SPEAKERS MENTAL HEALTH | Conference Services

2018 Indigenous Mental Health: Out of the Shadows Conference

GUEST SPEAKERS

Aunty Jeanette Singleton

Traditional Elder

Yirrganydji Gurabana Aboriginal Corporation QLD

Aunty Jeanette Singleton is a Yirrganydji woman from Yorkeys Knob and a respected traditional elder of the Yirrganydji people. Aunty Jeanette has been extensively involved as a leader within the indigenous affairs of Far North Queensland and served as chair of the Irukandji Aboriginal Corporation, Yirrganydji Gurabana Aboriginal Corporation as well as Director of Cairns District Regional Housing.

Aunty Cheri Yavu-Kama-Harathunian

Director/Chaplain, Cultural Consultant, Theta Healing Practitioner

Indigenous Wellbeing Centre QLD

Aunty Cheri Yavu-Kama-Harathunian holds a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Indigenous and Community Health as well as Certificates in Small Business Development and Minister of Religion. She is a member of State and Local Social Justice Committees related to her portfolios and serves as a Director of several not-for profit Aboriginal organisations. Aunty Cheri along with her husband, Uncle Ara developed and implemented the Transformational Management Model that frames all operations of IWC, a non-profit Aboriginal organization that provides centralised management and administration across 27 programs. In 2013, Aunty Cheri was awarded the International Professional of the Year for Spiritual and Social Services by the World Wide Who’s Who. In 2016, IWC awarded her the Prestigious Ambassadorial Award for her Professional Leadership Integrity. In her spare time, Aunty Cheri studies ancient Greek and Hebrew languages to better understand sacred writings. She says her greatest achievement has been to raise her two children to become social and cultural activists for Aboriginal aspirations, who are contributing members to society and the Aboriginal communities, in which they live.

Robert 'Bob' Davis

Chief Executive Officer

Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation NSW

Bob is the Chief Executive Officer of Maari Ma Health, an Aboriginal community controlled regional health service dedicated to improving the health of Aboriginal communities in the Far West region of New South Wales, Australia and covers a vast area that is approximately one quarter of the whole of the state of New South Wales. The majority of the region is classified as remote or very remote. He has more than 30 years’ experience at Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director level in Aboriginal health in Government and non-Government organisations. He has been a Director on many local, state, national and international boards, and is currently a Director of the Western Health Alliance (trading as Western NSW Primary Health Network), and LiveBetter Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation Aboriginal Chronic Care Network and is a member of the National Health Sector Evaluation Co-design Group for the evaluation of the Australian Government’s investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care under the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme (IAHP).

Ms Fiona Murray

Academic/Indigenous Researcher

University of New England

Fiona Murray is a Wiradjuri woman with ancestral ties to Brewarrina, Cowra and Dubbo in the west of New South Wales, and currently lives in the Upper Hunter town of Muswellbrook. Fiona is an academic, tutor and current PhD research student at University of New England, Armidale, NSW. Fiona’s knowledge and experience of planning and delivery of Indigenous perspectives in curriculum content and implementing Indigenous pedagogies to assist her teaching is founded from work as an academic and Indigenous education designer. Fiona’s current studies focus on Indigenous mental health and well-being issues within the early years of education systems. Completion of a Process Psychology and Psychotherapy degree has deepened her passion for good mental health of our Aboriginal students, hence the continuing study of her PhD in mental health. Fiona is an Executive Aboriginal Community representative on MACH Energy’s Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF). The Fund seeks to support partnerships that target issues, needs and opportunities which are priorities for local Aboriginal communities in areas such as health; economic development; cultural and community development and education. Outside of education, Fiona enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Ngala, to experience all the beautiful Upper Hunter Valley has to offer in their food and wine.

Iggy Tan

CEO and Happiness Coach

Rotary Matilda Bay

Iggy Tan is a successful mining and chemical industry chief executive, a Rotarian and author of Ban the Performance Appraisal (2016). Iggy also volunteers his time as a ‘happiness coach’, mentoring others in the art of happiness. While psychology was not part of his tertiary education, through personal experience with depression, Iggy has garnered a deep understanding of social psychology, the human condition and mental health. Over the last few years of his personal journey, Iggy created Happiness Sweeping®, a mind training technique that has helped many people dramatically improve their personal happiness and overall sense of well-being. Iggy coined the term ‘10/10 happiness’ meaning the ultimate state of inner peace, contentment, joy and bliss. Iggy considers himself 10/10 happy through regular happiness sweeping and meditation. Iggy now shares this technique with the world. The book’s proceeds will support Rotary International and suicide prevention not-for-profit U OK? Iggy holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Cross, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr. Joseph Stone

Clinical Psychologist USA/NZ

Indigenous Development Specialist

Dr. Joseph B. Stone, Ph.D, CADC Level III, ICADC is a Amskapi Pikuni (Blackfeet Indian) tribal member raised on a Northern Montana USA cattle ranch by his grandparents. He is affiliated as a participant in the Last Star Thunder Medicine Pipe, the Beaver Lodge, and the OKANN (Sundance). Dr. Stone is a Senior Lecturer at the Griffith University School of Human Services and Social Work, Adjunct Professor at University of Washington. He retired from the U.S. Indian Health Service as Chief of Department: Gallup Indian Medical Center Behavioural Health Service following eighteen years working for US Tribes and the US Public Health Services. Currently, Dr. Stone works in Hastings, New Zealand as a clinical psychologist. His roles include specialist addictions and rehabilitation work in the community and Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison, family therapy and assessment and treatment of children.

Dr John van Bockxmeer

District Medical Officer

Country Heath Service WA

John van Bockxmeer is dedicated to reducing health inequality. John’s work positively impacts thousands of people each year. John is a remote Emergency Department doctor from Port Hedland leading significant change within his role in the public health system and through numerous innovative voluntary local, national and international initiatives representing excellence in the fields of medicine and community development. John is an Emergency Department doctor dedicated to improving the health of all Australians. For over ten years John has led numerous voluntary local, national and international initiatives representing excellence in the fields of medicine and community development. Through his charity Fair Game he helps mentor and foster positive change in remote Aboriginal communities through the donation of recycled sports equipment. The group has donated over 20,000 items and has more than 200 volunteers.

Justin Files

Manager, Community Services and Programs

Acting Chief Executive Officer

Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation NSW

Justin is a Barkindji man from the Darling River and is number 16 of 125 descendants of his Barkindji Matriarch Grandmother. He is an accomplished healthcare manager motivated by challenge with over 17 years’ experience in Aboriginal health in Government and non-Government organisations in the Far West of NSW. Specialising in the management of innovative complex community based Aboriginal health models that are flexible, sustainable whole of community approaches to care. Justin graduated at Charles Sturt University (Bachelor of Health Science, Mental Health) Wagga Wagga Campus; and BCA National Training Group (Advanced Diploma in Business Administration). He has worked as Chief Investigator of Community Safety Research Project (Resilience study in partnership with UNSW); Team Leader Primary Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Services; Manager, Primary Care Specialist Services (Allied Health); Manager, Primary Health Care Service (Broken Hill Aboriginal Medical Service) and currently as Manager, Community Services and Programs and Acting Chief Executive Officer Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation.

Heidi Sturk

Deputy Director

e-Mental Health in Practice QUT QLD

Heidi Sturk is the Deputy Director of eMHPrac (e-Mental Health in Practice) at QUT. Heidi delivers national training and support on digital mental health resources to allied health practitioners and service providers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Heidi has a Masters of Organisational Psychology and has over 20 years experience working in the mental health area. Her areas of interest include how to integrate appropriate digital technologies into health care, rural and remote health care practice, and wellbeing of health practitioners.

Wayne Mulvany

General Manager

Indigenous Wellbeing Centre QLD

Wayne Mulvany has extensive experience in the health and community services sector including a background in police and law. He worked across a range of services with experience in health related industry in areas of planning, consulting, development, management, implementation of large projects and services. His success is exemplified by the exponential design and development of IWC where he works as the General Manager. IWC is a non-profit Aboriginal organization that provides centralised management and administration across 26 programs. Wayne’s qualifications include A/Dip Financial Management, A/Dip Management (HR), Certificate IV Governance and Dip. Business Governance.

Dr Amith Shetty

Staff Specialist Emergency Dept.

Westmead Hospital Medical Director

WSLH Clinical Senior lecturer

Westmead Clinical School NSW

Dr. Amith Shetty is an Emergency physician with keen interest in ED management, overcrowding and research initiatives. Having started work as a registrar at Westmead ED in 2003, Dr Shetty have just finished his training and taken up a full time staff specialist position at Westmead Hospital. Dr Amith Shetty is also a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Emergency Medicine, Westmead Clinical School and Co-Director of Emergency Medical Research Unit, Honorary Research Fellow, NHMRC CRE in Critical Infection. Dr Shetty is currently working with ehealth NSW on clinico-technical projects addressing challenges of systems interoperability and patient risk monitoring. His research interests include Models of care, Health Services Research, Emergency department research and patient care outcomes and Sepsis.

Dr. Amber Logan

Clinical Psychologist NZ

Indigenous Development Specialist

Dr. Amber Logan is a Māori of Kahungunu descent, a mother of five children and a graduate of the University of Auckland School of Medicine and has practised as a health psychologist in primary and secondary care, specialising in the prevention and management of chronic disease. Amber has lectured and presented in this field in North America, including the University of Washington and Harvard University, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. She is currently completing a doctorate in public health with the University of Otago School of Medicine, and is heading the working group for the development of the International Association of Indigenous Health Psychology.

Armando Otavalo

Native Kichuwas, Andes Mountains

Musician/ Artist

Native Spirits Flute CANADA

Armando Otavalo is a traditional native American flutist and musician. A native of the Southwest America and a descendant of Kichuwa peoples, Armando has studied music since his youth and is widely respected as a master performer of the Native American Flute. He made his home in Edmonton Alberta Canada where he performs extensively at area hotels, Aboriginal conferences, malls, resorts and festivals. As a solo artist, Armando is a consummate performer, vibrant and personable, his musical arrangements reflect his expertise and energy wherein traditional songs are given new life and contemporary songs acquire the timeless sensations with mystical flute and natural effects.

Cynthia George

IWC North Burnett Assistant Manager

Indigenous Wellbeing Centre QLD

Cynthia George is the IWC North Burnett Assistant Manager and an Indigenous Health Practitioner with substantial experience in maternal care. Cynthia’s role includes both supervisory and operational responsibilities across regional, rural and remote areas of the North Burnett.

Jenni Toogood

North Burnett & Clinical Governance Manager

Indigenous Wellbeing Centre QLD

Jenni Toogood is the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre’s (IWC) North Burnett Manager and Clinical Governance Manager. For decades, she has worked across regional, rural and remote areas of Australia from Townsville to the Kimberley, and her achievements in community, intensive and acute care are substantial. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Post-Graduate Diploma of Health Administration. Her role within IWC includes strategic, supervisory and operational responsibilities across regional, rural and remote areas of Bundaberg and the Wide Bay Burnett.