foundation Ethics Fellowship and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In April 2023, Kerrynne was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence.

She is the first Indigenous Australian elected to represent South Australia in the Senate and the first Indigenous woman to win a parliamentary seat in South Australia at either state or federal level.

Yvette Cehtel

Yvette Cehtel is the CEO of the Women’s Legal Service Tasmania, having been appointed in 2019. Yvette’s background is as a lawyer having graduated in 1995 and having been admitted to practice in 2000. Yvette has worked as a Judges Associate, in private practice, as Legal Adviser to the Tasmanian Attorney General (working on the Family Violence Act 2004 (Tas), as counsel with Crown Law in New Zealand, as a Barrister in New Zealand, as a Manager with Relationships Australia, Tasmania, and with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.

Yvette has a Bachelor of Laws (UTAS), Master of Law (Human Rights) Monash and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Yvette is a member of the National Women’s Safety Alliance, Policy & Advocacy Advisory Committee established by the Commonwealth Government.

Also, Yvette is a Board Member of the Women’s Legal Service Australia.

She has been contributing to not for profit community sector and government boards for almost 30 years, including three appointments to the Tasmanians Legal Aid Commission as a Commissioner.

Her passion is for social justice and in particular the rights of Aborigines, women and children. She is committed to systems reform to improve the rights of those who experience structural barriers to achieving equality. This includes access to justice.

Hala Abdelnour

Trained in psychology and social work, Hala’s career focus has included clinical practice in substance abuse, gambling addiction and family violence response across not-for-profit services, correctional facilities and government agencies.

Since 2003, Hala has provided specialist consultation and training on cultural awareness, equity and inclusion, and family violence to various government agencies, educators, members of Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police, as well as senior leaders across the not-for-profit and private sector.

She has delivered numerous Men’s Behaviour Change programs across Victoria and all gender groups in NSW. Hala was contracted by No to Violence in the workforce development space from 2016 to 2018. This included the redesign and delivery of the Graduate Certificate in Family Violence at Swinburne University.

In 2020, Hala founded the Institute of non-violence, a service that was established to support family violence response across Australia. The Institute offers advanced training programs for family violence practitioners, clinical supervision and therapeutic services. It also works to eradicate systemic racism and misogyny.

Hala has spoken at various local, national, and international conferences, and has featured on several podcasts, ABC and SBS news radio and TV.

Jayke Burgess

Jayke Burgess is a married trans gay man who experienced domestic violence for 10+ years mostly while he still presenting as female. Jayke is also a person with multiple sclerosis. Jayke's abuse included physical, emotional, sexual, financial, animal abuse and killing and psychological abuse. Jayke had to attend the family court to ensure access to his children and this was fraught with discrimination, marginalisation and court facilitated abuse by the perpetrator. Jayke manages mental health and welfare programs across Sydney, and is an artist in his brief moments of spare time. Jayke is passionate about making changes to the how we see domestic violence, for increased knowledge of the experiences of GLBTQ+ people in domestic violence situations.

Micaela Cronin

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 was the CEO of an international non-government organisation based in Asia, working to build global service delivery and strategic partnerships to tackle human trafficking and human rights abuses. 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.

Yumi Lee

Yumi has worked on women’s rights, development and violence against women for over 30 years both in Australia and internationally. She began with advocacy for nuclear disarmament and women’s rights in armed conflict, and is now the CEO for Older Women’s Network NSW where she advocates on issues of impacting older women with a focus on housing insecurity and homelessness of older women; and violence against older women including in aged care for which she was recognised with the 2022 NSW Women’s Legal Service’s “Bright Sparks Award” for “Advocacy and Reform”.

Michael Salter

Dr Michael Salter is the Scientia Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of New South Wales. He is an internationally recognised expert in the study of gender-based violence, child abuse and complex trauma. Dr Salter is the President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, the premier global organisation for the treatment of complex trauma and dissociative conditions. He is the Chair of the Grace Tame Foundation, which is dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse. His research engages with policy and practice across multiple sectors, including mental health, social work, law enforcement and internet regulation.

Nooria Ahmadi

I am Nooria Ahmadi, a student leader, Anzac Prize recipient, and youth advocate. I am extremely enthusiastic about forming social change. As a recipient of a scholarship to attend the FECCA conference in 2021, I am now able to recognise the significance of conferences and have thus opted to join the organising committee for the Stop Domestic Violence conference. I am currently a writer who has completed the first draft of a 40,000-word book. I am also a participant in Lions Youth of the Year, where I won first place in a club final and received a participation certificate in regional competitions. I aspire to pursue a career as a politician in the future, but I am also passionate about studying law at the University of Queensland in 2024.

Jess Hill

Jess Hill is a Walkley award-winning journalist who specialises in reporting on coercive control and gendered violence. Prior to this, she was a Middle East correspondent, and worked as both a producer and reporter for various current affairs programs across the ABC. In 2019, she published her first book, See What You Made Me Do, about the phenomenon of coercive control and family violence in Australia. It was awarded the 2020 Stella Prize, and has been shortlisted for several others, including the Walkley Book Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. In 2021 Jess presented a three-part series adaption of her book for SBS, which became one of the broadcaster's most watched factual programs to date. Since then, Jess has produced an audio documentary series on coercive control called ‘The Trap’, a Quarterly Essay on #MeToo in Australia, ‘The Reckoning’, and another three-part series for SBS, ‘Asking For It’. Since 2019, Jess has spoken at hundreds of public events about coercive control, and regularly conducts training and education for groups as diverse as magistrates, community groups, frontline workers, workplaces and local councils.

Hannah Taylor-Civitarese

Hannah Taylor-Civitarese, a proud Kamilaroi woman, holds a deep hope for First Nations women to be at the centre of coercive control conversations, legislative changes, and reform. Currently pursuing her PhD through the University of Queensland, with experience in international social work, her research centers on the Intersectional factors of Coercive Control for First Nation women in Australia.

Over the years, Hannah has been privileged to work with First Nation communities in the implementation of health and wellness programs at both state and national levels.

Her passion for intersectionality has included the award winning 1800RESPECT disability pathways project. 1800RESPECT is the first and only national Telehealth service to be accredited the Communication Access Symbol twice. She is also currently enjoying her role as National Cultural Coordinator for 1800RESPECT. All while juggling being a mother to a vibrant 2 year old and three step children.

Hannah's journey began in child protection, where she learned the systemic challenges within Indigenous communities. Motivated to drive change, her commitment to advocacy led her to work with human trafficking task forces in England and the United States, specialising in the rescue and rehabilitation of human trafficking victims. She has also been privileged to have a role in crafting strategies for rehabilitating children involved in sexual offenses.

Hannah is determined for people to know they always have a hope, they are always valued and they have every right to live free from coercive control.

Hayley Foster

Hayley Foster BBus (Ec) LLB (Hons) GDLP GDFDRP GAICD is a recognised leader in the field of family, domestic, and sexual violence, with over 20 years of experience in creating impactful change in business, community, and government settings. Throughout this time, Hayley has worked in frontline services, behaviour change, family law, disputes resolution, training, policy, law reform, financial services, and executive leadership.

Over the last decade, Hayley has played a pivotal role in shaping significant state and federal reforms, such as criminalising coercive control, affirmative sexual consent laws, a national curriculum on respectful relationships, domestic violence leave, Respect@Work, and enhancing safety in family law.

Most recently, Hayley has been appointed to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia as Director of Family Violence and Director of Access, Equity and Inclusion advising the Chief Justice and Chief Executive Officer on improving the Courts' response to family violence and increasing accessibility for diverse populations.

Michelle Rogers

Wiradjuri and Gomeroi woman, Dabee descent, visiting on Bundjalung Country over half of my life, with a long-standing professional background in Housing Services, Child Protection, Out of Home Care, Cultural planning for children and Specialist in Practice & Permanency. Using culturally embedded practice will support children to live at home safely with family. I enjoy purposeful relationships across sectors, to enable sound advocacy and sector priority shift. My experience is both lived and academic, enabling a unique and balanced lens on issues affecting our Aboriginal communities. As an advocate for systemic change, I strive to ensure that self-determination and empowerment are more than words, I challenge Government processes to shift to understand cultural ways of knowing, being and doing. Working with ACHIA NSW, in the not for profit, Aboriginal Community Controlled sector as Partnerships and Policy Manager, focused on adequate, affordable, secure and sustainable housing for Aboriginal families.

Nathan Barker

Nathan is responsible for the Commonwealth Bank’s organisation wide community partnerships, strategy and execution.

This includes the community partnerships as part of CommBank Next Chapter, the Bank’s commitment to addressing financial abuse and supporting long term recovery for victim-survivors. Nathan also leads the work of the CommBank Staff Foundation.

In addition, he is on the board of Dads Group and is a member of the Sydney Childrens Hospital Consumer Advisory Committee. Nathan is a father of three and a committed advocate for raising awareness and funds for stillbirth support.