Keynote Speakers

Suzanne currently lives in The Adelaide Hills in South Australia and works as the Centre Manager for headspace* Murray Bridge and Victor Harbor.

Since graduating in 1989 as an Occupational Therapist she has worked in Public and Non-Government Mental Health Services in Australia and the UK.

During Suzanne’s career as an OT and Family Therapist she has worked as both a practitioner and manager that prioritises function and relationships as core components for success in her work.

Suzanne was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to visit services around the world utilising Single Session Therapy to enable greater accessibility and timeliness of services to young people. Suzanne’s work has been innovative and seen Single Session Family Consultation and Single Session Thinking transforming care in headspace centres.

Suzanne is published in:
• Hoyt, M.F., Young, J., & Rycroft, P. (Eds.). (2021) Single Session Thinking and Practice in Global, Cultural, and Familial Contexts: Expanding Applications. New York: Routledge.(Chapter 12)
• Poon, AWC., Harvey,C., Fuzzard, S., O’Hanlon, B. (2017) Implementing a family-inclusive practice model in youth mental health services in Australia. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 1-8
The report can be found at: https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/suzanne-fuzzard-sa-2022/
*headspace is a National Youth Mental Health program funded since 2006 in Australia.

Clinton Schultz, a Gamilaraay man and recognised as a 'cultural innovator,' was honored with a PhD from Griffith University in 2019 for his thesis on the holistic well-being of the Aboriginal health and community workforce, receiving high academic accolades including the Chancellors medal. Dr Schultz has written and presented extensively on the concept of social and emotional wellbeing from an Aboriginal perspective. As a relentless entrepreneur and advocate for positive community impact, he consults on cultural responsiveness and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through his various roles.

A practicing psychologist and the Director of First Nations Strategy and Partnerships at the Blackdog Institute, Clinton previously taught as an Assistant Professor at Bond University and founded Marumali Consultations to bridge the gap in culturally responsive mental health services. His entrepreneurial spirit also led to the creation of Sobah, a non-alcoholic craft beer brand, showcasing his versatility and commitment to social ventures alongside family life.

Clinton has contributed significantly to professional bodies, including the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and the Indigenous Allied Health Association, reflecting his deep commitment to First Nation’s well-being, cultural heritage, and environmental health. His achievements include receiving Griffith University's Most Outstanding First Nations Alumnus Award and the IAHA Health Professional of the Year. A spirited competitor, Clinton enjoys motorbiking, surfing, rock climbing, and has participated in Australian Ninja Warrior and UNAA Ninja Championships, demonstrating his dynamic and multifaceted life.

Carolyn Gillespie has a wealth of lived experience leadership and clinical expertise across healthcare, justice and the community sectors. Her work, both in Australia and internationally, has seen her establish and lead large organisational and systemic cultural change and deliver excellence in client-led healthcare programs.

As Co-CEO of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Carolyn works with people and organisations across the sector to ensure that lived and living experience directly informs, and remains at the heart of, the ongoing transformation of Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system.

Before joining the Collaborative Centre, Carolyn held an executive position at the LGBTIQ+ community-controlled organisation Thorne Harbour Health. She is currently Chair of the national peak organisation LGBTIQ+ Health Australia.

Gerry Naughtin has worked in management and governance roles in human services for many years, in the mental health, disability and aged care sectors. He was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel to the Victorian Royal Commission on Mental Health and until recently, chaired the National Mental Health Sector Reference Group for the National Disability Insurance Agency. Gerry is a qualified social worker and has a Doctorate of Philosophy from Melbourne University. He previously held an Associate Professor position at LaTrobe University.

Gerry has a strong commitment to the development of lived experience in mental health and disability services. He co-authored a chapter in the book Peer Work in Australia with his friend and colleague Janet Meagher. He holds a professional qualification in social work and completed his doctorate in social work in 2008.

Professor Genevieve Pepin is a passionate mental health occupational therapist, educator, and researcher. She joined Deakin University after having worked across diverse mental health services and taught at Laval University, Sherbrooke University, and McGill University in Canada. She is an established MOHO scholar. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of mental illness on engagement in meaningful occupations and advancing occupational therapy practice, education, and research in mental health. She is particularly interested in understanding the impact of eating disorders on function and the daily occupations of those with an eating disorder and their family, and the development of innovative interventions promoting best health outcomes.

Genevieve is a strong advocate for occupational therapy in mental health and for the unique role occupational therapists can play in the recovery of people with an eating disorder. Genevieve is the research lead of the Lived Experience and Co-Production stream of the Australian Eating Disorders Research and Translation Centre. She is also the Chair of the Research Committee of Eating Disorders Families Australia. She has exciting national and international partnerships, was granted over $15 million in research funding, has several publications, and presents her work around the world. Genevieve is a strong believer in multidisciplinary approaches, best practice, and emerging knowledge that support occupation-based and client-centred interventions in the mental health sector.

Rachel is a passionate mental health occupational therapist with experience as a clinician, researcher, project manager and practice change lead. She has held various positions in the mental health sector in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Her vast clinical experience in the mental health sector has included clinical specialist and leadership roles and much of her work has been on the translation and dissemination of evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches into clinical practice. She has specialist expertise in eating disorders. Throughout her clinical career, she has become highly skilled in the provision of evidence based occupational therapy practice. Furthermore, she has demonstrated leadership skills and is proficient in project implementation having led numerous quality improvement and evaluation projects in mental health, some at a national level.

Rachel is a systems thinker and has a particular interest in how the structure of health services impacts a person’s ability to receive the right treatment at the right time. Her research focuses on service system design, the mental health workforce and enhancing access to treatment.