Who we are

Connie Digolis is the CEO of the Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT). Connie brings to her role a wealth of experience in population health and preventative health strategy, community sector management, advocacy, health promotion and policy. Connie is a leading voice advocating for mental health system reform, providing solutions to support the mental health and wellbeing needs of all Tasmanians.

Connie, in partnership with our Board, is responsible for ensuring that MHCT functions as an effective peak body for the community managed mental health sector in Tasmania. Together, the Board and CEO give direction and leadership towards the organisation’s relevance to the community and stakeholders; and the achievement of its vision, mission, strategic plan, annual goals and objectives.

Connie is a Deputy President of the Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS). Connie also represents the community managed mental health sector on a range of Advisory and Reference Groups working collectively to transform the Tasmanian mental health system to become a truly person-centred, integrated care model providing the best mental health outcomes for all Tasmanians.

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Amanda is undertaking an environmental scan of current mental health and wellbeing initiatives, training, and community groups and working with partners in the development and implementation of a mental health and wellbeing program. She works with key stakeholders to establish and support a network of community engagers including the development of training resources to increase participation and engagement of a mental health and wellbeing program across Tasmania.

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Ben coordinates the implementation of the Peer Workforce Strategy which supports the growth of a sustainable lived experience workforce in Tasmania, together with supporting organisations in their readiness to employ and support peer workers.

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Bree is responsible for the planning, coordination and reporting of MHCT projects. She also oversees MHCT’s policy development in the mental health sector at a state and national level. Bree represents MHCT on relevant committees and networks which inform and relate to MHCT projects and mental health reform.

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Dean develops policy submissions and responses. He designs and coordinates research and analysis of best practice models and frameworks to support system improvement together with monitoring and analysis of policy announcements and their impact on the Tasmanian mental health sector. Dean is also focused on the workforce challenges facing MHCT members.

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Ella supports the development of policy and research in the Tasmanian mental health sector.

Ella is currently on maternity leave.

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Emily provides administrative and communications support across the whole organisation, including answering incoming calls, responding to website enquiries, the preparation and dissemination of meeting invitations, together with supporting the development and coordination of MHCT events, campaigns, and projects. She is responsible for the monitoring and maintenance of the MHCT website and social media accounts and supports the Communications Manager in the development and delivery of the MHCT Communication Strategy.

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Hannah is working on the development and implementation of our Youth Mental Health Access Project. This includes developing a youth peer training program, resources and presentations which are evidence based, codesigned and build on existing peer training and support the growth of a youth peer workforce.

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Ian’s role involves supporting the Lived Experience, Mental Wellbeing Literacy, Youth MH and Wellbeing, and Policy teams at MHCT with stakeholder and member communication, survey development, meeting room management and general administrative tasks.

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This role develops and implements a community engagement plan that is aligned to the mental health and wellbeing program, and establishes and maintains relationships with key stakeholders and support the uptake and implementation of an evaluation and monitoring framework.

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John works across two roles, both in a part-time capacity.

In his Community Capacity Building role, he works in collaboration with our Northern Community Project Officer, Amanda. He develops and implements a community engagement plan that is aligned to the mental health and wellbeing literacy campaign (Take a minute), and establishes and maintains relationships with key stakeholders and support the uptake and implementation of an evaluation and monitoring framework.

In John’s Quality, Risk and Compliance role he reviews, implements and embeds Risk Management Framework across MHCT. Additionally he supports MHCT projects to implement quality improvement recommendations and works collaboratively to implement actions from the Child & Youth Safe Organisation Act 2023.

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Laura is responsible for the oversight of the Take a minute mental health literacy project and the Youth Mental Health Access Project.  Both projects aim to raise awareness and understanding of mental wellbeing in Tasmania.

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Laura is working on the development and implementation of our Youth Mental Health Access Project. This includes developing a youth peer training program, resources and presentations which are evidence based, codesigned and build on existing peer training and support the growth of a youth peer workforce.

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Laura is responsible for the finance, payroll, compliance, and human resources functions of MHCT. Her role is responsible for the development and implementation of policies, procedures and workplace health and safety initiatives and the oversight of all funding agreement deliverables. She provides administrative support to the CEO and MHCT Board and subcommittees.

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Nick is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the MHCT website and social media accounts, monitoring government and media activity relating to mental health, developing a range of communications including newsletters, infographics, surveys and marketing materials, and coordinating MHCT events.

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Olivia is responsible for the development of website and social media content to promote MHCT initiatives and campaigns while monitoring and reporting on traffic and analytics.” Then keep the second line as is: “She will develop promotional material and presentations to support projects across MHCT, and review documents, publications, and marketing material to ensure it aligns with MHCT branding guidelines.

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Rhiannon (Rhi) is our Lived Experience Workforce Project Officer. Rhi will be working alongside the LEx Training Hub team to promote the benefits of an impactful, understood, and professionalised Lived Experience workforce through an approach to organisational readiness.

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Sally is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of the Member and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy including the recruitment and retention of new members, and the identification of other strategic opportunities. Working closely with the CEO to strengthen government, member, and sector relations, Sally also helps staff leverage partnerships and engagement with MHCT campaigns in line with the MHCT Strategic Plan.

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Sophie is responsible for general office administration including answering incoming telephone enquiries, travel coordination, managing office and kitchen supplies, and the coordination of internal team meetings. She assists in maintaining the MHCT stakeholder registers and the processing of new MHCT Member applications, as well as Work Health and Safety inspections and staff Induction Program Coordination.

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Steve is responsible for the development and delivery of statewide lived experience training, and supporting new training and business development opportunities as they relate to the mental health, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs sector. Steve works with the LEx team to promote training and will work with stakeholders and other training providers to support pathways to further training.

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Stuart is responsible for the development and delivery of statewide lived experience training, and supporting new training and business development opportunities as they relate to the mental health, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs sector. Stuart works with the LEx team to promote training and will work with stakeholders and other training providers to support pathways to further training.

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John Kirwan

Chair

With over 40 years’ experience in the Health and Community services sector, John is currently the CEO of Royal Flying Doctors Service Tasmania, and has been CEO of the Launceston General Hospital and Northern Area Health Service. Having been born in Kalgoorlie, and having worked in the NW of WA, NT and northern Tasmania, John has a deep commitment to our rural and remote communities.

Andrew Little

Treasurer

Andrew has over 30 years’ experience in the financial oversight and have actively contributed to the strategic and financial viability of organisations throughout his career. He has provided a range of risk management, assurance, IT, and financial audit services to both public and private sector organizations across various industries and sectors, including mental health service delivery, public health promotion or campaigns, legal, and research. Andrew is deeply passionate about advocating for mental health and wellbeing and committed to supporting service providers in their essential work. He understands the critical need for accessible services, having personally witnessed the transformative impact of mental health support, both professionally and personally.

Mark Mewis

Deputy Chair

Mark is a former Commander of Police with over 40 years of experience in policing, including a number of years representing police in the delivery of mental health services. Prior to his recent retirement, his more immediate experience lay in the areas of strategic planning, large scale project management, and executive level leadership.

Ben Hughes

Board Member

Ben has extensive experience in a start-up mental health charity, initiating the first Men’s Table in June 2011 – a peer support model for men focused on active listening. In 2019, it was decided to start more Tables. There are now approximately 260 Tables across Australia. With experience engaging different levels of government and advising the Federal Health Department on men’s health, Ben advocates for lived experience and mental health resilience. As a former Executive Director of The Men’s Table and AICD-trained in non-profit governance, he is committed to Tasmanian community wellbeing and preventative mental health strategies.

Doctor Becc Nothrop

Board Member

For Becc, mental illness has been an inescapable reality in her career as a clinician – not only from her patients. She highlights the irony of her colleagues in healthcare, particularly doctors, suffering unacceptably high rates mental illness predating the COVID pandemic.

Both patients and healthcare workers want and work hard for the best healthcare outcomes for Tasmanians but structural and intangible system barriers limit this impact. Acknowledging this, over the years Becc has taken herself to roles beyond the bedside and into leadership coaching for doctors, speaking, and advisory and now to the MHCT board.

Through her professional coaching and advocacy work, she has worked with leaders in primary care delivery in Tasmania and has been invited to speak at numerous national events hosted by preeminent bodies including Australian Medical Association, The Royal Australian Colleges of Surgeons, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and Elsevier Publishing.