Speakers

Geri Sumpter

Head of Be You Delivery

Geri Sumpter

Head of Be You Delivery

Geri Sumpter is the Head of Be You Delivery at Beyond Blue. She is responsible for the delivery of the national ‘mental health in education’ initiative to early learning services and schools. Geri has an extensive career history and has held significant leadership roles focused on stakeholder engagement, relationship management and the application of whole-setting approaches to improve health outcomes. Geri is passionate about helping individuals and communities achieve their best possible mental health.

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Dr Kelly-Ann Allen

Associate Professor, Monash University

Dr Kelly-Ann Allen

Associate Professor, Monash University

Dr Kelly-Ann Allen is an Associate Professor and educational and developmental psychologist at Monash University, fellow of the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists and an honorary principal fellow of the University of Melbourne. With more than ten years’ experience as a school psychologist, she currently combines her expertise as a practitioner with her academic research interests of school belonging.

Dr Allen’s core work is in direct response to the widely reported global decline in belonging, particularly for students. Her research traces the further deterioration of belonging following COVID-19, and its strong associations with mental illness (both in adolescence and adulthood), wellbeing and academic outcomes, demonstrating that student belonging is an important problem to address. With the study of belonging core to Dr. Allen’s research priorities, her projects have built a conceptual and empirical understanding of what it means to belong.

Dr Allen’s interest in belonging has led her to author and edit over 200 scholarly publications including the award winning, Psychology of Belonging (Routledge) and Boosting School Belonging in Adolescents: Interventions for teachers and mental health professionals (Routledge). An open access policy on school belonging (free to download) is available in her latest book, Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy: Adaptable Policy for Teachers and School Leaders. Dr Allen’s mission is to signal and accentuate the importance of belonging in day-to-day life, and to better understand the mechanics of how it can be enhanced across the lifespan, but particularly in educational contexts. Her work is based on the need to belong as a powerful driver of motivation and a fundamental pillar of good physical and mental health. In a world of rising rates of loneliness and social isolation, a comprehensive understanding of belonging has never been more important.

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Nicole Lees

Be You Consultant, Early Childhood Australia

Nicole Lees

Be You Consultant, Early Childhood Australia

Nicole Lees is a consultant for Be You with Early Childhood Australia. Nicole’s background includes educator and leaderships roles, consultancy and research. Nicole spent several years working in the education sector in Japan and South Korea. Nicole’s experience in early childhood education across three different countries highlighted the significance of a sense of wellbeing. To follow this interest, Nicole undertook a Master of Childhood and Youth Studies, focusing on early childhood wellbeing and spirituality. Nicole’s work has been published in the NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal and the Early Childhood Australia, Research in Practice Series.

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Azadeh Knopf

Be You Consultant, headspace

Azadeh Knopf

Be You Consultant, headspace

Azadeh is a Be You Consultant with headspace Schools & Communities. She has previously worked as an educator in a primary school setting for 7 years and is passionate about cultivating and changing the culture of mental health and wellbeing in education.

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Caroline Thain

headspace Schools & Communities National Clinical Manager

Caroline Thain

headspace Schools & Communities National Clinical Manager

Caroline is an occupational therapist with more than 18 years’ experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in various mental healthcare settings. She has held several leadership positions across different NGO’s and is the current Acting Clinical Manager within headspace Schools & Communities, where she manages clinical oversight of headspace’s mental health and wellbeing programs and initiatives within learning communities, including Be You. Caroline has completed post graduate study in Paediatric Occupational Therapy, specialising in youth mental health, and in 2021 became a Witness Intermediary for the Department of Justice in Tasmania. She is passionate about improving access to mental health services for communities through collaboration, innovation, and sustainable pathways of care.

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Esma Livermore

Senior Officer RAP Community, Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education, Reconciliation Australia

Esma Livermore

Senior Officer RAP Community, Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education, Reconciliation Australia

Esma is a proud Kamilaroi woman from Inverell, NSW, who joined Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team in January 2016. While actively contributing across the range of Narragunnawali program areas, Esma has played a key role in coordinating the national Narragunnawali Awards initiative, first launched in 2017 to recognise reconciliation excellence in the education sector. She has also played an ongoing leadership role in driving the Reconciliation Australia Indigenous Network (RAIN), established as an important cultural reference group for the organisation. Esma has held previous roles as an Aboriginal Education Worker at Queanbeyan West Public School, and as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer for the NSW Department of Education. She is currently the President of her local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and is passionate about the power of local community efforts to contribute to our national reconciliation journey. Esma has contributed to the development of Be You resources which focus on wellbeing and support of First Nations learners and families in education.

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Nina Ross

Senior Officer Professional Learning Curriculum, Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education, Reconciliation Australia

Nina Ross

Senior Officer Professional Learning Curriculum, Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education, Reconciliation Australia

Nina is a proud Aboriginal woman with connections to Anaiwan and Dunghutti lands while living and working on Wonnarua Country. She is a mother, wife, artist, and teacher and has 22 years’ experience in secondary schools, including writing educational resources for New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA). She completed Fine Arts training at the Newcastle School of Art and has degrees in Education and Fine Arts from the University of Newcastle. Nina has also completed TAFE studies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts. She has written professional teacher learning programs that embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives to build cultural understanding and has experience presenting these at conferences as well as facilitating art and cultural art workshops. Nina believes reconciliation is everybody’s business and wants to help educators access and use resources in their classrooms. Since joining Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team, Nina leads the program’s Professional Learning and Curriculum strategy and has also contributed to the development of Be You resources which focus on wellbeing and support of First Nations learners and families in education.

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Tina Martin

Be You Strategic Relationships Manager, headspace

Tina Martin

Be You Strategic Relationships Manager, headspace

Tina (she/her/hers) is currently the Be You Strategic Relationships Manager at headspace Schools & Communities. She began her career as an early childhood educator and has spent time in various roles across Family Day Care, Out of School Hours Care, Kindergarten and Early Childhood Services.
Tina holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood and a Masters of Social Science (Policy & Management) and has held several leadership positions across government and the not for profit sectors.
She is passionate about creating positive mental health and wellbeing environments for individuals and communities in a wholistic way.
Prior to joining headspace Tina was the Deputy CEO at Early Learning Association Australia and had been the CEO of the Geelong Kindergarten Association an operator of 32 Kindergartens across the Geelong region.

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Louis Hamlyn-Harris

Be You Executive Manager

Louis Hamlyn-Harris

Be You Executive Manager

Louis Hamlyn-Harris is Be You Executive Manager for Early Childhood Australia. Louis has worked as an early childhood teacher and leader in a variety of settings across Australia, Vietnam and the U.S. Prior to joining Be You, he was founding Senior Director of Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center, a progressive socio-economically integrated early childhood program in New York City. Louis believes that children thrive in the context of rich relationships and in environments that support their powerful drive to make sense of the world around them.

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Dr Rebecca Ray

Clinical Psychologist and Author

Dr Rebecca Ray

Clinical Psychologist and Author

Dr Rebecca Ray is a clinical psychologist, author and speaker. Over the course of two decades of practice, she has helped thousands of big-picture-thinking people, through courses, consultations, and transformative content live a life that's fulfilling, unapologetic, and free. Beck’s unique expertise sets her apart as one of Australia’s most in-demand and authoritative voices in the personal development space. She is an author of six books, including Be Happy, The Art of Self-Kindness, The Universe Listens to Brave, Setting Boundaries, Small Habits for a Big Life, and Difficult People (released in May 2023). She lives in the soul-fed hills of the Sunshine Coast with the great loves of her life: her wife Nyssa, son Bennett, two rescue Irish Setters and one gangly Weimaraner.

Audible Original Audiobook: Good, Great, Perfect: Ditch perfectionism for good enough and succeed more
https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Good-Great-Perfect-Audiobook/B0BKQM4J6R

LiSTNR Podcast: Parenting the Parent with Dr Rebecca Ray and Shevonne Hunt
https://www.listnr.com/podcasts/parenting-the-parent-with-dr-rebecca-ray

Book: Small Habits for a Big Life
Small Habits for a Big Life by Rebecca Ray is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP$24.99 and is available in all good bookstores and online in print and Kindle. https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781761260735

Audible Original Podcast: Believe: Debunk the Psychology Myths that are Holding Your Back
https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Believe-Podcast/B09W674GYG

Book: Setting Boundaries
Setting Boundaries by Rebecca Ray is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP$32.99 and is available in all good bookstores and online in print, audio, and Kindle. https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760982423/

Audible Original Podcast: Breakthrough: Overcome Self-Sabotage, Achieve More, Be Your Best Self
https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Breakthrough-Overcome-Self-Sabotage-Achieve-More-Be-Your-Best-Self-Audiobook/B08P7T3R64

Book: The Art of Self-Kindness
The Art of Self-Kindness by Rebecca Ray is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP$19.99 and is available in all good bookstores and online in hardcover and Kindle. https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760783372/

Book: The Universe Listens to Brave
The Universe Listens to Brave by Rebecca Ray is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP$19.99 and is available in all good bookstores and online in hardcover and on Kindle. https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760783365/

Book: Be Happy: 35 Powerful Methods for Personal Growth and Well-Being
Be Happy by Rebecca Ray is published by Rock Point, RRP$21.99 and is available in all good bookstores and online in hardcover and on Kindle.
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Happy-Powerful-Personal-Well-Being/dp/1631064894

Podcast: Hello Rebecca Ray

Website: https://rebeccaray.com.au/

Socials:
Instagram @drrebeccaray
Facebook @drrebeccaray

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Adam Darcey

Wonderschool Compliance Manager

Adam Darcey

Wonderschool Compliance Manager

Adam is an Early Childhood Teacher with over 22 years working in the education sector. He has worked in public and private schools, for private early learning providers, not-for-profit benevolent organisations and in Catholic Education. Originally from Perth, Adam has worked in various states and territories throughout Australia in a range of leadership roles.

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Alisha Kelly

Education Leader, Acacia Ridge Early Years Centre

Alisha Kelly

Education Leader, Acacia Ridge Early Years Centre

Alisha has worked with children across diverse sectors for over 20 years in a variety of settings, including playgroups, delivering parenting programs, kindergarten and long day care (LDC), which has included starting as an Educator and working her way up to the role of Director and Educational Leader in childcare. As well as Child Development Specialist with the Benevolent Society and The Early Childhood Approach (NDIS) Where Alisha has worked together with the family and early childhood professionals in partnership Services and supports which were based on the family’s needs and choices. Throughout the years Alisha has gained an extensive knowledge of the Early Childhood Sector and has enjoyed providing quality education and care for young children. Alisha has also recently completed a Post graduate degree in Austism Studies with a strong passion in empowering parents and supporting children and families to enable the child to have the best possible start in life.

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Elvia Downs

Teacher and Education Leader, C&K Acacia Ridge Community Kindergarten

Elvia Downs

Teacher and Education Leader, C&K Acacia Ridge Community Kindergarten

Elvia Downs is an Early Childhood Teacher with 20 years of experience in Stand-alone C&K Kindergartens and Long day care settings, which has included starting as a Junior Kindy Teacher and working her way to Preschool Teacher, Assistant director, and Kindy Teacher/Director. Elvia currently works as a Teacher and Education Leader for C&K Acacia Ridge Community Kindergarten. In her time teaching Elvia has enjoyed working with other professionals in the field in order to best support the needs of the child and family. She has a strong focus on a play-based Learning and is committed to engaging learning through a child-led, child-focussed curriculum. She has maintained a strong interest in catering for diverse learners and developing positive and successful transitions to school. Elvia is passionate about connecting with teachers, children, families, early learning settings and schools to create shared goals and a collaborative approach to school transitions.

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Sarah Wilcox

Wonderschool Operations Manager

Sarah Wilcox

Wonderschool Operations Manager

Sarah has over 25 years working in the early childhood education and care sector. She holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and has spent time in various roles including Out of School Hours Care, Preschool Teacher, Centre Director, Operations Manager and Diploma Student Trainer. Sarah has also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course on the role of company directors and governance.

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Shona Doyle

Be You Consultant, Early Childhood Australia

Shona Doyle

Be You Consultant, Early Childhood Australia

Shona Doyle is currently employed as a Be You Early Childhood Consultant with Early Childhood Australia (ECA), the national peak body for the Early Childhood profession. She enjoys the challenges and triumphs of each day working with motivated educators in early learning settings in order to build mentally healthy, inclusive and resilient communities. Shona began her career in early childhood whilst living in Scotland, travelling to outlying areas in a double decker bus fitted out as a place where children and parents could meet together in a mobile playgroup when no other facilities existed for this purpose. She subsequently migrated to Australia where after studying specifically in childcare she went on to complete both a Degree and a Masters in Human Service’s: Child and family studies. Shona has worked extensively with migrant and refugee families and has a strong focus on recognising the strengths in differing parenting practices and the promotion of child protection and wellbeing within culturally diverse communities, recognising respectful interactions and relationships are key to working cross culturally.

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Jen Berthold

Be You Clinical Lead VIC/TAS, headspace

Jen Berthold

Be You Clinical Lead VIC/TAS, headspace

With over 30 years of experience working as a teacher, school leader, school counsellor, and psychologist, in metro and rural areas across Australian school systems and states, Jen brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into empowering educator wellbeing and supporting student mental health in school communities.

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Ashleigh Burns

Be You Education Consultant VIC/TAS, headspace

Ashleigh Burns

Be You Education Consultant VIC/TAS, headspace

An experienced high school teacher, high school guidance officer and University career consultant, Ashleigh has a passion for supporting young people with complex needs. Ashleigh brings a wide range of knowledge and experiences in working with school principals, school leaders, teachers, and health professionals, with the aim of improving the mental health outcomes for young people and their families.

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Aislinn Whittenbury

Consultant, headspace

Aislinn Whittenbury

Consultant, headspace

Aislinn is a Be You Consultant with headspace, based in South Australia. Aislinn has previously worked to engage young people having difficulties with unemployment through her role at yourtown, and has worked with Uniting Communities, addressing youth homelessness and family reunification. Recently she has been working with the Riverland and Murrayland regions of SA to support learning communities following the impact of flooding. She believes that connection and inclusion are the keys to creating change.

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Narelle Corless

headspace Schools & Communities Program Manager

Narelle Corless

headspace Schools & Communities Program Manager

Narelle Corless (she/her/hers) is a headspace Schools Program Manager. She has worked with headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation since 2016 in roles supporting communities in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention and promoting and strengthening mental health literacy and support-seeking skills and knowledge.

She has worked in the mental health sector for 25+ years and has focussed her career supporting children and young people, those that care for them directly and the broader community that influence them. Narelle is an experienced mental health clinician with previous roles in school counselling, child & adolescent mental health, out-of- home care and trauma response and recovery. Narelle is an advocate for improving resilience, mental health, and wellbeing and, among other programs, currently leads the Recovery to Resilience program which provides mental health and wellbeing support to flood-affected communities in NSW.

Narelle acknowledges the Gaimaraigal, Guringai and Dharug peoples, who are the traditional custodians of the land on which she works and recognises and gives thanks for their continuing connection to land and waterways and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to Elders past, present, and emerging.

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Pam Ryan

Education Consultant

Pam Ryan

Education Consultant

Pam Ryan is an educator with leadership experience in both public and private sectors, in Australia and internationally. She provides leadership consultancy to schools, government and corporate organisations. Pam has been an Industry Professor (at UTS); a Director of Education in Hong Kong and NSW, and a secondary school Principal.

She holds a PhD and BA from the University of Sydney and master’s degree in curriculum from UNE. Her doctoral research explored the experience and impact of leadership when exercised destructively. Pam has published five books on educational leadership.

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Karin Humphrey

Be You Consultant (Adelaide), Early Childhood Australia

Karin Humphrey

Be You Consultant (Adelaide), Early Childhood Australia

Karin Humphrey is a Be You National Consultant based in Adelaide with over 30 years of experience in early childhood education. She has extensive experience working in a trans-disciplinary therapy team supporting children with disabilities and complex needs access and participate in educational settings. She strives to increase awareness about the benefits of relationship-based practices and inquiry-based learning through a positive mental health and wellbeing lens.

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Amy Shine

Director, Forbes Preschool (NSW)

Amy Shine

Director, Forbes Preschool (NSW)

Amy Shine is the Director of Forbes Preschool, and an advocate for inclusive early education, especially in regard to reconciliation. Her work in this space has seen Forbes Preschool continue to grow and they are now NDIS providers, Narragunnawali award winners and she is excited to share her practical tips and reflective thoughts with you.

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Annette Bulling

Be You State Manager, headspace

Annette Bulling

Be You State Manager, headspace

Annette has previously worked as an educator, counsellor, policy advisor, trainer and education consultant in Australia and overseas, and is currently the State and Territory Manager for the headspace Be You NSW/ACT team. Through her work with the Department of Education in South Australia, she was instrumental in updating the suicide postvention guidelines, and has led many initiatives regarding mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. She is passionate about providing flexible learning opportunities to promote life-long learning, wellbeing, and resilience for young people from diverse backgrounds and identities.

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Debbie Yates

ECA National Manager

Debbie Yates

ECA National Manager

Debbie Yates is a National Manager for Be You at Early Childhood Australia. Her previous experience includes teaching across both early learning and primary school settings. She has also worked as a manager at a range of community organisations with a focus on supporting families and children. Debbie holds post graduate qualifications in management (non-profit sector) and training in counselling.

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Libby Finn

Be You - Clinical Lead

Libby Finn

Be You - Clinical Lead

Prior to joining the Be You team, Libby worked as a school counsellor for the NSW Department of Education in mainstream primary schools and high schools, in schools with support units and in a School for Specific Purposes. She has also worked for Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) as a psychologist in the school setting. Libby has previously worked for headspace Schools and Communities as a Senior Clinical Consultant supporting schools across NSW in the postvention space providing training to school communities and supporting schools responding to suicide Libby is passionate about being part of the Be You vision to build a mentally healthy generation. She is currently a Clinical Lead on the Be You NS/ACT team overseeing development and adherence to clinical governance structures and providing clinical support and development to the Be You team.

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Kerry Harten

Lobethal Community Kindergarten

Kerry Harten

Lobethal Community Kindergarten

Kerry is a preschool educator with 22 years of experience in preschool settings. She has been a part of the Lobethal Kindy community since 2015. In December 2019, this community endured the devastation of the South Australian Cudlee Creek Bushfires, where almost all families and staff were impacted. On top of a community dealing with this devastation the impact of Covid-19 had many implications for the children, families, staff, and community. Kerry has a strong focus on learning through play-based experiences and following the lead of the children. She is passionate about learning through the natural environment and the use of extending children’s skills through her strong interest in Digital Technologies as a powerful learning tool. Kerry is committed to engaging reluctant learners, through adapting the learning program to meet individual needs and incorporating children’s voice into the program. She is passionate about encouraging children to theorise, question and consider possibilities as they explore and engage with the environment in a child-led, child-focussed way.

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Lisa Haughey

Deputy Principal, St Francis of Assisi Primary School

Lisa Haughey

Deputy Principal, St Francis of Assisi Primary School

B Ed (Primary), Masters of Student Wellbeing Having worked in Catholic education for 10 years as a teacher and leader, Lisa is passionate about staff wellbeing and self-care. Using energy and a creative spirit, she works to establish and maintain a supportive and nurturing environment for educators.

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