keynotes
Dr Haley Peckham
Neuroplastic Wrap: The non-pathologising, ecological alternative to diagnostic labels.
Dr Haley Peckham’s background includes philosophy, mental health nursing, psychotherapy and neuroscience and her perspective is grounded in a colourful lived experience of recovering from complex trauma. While studying Philosophy Haley worked with children and adolescents in ‘care’ and, realising that as adults they were over-represented in the criminal justice system and mental health services set out to understand the relationship between early experiences and brains, minds and behaviours. Whilst working as a Mental Health Nurse Haley studied Molecular Neuroscience at Bristol and gained her PhD from The University of Melbourne where she learned the neuroscience of how experiences shape brains and the evolutionary biology that illuminates why experiences may shape us the way they do. These insights are critically important for clinical practice especially for the delivery of coherent ACE aware and Trauma-Informed approaches and Haley seeks to share them with interested professionals in Australia and the UK.
Dr Haley Peckham’s background includes philosophy, mental health nursing, psychotherapy and neuroscience and her perspective is grounded in a colourful lived experience of recovering from complex trauma. While studying Philosophy Haley worked with children and adolescents in ‘care’ and, realising that as adults they were over-represented in the criminal justice system and mental health services set out to understand the relationship between early experiences and brains, minds and behaviours. Whilst working as a Mental Health Nurse Haley studied Molecular Neuroscience at Bristol and gained her PhD from The University of Melbourne where she learned the neuroscience of how experiences shape brains and the evolutionary biology that illuminates why experiences may shape us the way they do. These insights are critically important for clinical practice especially for the delivery of coherent ACE aware and Trauma-Informed approaches and Haley seeks to share them with interested professionals in Australia and the UK.
anna love
Reflections from the Chief Mental Health Nurse from service visits across Victoria.
Anna was appointed Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse in 2015 and comes with experience across mental health and addictions medicine, having trained and worked in the UK before moving to Australia. Anna’s vision is to ensure we have a skilled, valued, and nurtured mental health nursing workforce. In 2022, Anna was additionally appointed as Executive Director of the Clinical and Professional Leadership Unit within Safer Care Victoria.
Anna is the executive sponsor of the Mental Health Improvement Program, leading significant reform and improvement projects in response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Anna provides expert advice on quality and safety matters to the CEO of Safer Care Victoria and the Department of Health. As Executive Director, Anna oversees and supports the work of Victoria’s Chief Clinical Officers.
Anna was appointed Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse in 2015 and comes with experience across mental health and addictions medicine, having trained and worked in the UK before moving to Australia. Anna’s vision is to ensure we have a skilled, valued, and nurtured mental health nursing workforce. In 2022, Anna was additionally appointed as Executive Director of the Clinical and Professional Leadership Unit within Safer Care Victoria.
Anna is the executive sponsor of the Mental Health Improvement Program, leading significant reform and improvement projects in response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Anna provides expert advice on quality and safety matters to the CEO of Safer Care Victoria and the Department of Health. As Executive Director, Anna oversees and supports the work of Victoria’s Chief Clinical Officers.
Director, Neuromedicines Discovery Australia; Co-Lead, Neuroscience and Mental Health Therapeutic Program, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professor Chris Langmead is the Director of Neuromedicines Discovery Australia and co-leads the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science’s Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program.
He is an expert in GPCR drug discovery, particularly in the field of neuropsychiatry, and has led multiple projects into late-stage preclinical development, many of which are now in clinical trials.
He has a degree and PhD in Pharmacology from Queens' College, Cambridge and University College London, respectively, was the youngest person to be elected as a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and was the recipient of the British Pharmacological Society Novartis Prize in 2017.
Professor Chris Langmead is the Director of Neuromedicines Discovery Australia and co-leads the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science’s Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program.
He is an expert in GPCR drug discovery, particularly in the field of neuropsychiatry, and has led multiple projects into late-stage preclinical development, many of which are now in clinical trials.
He has a degree and PhD in Pharmacology from Queens' College, Cambridge and University College London, respectively, was the youngest person to be elected as a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and was the recipient of the British Pharmacological Society Novartis Prize in 2017.
Associate Nurse Unit Manager
Kristine Josevski is an emerging leader who has recently transitioned to a new role as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) at MWAMHS. Kristine graduated from Victoria University in 2019 and completed her Graduate year with the NWMH Graduate program. She has spent majority of her nursing career working within acute adult mental health inpatient units across the NWAMHS and thoroughly enjoys providing consumers with compassionate support during the acute phase of their recovery. She has completed her postgraduate studies in 2021 and is currently completing a Master of Advanced Nursing Practice (Mental Health) through RMIT University. Kristine continuously seeks to refine her skillsets through professional development opportunities. Kristine enjoys learning about reducing restrictive interventions through the use of de-escalation strategies and sensory modulation.
Kristine Josevski is an emerging leader who has recently transitioned to a new role as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) at MWAMHS. Kristine graduated from Victoria University in 2019 and completed her Graduate year with the NWMH Graduate program. She has spent majority of her nursing career working within acute adult mental health inpatient units across the NWAMHS and thoroughly enjoys providing consumers with compassionate support during the acute phase of their recovery. She has completed her postgraduate studies in 2021 and is currently completing a Master of Advanced Nursing Practice (Mental Health) through RMIT University. Kristine continuously seeks to refine her skillsets through professional development opportunities. Kristine enjoys learning about reducing restrictive interventions through the use of de-escalation strategies and sensory modulation.
panel presentation – emerging leaders in a climate of change
daniel Darmanin
Program Manager
Daniel Darmanin is working as the new Program Manager at the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre. He has worked in many different settings, including adolescent, youth and adult services. He has previously worked as the Clinical Nurse Consultant and Code Grey Coordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital and as the Area Senior Nurse at Orygen Specialist Program. Daniel is a member of the Centre for Mental Health Nursing Expert Reference Group and the Victorian Collaborative Mental Health Nursing Conference Committee. Daniel works concurrently as a Sessional Trainer for Genu, teaching students the Certificate IV in Mental Health. His special interest areas include trauma informed care, occupational violence and aggression and supporting the physical health of consumers.
Daniel Darmanin is working as the new Program Manager at the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre. He has worked in many different settings, including adolescent, youth and adult services. He has previously worked as the Clinical Nurse Consultant and Code Grey Coordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital and as the Area Senior Nurse at Orygen Specialist Program. Daniel is a member of the Centre for Mental Health Nursing Expert Reference Group and the Victorian Collaborative Mental Health Nursing Conference Committee. Daniel works concurrently as a Sessional Trainer for Genu, teaching students the Certificate IV in Mental Health. His special interest areas include trauma informed care, occupational violence and aggression and supporting the physical health of consumers.
Abbey Healey
Senior Mental Health Clinician
Abbey Healey is a Senior Mental Health Clinician for the Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Intake and Assessment Team. Abbey commenced her mental health nursing career at the Royal Children’s Hospital in 2018 and has worked in various positions in both the inpatient and community settings throughout the organisation. Her previous leadership positions have included Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Associate Nurse Unit Manager and Mental Health Nurse Bed Coordinator. Abbey is passionate about trauma informed care, sensory modulation and improving efficiencies in practice through optimising EMR.
Abbey Healey is a Senior Mental Health Clinician for the Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Intake and Assessment Team. Abbey commenced her mental health nursing career at the Royal Children’s Hospital in 2018 and has worked in various positions in both the inpatient and community settings throughout the organisation. Her previous leadership positions have included Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Associate Nurse Unit Manager and Mental Health Nurse Bed Coordinator. Abbey is passionate about trauma informed care, sensory modulation and improving efficiencies in practice through optimising EMR.
Jake Bushe
Clinical Nurse Educator at Orygen Inpatient Unit
Jake is an emerging leader who has recently embraced the position of Clinical Nurse Educator at Orygen Inpatient Unit. After completing his Masters of Nursing Science at Melbourne University, Jake commenced his nursing career through the NWMH Graduate Program at Orygen in 2020. After completing rotations through the Northern Inpatient Unit and Norfolk Terrace CCU, he returned to Orygen where he completed his postgraduate studies and secured a full-time role. His passion for working alongside young people, and his strong emphasis on connection and collaboration has helped him thrive as a nurse and a shift leader in the youth mental health setting. Now, this passion has been channelled into the CNE role; with a keen focus on workforce wellbeing, risk assessment, Safewards interventions, and self-harm safety planning.
Jake is an emerging leader who has recently embraced the position of Clinical Nurse Educator at Orygen Inpatient Unit. After completing his Masters of Nursing Science at Melbourne University, Jake commenced his nursing career through the NWMH Graduate Program at Orygen in 2020. After completing rotations through the Northern Inpatient Unit and Norfolk Terrace CCU, he returned to Orygen where he completed his postgraduate studies and secured a full-time role. His passion for working alongside young people, and his strong emphasis on connection and collaboration has helped him thrive as a nurse and a shift leader in the youth mental health setting. Now, this passion has been channelled into the CNE role; with a keen focus on workforce wellbeing, risk assessment, Safewards interventions, and self-harm safety planning.
Kristine Josevski
ellie hodges
Lived Experience in the Leadership Space: Where being a ‘leader with lived experience’ and a ‘lived experience leader’ are not the same.
Ellie combines her professional, personal and socio-political worlds, centring lived experience and a commitment to transformative systems change. This is underpinned by a focus on innovation, social justice and leading together.
In 2017 Ellie founded and is the Executive Director of LELAN (the Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network). LELAN is the peak organisation in South Australia for people with lived experience of mental distress, social issues or injustice. LELAN draws on the collective experiences, insights and leadership of people with lived experience to drive desperately needed change in the mental health and social sectors.
Ellie is an individually appointed member of the legislated South Australian Suicide Prevention Council and loves cheese, particularly the stinky oozy kind.
Ellie combines her professional, personal and socio-political worlds, centring lived experience and a commitment to transformative systems change. This is underpinned by a focus on innovation, social justice and leading together.
In 2017 Ellie founded and is the Executive Director of LELAN (the Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network). LELAN is the peak organisation in South Australia for people with lived experience of mental distress, social issues or injustice. LELAN draws on the collective experiences, insights and leadership of people with lived experience to drive desperately needed change in the mental health and social sectors.
Ellie is an individually appointed member of the legislated South Australian Suicide Prevention Council and loves cheese, particularly the stinky oozy kind.
